New-York tribune., 1918-03-30
Two Germans Wounded in
Surprise Raid by
Pershing's Men
One Prisoner Was
Eager To Be Taken
So Eager, That He Wanted
to Invite His Brother,
Too

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, March 2e-An American
patrol, consisting Of regimental intel
ligence officer, a sergeant and three
men. this morning took four prison
ers from d German outpost position.
The Americans quietly slipped up be-
hind and covered six Germans. Two
of the men ran and were killed when
they refused to halt.
The four soldiers captured were
merely youths. They were brought
back to the American lines in broad
daylight. They were poorly fed and
clothed and seemed to be exceedingly
glad TO be captured by the Americans.
One Of the men even asked permission
to 90 to q nearby point and get his
brother.
Extremely valuable information is
said to have been secured from the
men.
The patrol has been cited in French
orders of the day and VIII receive the
French War Cross. The Americans to
be rewarded are Lieutenant George
Reowood. of Baltimore; Sergeant
Henry Bongeau, Of Cherry Valley,
Mass, and Privatcs Edward Arm
strong, Of Mariana, Penn; Carson
Shumate, of Ada, W. Va, and Bernard
Bolt, of South Bethlehem, Penn.
There were four thankful young Ger
mans, greyclad and spattered,
who were brought TO the American
division Intelligence Office this after
noon by the patrol which was operat-
ing in the Toul sector. The grey uni
/ n Il ol Or
in the German equivalent that they had
been "fed up with the whole business
of war. The mud that spattered them
was from certain locality in No Man S
Land, through which they had been
piloted earlier in the day by the Amer
leans who had captured them.
They were thankful because for them
the war was finished and that they had
been captured by Americans. One
young Saxon was so struck with the
good treatment and the food that ne
the officer in charge of the patrol to
go back through No Mans Land and
get his brother. Two of the quartet
volunteered the information that they
had tried to escape from Germany into
Holland last September, but mad been
caught and showed back into the ranks.
All frankly gave up every bit Of
information they could. some of it be
ing OF extreme value. They assisted
American intelligence officers by point
ing out important points on military
maps.
Germans Taken by Surprise
How they were captured is a story
illustrative of the spirit prevailing
along the American front. 1t was 3
o'clock in the morning when informa-
tion reached certain regiment head
quarters that six of the enemy had
No Mans Land. The regimental in
telligence officer, a lieutenant, was
awakened hurriedly, and ordered go;
get 'em," He started gathering his
men as he went along toward the front.
The outpost was some distance away,
but the party reached point in front
of it without being discovered.
They then cfrcled around to the rear
of the post and crept up closer. The
lieutenant looked in, saw the Germans
there, motioned his men to come nearer,
and when the muzzles of four rifles
and one automatic pistol were pointed
in the Germans direction, the lieu
tenant in German demanded their sur
render.
Four of the enemy threw up their
hands. crying "Aamerad!" The other
two started to do likewise, but suddenly
changed their minds aod tried to es
cape. Failing to heed the cries of
Halt" they were fred upon and
dropped in their tracks. All papers
and Identification marks on the bodies
we're removed by the lieutenant, who
had not forgotten his principal busi-
ness even then.
BY that time the sun had risen and
the Americans faced the prospect Of re-
crossing No Mans Land in daylight
they started out not knowing at what
would rain on them.
Returned Unscathed
Either the Germans failed to see
them because Of the rain that was fall
ing or held their fire because they did
not desire to kill the prisoners. In any
event, the Americans returned un
scathed with their four prisoners. Two
did not have Overcoats and all were
soaked with the rain.
The Americans took the captives to
q fire, and there one of them unrolled
from a newspaper a chunk of the sour
est smelling black hard bread the
Americans had ever seen and started
munching it. Then the Americans
started breakfast and plates full of
steaming food and white bread with
good coffee were handed the captives.
They stuffed themselves full, remark
ing afterward that it was the best
meal they had had for many months
The Youngest was the first to say that
he was glad he was captured, and then
begged permission to go to certain
listening post to get his brother, who,
he thought. might be there.
of I had known | would be treated
like this | would have deserted long
ago." he said. Everybody back there
is being killed We have all had
enough of this war. never wanted to
rot into t and tried to escape into
Holland, but was forced into the ranks.
where ] had nothing to eat and had
death staring me in the face every
second"
After the prisoners had given all the
information they could they were
turned over to- the French.
The patrol has been cte in French
orders Of the dav and will receive
tho French War Cross. The Ameri
cans to be rewarded are Lieutenant
George Redwood. of Baltmore: Ser
reant Henry Bongeau, of Cherry
Valley. Mass. and Privates Edward
Armstrong Of Mariana Penn; Car
son Shumate, of Ada. w Va, and
Bernard Bolt, Of South Bethlehem,
Penn.
by The ass4.ia,csl prcss1
WITH THE AMEpTrA APMN I'M