Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-01
Americans Battle Amid Caves
With Test; Overcoming Huns
Fighting RACES Ouer Territory Where Stone
Was Quarried in Sixth Century---Many
Interesting Incidents in Struggle.
III JUNYUS b. WOOD.

III JUNIUS b. WOOD.
GA1leEraA - The Sunday Star and
chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1913.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY AT
THE FRONT. August s1-caveme1
fight today with twentieth centur.
weapons Of death Instead of will
stone hatchets- When the American
units swung into action with thu
French in knocking another dent IL
the German battle line the confiic
was waged over a cave-pitted country
whence Clovis quarried the first stone
for the ancient edifices of scissors II
the sixth century. The caves are moi
like those known in America, but are
immense grottoes stretching fol
blocks under ground in which Gen
Foch is able to hide a regiment
Around the village of Juvigny
seven kilometers t4.2 miles) directly
north Of the famous city. where the
Americans entered the fight, every
hillside is undermined by those caves
whence were quarried the stone usee
in other ages.
S4OSS E ASALAAS ADVERSARY
Two Germans fortified the en-
trance and made them modern 1orts
Artillery was unable to dislodge them
feet of natures masonry. making nee
essary hand-to-hand fighting. Where
the best men won. Our men went a.
the task with zest through knowing
in advance that many would not re-
turn from this most deadly battle.
~ rnon1f Here was
fought the first battle of the Aisne in
1914 and here were the preliminary
operations of the Chemin des DANES
offensive. In 1917 trenches from Dotr
-iof these bloody fights scar the mus ~.
adding a further protection for the
Germans fighting stubbornly against
the dislodgement.
Did you ever know of the half
minute boys failing to beat the
boche." asked one wounded soldier re.
he bravely hoped into a dressing sta
ton with a bullet-punctured leg.
Wrestler Bests Hun Officer.
The speaker was Private Dubois OF
Ypsilanti, Mich. In quieter days he
distinguished himself as middle
weight wrestler, and the tricks ne
cles served him in good stead in
sudden emergency in this battle. The
mouth of the cave was cautiously ap-
preached by a squad of Americans. IN
Guiding a young Lieutenant pu i.S 5
grenade in his hand ready to throw
At any person coming out. The lieu
tenant valiantly ran ahead OF the men
and was just about to enter the cave
when a German officer jumped out
aiming a pistol at the American off
GERS heart Dubois hurled the grenade
hoping to save his commanders lire
but toppled from his precarious perch
and fell near the German omcer. the
grenade luckily exploded wide OF the
mark. Tff4 the skill of the wrestler
came into play. Like flash he crap
pied the officer and threw him down
never to move again. thereby saving
the life of the young lieutena2t.
Jack broke that officers back" said
q comrade in describing the incident
THE man just gave one scream, went
down in heap, wriggled few times
and lay STILL"
Go Over in Morning.
The first wave went over at 6
o'clock in the morning, though the
preliminary attack was made the
day before, when a raid captured 200
prisoners, who were secured west OF
the embankment of the railroad track
north of Chavingy. This was need
ed as a jumping over place in the
morning, and the men were able to
dig themselves in and rest through
the night. Beyond lay cave land,
where the Germans were silently
waiting. Few of these weary,
hardy fighters lost any sleep in antici-
pating what the day would promise.
TT is our big day, boys" said Capt
Hinkley Of Detroit, at daylight, when
the artillery preparation began and
the big guns started to boom. 1--WE
must send another record home to
those paying for US over here.
Hinkley, assisted by Capt Milburn S.
Of New York, a relative of one OF
the editors of the Globe, and Lieut.
Brown of Detroit. led the first wave.
Later others under Maj. T. Byron
Bsveridge of Appleton, Wis. leap
frogged over them. continuing the at
trenches which were left behind in
the first rush.
Go Forward Swiftly.
I'VE went forward at least three
kilometers G.8 miles) the first halt
hour" said Private Julius A. Book OF
Detroit. The Germans were throw
ing explosives in every valley in the
rear. but we went ahead so fast that
they could not keep up with u.s."
The machine guns were dug into
regular little forts out of which we
had to drive the gunners," said the
eighteen-year-ol Private Edmund N
Cadieux of Detroit. Then they hid
in the caves and we had to drive them
out again. They started raking us
with bullets, but we fixed bayonets
and charged. capturing a lot of
prisoners, who were made to carry
in our wounded on their backs
I'VE located the German machine
guns by sound and flushed them out y
said Private Clarence Richardson OF
Detroit THE guns were in a maze of
trenches and the battle was a series OF
confused attacks. for as fast as we
entered one trench we found German
guns enfilading it from the ends"
Il had reached one of the German
ammunition dumps when shell
struck it." said Private John Matthews
of Cedar Rings, Mich. Two men were
killed and two wounded l picked uI
ono Of the wounded though the shells
were still popping and carried him
back"
Penetrates Tank Tower.
Private Wesley Barlow Of Wausaw,
Wis. was one of squad following a
tank hopping up machine gun EN-.
rifle." he said. 1T has a long barrel
and is slow firing. Its bullets per.
forated the tower of our tank and
caused 1t to roll over" The Germans
used these rifles for the first time