The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-06-20
FIGHT LIKE VETERANS
AMERICANS SHOW MAGNIFICENT
FIGHTING QUALITIES.
Swept Huns Before Them-Thelr
Commander Exclaims "Wish Had
an Army Corps of Them

With the American Army on the
Marne.-The second attack made TO-
day by American marines on German
nositions northwest of Chateau-Thler-
ry early gave promise of being as
successful as this mornings assault
The marines reached all their obJec-
tiyes set for the first hour within that
time limit and pushed beyond them.
The early reports indicated the Ger
mans on the run for the time being
and surrendering right and lett 10
the Americans. One of the toughest
,of all the objectives, Belleau wood
Some four miles from Chateau-Thler-
ry, was swept by the marines without
serious trouble. There seemed rea-
son to expect German counter attacks
in strength before long, for previous
to the beginning of the afternoon at
tack. which began at p. m.' the
roads behind the German lines were
filed with troops, guns and wagons
but the American artillery turned on
them and created havoc.
The marines in their forward sweep
took strong positions on either SIDE
of Belleau wood and cleaned out the
rayine south of Torcy, which linked
nn the line with Hill 142, which was
taken this morning. This gave them
a strong and dominating position TOT
a continuation of their attack. Their
total advance was approximately two
miles over a three-mile front. Inc
total number of prisoners taken was
not known this evening, but add1-
tional captives were brought in after
the morning attack, which netted
about 100 prisoners.
notable development was the low
morale of the prisoners, all OF Whom
are Prussians. They expressed them
selves as tired of the war and glad to
get out of the fighting. This was de-
snite the fact that they are furnished
with food, although the Saxons, the
Wuerttemburg troops and others may
go without.
It must not be immagined, how
ever, that they did not put up hight
this morning, for their officers were
among them urging them on, but the
marines dashed into them, yelling like
Indians and plying bayonet and rifle.
One marine who was taking back a
prisoner ran into two German OIL
GERS and ten men. He tackled them
single-handed with his rifle and bay
onet, killed both the officers and
wounded seven of the men.
Another sergeant was about to
take a prisoner when. the German
threw himself on the ground and dis
charged his revolver at the Amerl-
can after calling "comrade." That
settled the German, for the sergeant
shot him, as he did four others, who
also had surrendered, but refused to
put up their hands.
Forward in Waves.
The marines advancing in the Bel
leau wood region went forward IN
four waves of open formation. The
men in the first waves were for the
most part armed with rifles and
bombs, while the rear waves were
eouipped with automatic rifles. With
them came squads of machine gun
ners Juggling their collapsible guns.
They crossed the open space and
toiled up the slope bent over like
gnomes. The trenches the marines
passed over were clearly visible from
below. but they hardly deserved the
name, for they were simply lines OF
little holes, each big enough. to hold
a man while barbed wire was lack
ing. There was some, however. in
terlaced among the trees of Belleau
wood but the marines pushed their
way through it.
Out in the open field artillery Off
GERS with glasses were directing the
supporting fire, while on the roof of
a nearby farm house a signal man
yig-wagged with his red and white
flags. On all sides the guns were
flashing, some of them stationed right
out in the field, while others were
hidden in the woods. Looking down
into the valley only a mile away the
village of Bussaires could be seen on
fire. AS the correspondent watched
the scene the clouds OF white shrap-
mel smoke over the village Of Torcy
also became brownish and flames ap-
peared in that town.
The artillery fire that preceded
the attack lasted an hour and was
of especial intensity for five minutes