The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-02-06
AMERICAN FRONT
is NEAR TOUL
Length Of Line Held by u. S.
Troops a Secret.
RAID BY ENEMY STOPPED
Pershins's Men Discover Foes Plan
and Concentrate Artillery Fire on
Trenches, Inficting Heavy Casual
ties

Trenches, InfIictins Heavy Casual,
ties
With the American Army in France,
Feb. 6.-The sector occupied by the
American troops is narthwest Of
Toul.
1t is inadvisable to mention the
number of men in line. the length Of
the sector and other dc'ails.
The location Of the secto~ was kept
secret until it became certa' the
enemy had discovered it.
(Topl, capital Of the Department OF
Meurthe et-Mosile, is fourteen miles
west of Nancy. II is a forte ess of
the first class. The present battle
line is sixteen miles north Of Toul.
where 1t extends eastward ON St.
Mihlel toward the German border
Recently there have been raids by
French troops near F'lirev and Se;che-
pray.y When the American trench was
raided November :. the Conan off
cisl Statement sail the Americans
were stationed aI-ng the Marne-
Rhine canal. northeast o. Luneville.
Toul is twenty-eight miles west-north-
west of LunevilleD
German plans to raid the Am >rica n
trenches were frustrated on Sunday
The American artillerymen put down
a heavy barrage in front of the Ger
man lines, and directly on it.
The trenches are believed to have
been filled with men and officers
awaiting the signal to attack.
1t was discovered at a certain hour
the Germans intended to carry out a
silent" raid. Fifteen minutes before
the time set, all the American guns
concentrated their fire where, accord
ing to the information, the enemy was
massed 1t is believed heavy casual
ties were inflicted.
There has been a general increase
in artillery activity for the last day
or so all along the American front.
The Germans are still unable to occu.
py the first line trenches which were
caved in by the American artillery
fire. They have constructed another
line at that point.
american patrols have worked their
way over No Mans Land and inspect
ed tkS aged trenches,
TIssy have dropped q number o.
shells IN the roads behind the Ameii-
can lines.
Two men we're reported wounded
by shells.
Reports from the first line show
great courage was exhibited by the
troops during the heavy lombard,
ment on Saturday. Several men were
wounded slightly by shell splinters.
They were treated in the lines with
their first aid packets. They insist
ed on remaining at their posts until
the fight was over.
One man who was carried to field
dressing station, returned to his com
rades in the line after hi, wounds
had been attended to. He remained
on duty until the firing ceased. All
the men later went to a hospital.
Many Americans have had their
first experience with gas in the last
few days The Germans have been
sending over many shells.
The chief Of staff Of one division
and another staff officer were motor
ing to village back Of the lines. They
came upon several companies, all In
masks. The officers hurriedly put on
their own masks and rode on toward
the front.
At the next village. the men were
wearing masks. The officers kept
theirs on until they saw, through a
she'll hole in the side of brick wall.
twenty infantrymen with no masks
on, rolling dice as if noting had hap
pened.