The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-06-06
BAYoNET ATTACK DROVE
GERMANS FROM POSITIONS.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. Tuesday. June 4.-(By AS
sociated Press)-The American troops
thrown into the present great battle
on the front northwest Of Chateau
Thierry in a brilliant bayonet attack
drove the Germans from Neuilly wood
In which the enemy was attempting
to establish himself after occupying
the village of veuilly la Poterie in
severe fighting.
The Germans poured a heavy ma
chine gun fire into the American ranks.
but the Americans rushed forward and
destroyed the hastily erected machine
gun positions the edge Of the
woods. Continuing their advance, they
engaged the Germans at close quarters
and cleared them entirely from their
positions. driving them back upon the
ruined village.
In q sharp combat, marked by the
ffierceness of the allied machine gun
fire French and American troops fight
ing side by side, almost wiped out
small German forces which had reach
ed the left bank of the Marne near
Jaulgonne, east OF Chateau Thierry.
Most of the enemy survivors were
rounded up in small groups and made
prisoners.
the Germans at veuilly, the Americans
drove them back one and a half Kill
ometres on the front of a narrow
salient The ground was cleared o:
the enemy and the Americans are now
holding their position there. The
American losses according to the latest
reports available were exceedingly
slight, most OF them resulting from
sheIl-fire.
The first Americans to enter the
battle zone were troops of a machine
gun battalion. They rode on trucks
during all of Friday night and arrived
at their new position on Saturday
morning These were the troops which
repulsed the enemy forces which at
tempted to cross the Marne river.
The machine gunners were stationed
within a certain town and began oper-
ations by poking the muzzles of their
weapons through broken walls. bushes
and holes knocked in the side OF
houses. The guns were skillfully hid
den and the Germans were unable to
locate them. The Germans shelled the
town heavily and the Americans took
positions accordingly. Later on the
enemy entered the outskirts only to be
pounded by the allied artillery.
The correspondent today went over
lHS UGLlAo AREA anu Ahlc1NlcWcQ many
OF the American and French soldiers.
They are in excellent spirits and con-
fident that the line win hold. although
the worst probably is yet to come as
the Germans have not been able to
bring up much heavy artillery. Until
then, probably the outcome cannot be
determined.
The battle Is raging over a hilly
country where crops are growing and
there are no prepared trenches. When
the Americans entered the line tho
lighting was shifting back and forth
like a seething maelstrom. The Amer
leans each dug in and they went at it
like experienced hands. One of the
American officers said:
THE Germans are now learning that
the Americans are as resourceful as
any. The Germans do not like the
Americans because they can dig in
with one hand and fight with the other
and smile at the same time"
In villages along the Marne the
Americans are aiding the French in
guarding homes of the civilians who
were driven out by the enemy shelling
by day and bombing by night. Many
Of these hitherto peaceful villages are
almost deserted.
The battle area presented a peculiar
and imperative picture this morning.
The correspondent had motored all
night in the rear OF the front where
the low rumble OF guns was followed
by flashes along tive battle line and
shrapnel bursting against the starry
sky which seemed alive with enemy
airplanes. There was a lull at dawn
and the clouds melted into silvery
patches. The rays of the sun shone
upon the battlefield where for a mo-
ment il might have been ina agined
the hell by night had haen turned into
peace by day.