The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-04-18
ONE LIEUTENANT
BAGS NINE TEEN
AMERICAN DARING, RIVALS THE
Widest FICTION.
RAINBOW DIVISION IN ACTION
Recent Casualty list Indicates the
Location. Of the Boys Italian
Member Of American Forces
Plays Havoc With Huns.

Plays Havoc With Huns.
With the American Armies in
France, April ia German attack
against the American positions on
the right bank OF the Mouse, north of
ST. Mihiel, was made by force of
400 picked troops who were recently
brought there from the Russian front.
Although the Americans were out
numbered more than two to one,
they completely repulsed the enemy,
driving him back to his own trenches
/ The known enemy casualties include
| sixty-four dead, many wounded and
eleven prisoners, besides a number OF
| wounded who were dragged back. to
| the German lines by their comrades,
The Germans attempted to deceive
the Americans by appearing in front
OF the trenches and speaking French
and English, and also by yelling
gas" The deception, however, was
soon discovered and cost the enemy
dearly. The American casualties
were comparatively slight.
Rainbow Men in Action.
Washington. d. c., April 16.-The
Rainbow division, or part of it al
least, has been engaged recently in
hot fighting. This is shown from
casualty lists which indicate losses in
the Sixty-ninth New York regiment
and in the Wisconsin machine CUR
battalion, both parts of the Rainbow
division,
Sharp losses were sustained by
the Badger state machine gunners
within the last few days, but at what
part of the line is not disclosed.
| All reports from this division, since
the brilliant work of Iowa troops
March and March 8. are highly
creditable.
Two Days of Fighting.
| With the American Army in France
April 16.-Heavy artillery exchanges
closed the second day of steady fight
ing between American forces anc
German shock troops in the burnt
forest of Agreement Qour miles cas-
! OF st. MihieD, on the American sec
tor northwest of Toul.
It was the toughest and biggest
battle yet fought by our men, ant
they won it.
Five Get 10 Captives.
| An American lieutenant and foul
men captured nineteen Germans. Two
machine guns and large quantities OF
German equipment also were cap
tured.
The German casualties, according
to the latest estimate, are: One hun
bred dead, 800 wounded.
Incidents of bravery and self-sacri
nee shown by our officers and men il
this large scale action rival the feat:
of fiction.
A young Italian, born in a Penn
sylvania coal mining town, killed
one German and captured three. He
saw eight Germans walking in a com
munication trench ahead of him and
although alone, he shot and killed
one and ran after the others, captur
ing two and wounding some of those
who escaped. He then returned tt
the American line and turned ovel
the prisoners to noncommissionec
officer, and coolly asked for match
Accepted the Challenge.
The officer jokingly said: I'll give
you a match If you bring in another
| prisoner" The Italian, who is only
| 5 feet inches tall, went back over
the parapet. He returned in less
than FIVE minutes, walking with drawn
! bayonet behind foot German who
was yelling "Kamerad, kamerad."
A few minutes later it was report
ed that ten Germans were lying in q
machine nest in No Mans land. The
italian started Tor the spot alone, but
was ordered baAk by the commander
of the unit, who later sent detach
ment of men to rout out the enemy
which they did.
Few American Casualties.
During the fierce fighting the Ger
mans tried to trap twenty-nine Amer
leans in trench. But the lieuten
ant commanding these Americans
seeing the danger led dashins
charge and rescued his comrades.
The American casualties were small
in comparison with the losses infiict-
ed upon the enemy
The bravery OF their men brought
tears TO the eyes of some of the
American commanders.
Twelve OF the thirty-slx Germans
taken died OF wounds.