The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-08-01
AMERICANS FINALLY LEFT IN
POSSESSION TO-DAY. a.
WADED THE RIVER UNDER FIRE
Farmer Boys Proved Too Much For
the Trained Shock Troops Of the
Crown Princes Army-Freneh
Fighting Desperately.
(By Fred s. Ferguson.)

mas hurled the Fourth Prussian guard,
one of the Ace" divisions of the
German army, against the rugged
American farmer boys in the region
of Sergy in an attempt to check the
advance Of the American forces, but
the doughboys have again thrown the
enemy back across the Ourcq.
g This afternoon this famous enemy
division is broken. The farmers are
in full possession of Sergy and the
ground beyond s
Taken and Re-Taken 9 Times.
Standing out from the other fight
ing along the Ourcq Is the bitter
struggle for Sergy which has been
taken and retaken nine times since
Sunday morning. 1t was taken by
the Germans this morning after hay-
ing been held by the Americans over
night. nos ssa,s
To reach this town the American
forces had to wade waist deep across
the Ourcq and advance upon the OPP
posite banks in the fierce hail Of ma
chine gun fire. . r ta
They rushed machine gun positions
and swept over and took the town.
Our artillery fire held off the Boches.
Then the Prussian guard came up.
Enemy Picked Troops For Fight.
Prisners say that they have been
rushed from Avricourt and northeast
of Luneville, especially for counter
attacking work: e.'N + p
They bivouaced in the Nesles For
est for two nights and then they were
broken up by the Sergy fire.
French Fighting Desperately.
By Lowell Mellett, With the French
Armies in the Field, July 30, 2 p. m.
The Germans continue their des-
perate resistance along the whole line
of the new positions they have estab-
lished in their retreat. &c..
1t is impossible to tell yet whether
this is the place that they have chos-
en- to make their stand or whether
they are sacrificing great numbers of
men to save vast quantities of mater
ialS.
The hardest fighting is in and
around Beugneux (where the French
are reported to have been ejected)
and behind which town there is an
elevation from which Fismes, twelve
miles distant, is visible.
Town Shot To Pieces.
Behind a fierce German barrage the
Prussian guardsmen attacked the
American forces and captured the
town. The latter called on their ar.
tillery and made an attack fighting
their way through the city from be-
hind crumpled walls.
Enemy machine guns had been
placed behind barricades in the de-
bris of the ruins of a church.
The machine gun fire and the
shrapnel was so hot that the Ameri.
can forces were forced to lay down
along the curbing and seek even that
shallow protection :
Doughboys of one battalion stayed
by their commander until he won the
heart Of every man. He lay there
in the debris alongside his men
while the Boches' bombardment was
at it's worst 81
Then he jumped up and cried,
Come on, boys!" He led his men
through the streets of the city in a
new dash that won.
Today's Fight Settled It.
The Prussian guardsmen attacked
four times Sunday following the
Americans capture of the town.
Each time the American forces re
took it. The fifth attack was final and
the doughboys drove the guardsmen
off this morning despite the vigorous
defenses. ..-. S... ..s
Statements of prisoners indicated
that the Boches in general had plan
ned to hold firmly further to the north
probably in and near Fismes.
| Prisoners say that the men engaged
in removing guns and material were
! ordered to Fismes.
After the failure of their counter at
tack the Prussian guardsmen were or
dered to retreat slowly and infiict hea
Wy casualties il possible.
Prisoners Tell Of Privatlon.
A prisoner from one of the Bavarial
division said that the positions whiel
they had been ordered to hold ha
been lost.
A captured artilleryman said that h
formerly worked in an aeroplane fa'
tory at Berlin.
He participated in general strik
there last May and was sent to tn
front for punishment.
He said that he and his fellow wori
men struck because some wanted be
ter food some wanted peace and sti
some others wanted more money,
In addition to the guard American
in this region took prisoners from tn