Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
SHARP FIGHT|NGl| /
MARKS ENCOUNTER
ON FRENCH 'FRONT.'
Enemy Sneaks Up Behind
Heavy Barrage Put Down
Along Left Flank.
CAPTURED PRISONER SAYS
MANY RAIDS ARE PLANNED:
U. S. Officers Show Willingness
to Sacrifice Life to Save
Soldiers. 80
RUSSIAN INVASION CONTINUES.
I~rE
Peace Negotiations Are Apparently
Broken Off With Bolsheviki
and Roumania.
RUSSIAN INVASION CONTINUES
Peace Negotiations Are Apparently:
Broken Off With Bolsheviki
and Roumania.
tBy Associated Press ]

Dispatches from the headquarters &!
of the American army in France Lasts
night tell the story of third attack
on tho American lines by the Germans.sS
The attackIwas made shortly after 9:30sS
o'clock Thursday night according
to the cablegram, in the Chenin ID ea IS
Danes sector. After sharp fighting
! the enemy retired, leaving four pris-lg
oners, two OF whom were wounded. 81
Some American losses are reported r.
and number were killed or missing, ,Es
All are from New England. Y
Three companies Of shock troops,l
ono of which had been brought from
Laon by motor cars for the attack
came UP behind heavy barrage which, |
had been put down along the left flank
of the American forces. After sharp
lighting the enemy retired.
The American and French artillery
effectively countershellcd the enemy a,
during the attack, which was local 81
lied, and during his retirement.
1t Is not permitted to disclose the
number OF American casualties H.
| One of the prisoners captured 5said Y
| that this was the beginning Of "A y
series of similar raids on large SCALE
along the western front. 6sei i
The three recent raids, ono In the
Toul sector and two along the Chemfp-
ueS- Dames. nave demonstrated that,thCNa
American soldier, Notwithstanding his
previous ineNperience. now Is perfect.
ly at home in a gas mask and able TO-
tight as we'll with as without it, In
so quickly reaching this stage the
Americans have shown their usual
adaptability. Gas was used in all three
attacks in just sufficient quantities to
make masks necessary, as the Ger
mans In their later attacks did not
desire to encounter quantities of their
own gas. 5S
when the engagement at Toul began
virtually all the Americans were X
masked. Some few of the men, how #
| ever are reported to have taken, n
chance when the German infantry att.
lacked, pulling off their masks for
tree action. One officer rislled his IifaS,
TO give commands TO his men during
the roar of explosions. He was nm
able. through his mask. to make his
men hear, so he pulled it OFF and YELLED
ms orders. AS it happened, there was
no Sas IN this particular section, hut
ne ala not know il. The officer was
Wiling to sacrifice his own life to get
ms men to place OF safety whers
they could also strike effectively ar the
enemy. 10
MANY INSTANCES OF
GREAT PERSONAL BRAVERY
ihere were many other instances OF
personal bravery A lieutenant. SER
eeant and two privates were in ar.ar-
out when some Germans looked In
one cried In good English:
Come out Americans"
The four Americans LIazed ,w.,
win their automatics. then rushed the
entrance to stumble over tho bodies ~ Z
:. :. sat. y
killed by their quick resistance 1900
During the bombardment. i which s
hardly could have been more terrioc
Two men who were concealed in n shen &
ho!e were buried by dirt thrown tbyrar 4
o.her exploding projectile. They shout
{" LOT heip and it came quickIys Tbair K
coi'rades lett the shelters, from Hhjcb
'"'s were ready TO leap into action tho
''o'ieil the attacking infantry an Il
peared' and eShumed tho buried so,.
"leFs while stones. mud, earth. pieces
OF trees and she'll splinters snattor..
about them. - :
Notwithstanding the ficrceness OF the &
"sh' III close quarters, not more than
'"u oayohet was used, and this ono on y
German. 1he Americans. using :heir
"u'"'"S'c pistols. sent bullets Into The
"ci man attackers with good aim In EF
~ e eHS!te"eht' Rthe bullets &
accounted for many more. y
ONE SOLDIER OWES HIS s
LEE TO TERRIBLE MUD &
Although the army has been cursInc z
'hs weather and the mud for days
there IS one man in the line to-da, Z,
VINO Is glad IL was muddy, for he /
owes his life to the slippery duck
boaEds' or the flooring in the trenches.
"i'h pistoi IN hand he rounded a
trench corner looking for Germans. 4
ourly Prussian saw him first and fred y
but at the same moment the American r.
slipped and fell on his face. The Prus-
sian thought him dead and turned away. IS
lie was quickly dropped in his tracks I:
by the prone American, who fred ac-
curately from the trench bottom. There
were men in tho fight from virtually alIaS
the States from New York to Texass
With ono or two exceptions. all thosE
wounded ara eSpectcd IN rocnyx > fis.s53S ~: