Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-13
Only Two Out of 800 Get
Through and They are
Taken Prisoner.
Paris, April 13.-The
city of Rheims is in flames.
The French are attempt
ing to limit the burning
area, working under a
heavy bombardment.

IHe UermanS IaSB night re-
newed their attacks upon the
French positions in BruIe wood
in the forest of ApremOnt.
American troops in this sector
in conjunction with the French,
says t0day's official statement,
have cOmbatted with vigOr and
broken the majority of the en-
emy attacks. At one point
where the enemy obtained
footing he was thrown out by
counter attack.
On the SOmme battle front
the entire village OF Hangard
and the adjoining cemetery
have been regained from the
Germans.
With the American Army in
France, April 13, (By the Associat-
ed Press In the raid carried out
by the Germans on Wednesday
against the Americans northwest
of TOul, the enemy intended to
penetrate to the third line posi-
tions, according to Information OBJ
tained from a prisoner. This is
corroborated by material found on
dead Germans. The enemy car
ried wire, dynamite, intrenching
tools and other implements for or
ganizing the positions.
The Americans knew in advance
of the proposed attack through in
formation obtained a day or two
previously from prisoners captured
by the French on an adjacent
sector.
Made by Shock Troops.
The attack was made by a spe-
cial battalion of 500 shock troops,
who had rehearsed the operation
for two or three weeks behind the
lines AS soon as the German bac-
rage began, the American batteries,
without waiting for a rocket signal,
laid down counter barrage, with
the result that less than 200 of the
enemy succeeded in climbing out
of their trenches and advancing to-
ward the American line.
The German officers sent the
men right through the barrage, but
only two succeeded in reaching the
front line. Both of these were
taken prisoner, one of them dying
short time afterward from
wounds.
0utpOsts Move In.
When the German barrage start
ed. the American outposts moved
into the first line, where with 9TH
er infantrymen and machine gun
ners they waited for the advancing
enemy. The Americans poured o
deadly fire into the raiders, then
climbed out of the trenches and
engaged with grenades and in hand
to hand fighting the few Germans
who were able to cross NO Mans
land.
The American infantrymen drove
the enemy back to his own lines,
and, protected by machine gun and
automatic fire, dragged the Ger
man dead back to the American
trenches for Identification.
German Loss Heavy.
The German losses were ex-
tremely heavy, as No Mans land
was strewn with dead, and num-
bers of the enemy were killed by
the artillery without being able to
leave the German trenches.
The French officers commanding
units in a neighboring sector COM
plimented the American officers on
the courage and gallantry display
ed in the operation and the splen-
did work of the artillery. Some of
the battery men worked in gas
masks for several hours.
Yanks Wipe Out Raiders.
New York, April 13.-A raid by
a party of 200 Germans on a por-
tion of American-held line N which
all but 20 of the attacking force
were accounted for by the defend
ing Americans, was described by
Raymond Starbard, an adiutant in
the war work organization of the
Salvation Army. who arrived here
yesterday after having been within
range of German artillery on the
western front for seven months.
His Last Insult.
In making a report to his head
quarters here, Adjutant Starbard,
whose home is at Worcester, Mass,
said:
The raid occurred March z.
One German, a member Of the at
tacking party, leaped TO an ex-
posed position and In excellent
English shouted. Come on out, you
American dogs, and fight
Before he could leap back 10
safety one of our men ha1 thrown
a hand grenade which took off both
his legs. Then ensued a fierce en-
counter in which the Americans
accounted for 1S0 of the Germans
out of an original 200 in the raid
ing group
Gradually. the German fighting
forces are becoming disabused OF
their idea that the Americans are
not "scrappers," Adjutant Starbard
declared Men of the alliedforces
on the battle lines are confident of
victory he added