Republican farmer., 1918-03-08
AMERICANS IN
FIGHT WITH HUN
ARE VICTORIOUS
(By the Associated Press.)

Wy lilC <ASSOSldlSu $50
With the American Army in France,
March American troops repulsed a
strong German attack yesterday morn
ing in the salient north of Toul. There
were many American casualties. one
of the killed being a captain who was
graduated from West Point in 1917.
The raid was a complete failure,
three German prisoners remaining in
American hands. The ground in front
of the American trenches was streWn
with German dead.
A driving wet snow was falling yes
terday morning when the Germans
opened fire on the American salient
with every weapon at their command.
Seventy-sevens, heavy shells and gas
shells fell in perfect whirlwind on
our trenches for half an hour. At the
same time other enemy shells in great
numbers were dropping on the Ameri,
can battery positions.
The Germans, evidently thinking
that the Americans in this section,
having had one taste of gas few days
ago, would fear it now, let loose great
quantities of poisonous gas, but the
men put on their masks, and only
few were affected by it. So intense
was the fire that the woods back of
the salient were shot to pieces.
At o'clock the parrage fire lifted
on the trenches to the right of the
salient and Germans, numbering 240.
came sweeping forward under the pro-
lection of their fire. They came for
ward apparently intending to make a
big haul, and jumped into what was
left of the trenches, but there in
stead of the easy time anticipated,
i found the Americans all ready for
battle. Fierce hand to hand fighting
began.
One American captain rallied men
with rifles and machine guns and went
through the American wire entangle-
ments into No Idan's Land and there
waited for the enemy. whom he ex-
pected to be driven out by his COM
rades in the trenches.
! He was right, for soon groups of the
enemy started back through the wire
entanglements. The Americans pour
| ed in a deadly fire, but unfortunately
| the captain was killed during the
! fight. He is the first member of the
1 1917 class of West Point to be killed.
While the Americans were in front
of the wire entanglements and in shell
holes, still fighting desperately, the
American barrage fire began sweep
ing No Mans Land catching many
running Prussians who had enough
of American methods. The barrage
swept back and forth, making sure
of doing all possible damage to the
foe.
When the enemy had been driven
pack out of the positions the bodies
of 10 German soldiers were found in
the American trenches. Two German
officers were entangled in the wire
and MANY bodies were in sight. Eight
were visible through the snowstorm
at one point.
The ground was Uttered with enemy
hand grenades, boxes of explosives fol-
destroying dugouts and incendiary
bombs which they had no opportunity
to use.
The enemy managed, however tc
drop incendiary bombs in two dugouts
which were destroyed by fire, but nc
Americans were in them.
If the Germans captured any pris.
oners, which it is doubtful, there were
. not more than two or three, possibly
from a listening post. OF the missing
many were probably buried. Digging
for them is now proceeding and 9th.
erS may be accounted for.
Two German prisoners were wound.
[ ed and the other taken was unhur
except for a welt on one of his hand.
| where he was struck by a youns
American soldier when he showed
5 fight after capture. From the prison
J ers the American officers have OBJ
tanned much valuable information
One said:
I Il did not have a chance to do any
I thing before an American jumped OF
2 to me and grabbed me by the throat.
S The Germans had been preparing
f for the raid for three weeks and be
" longed to the Seventy-eighth Reserv
r Division of Hanover The prisoner
# had Russian coins in their possession
q and came into the trenches o2posit
us just before the Americans tool
over this sector.
The Americans lost many killed an,
\ wounded, including officers. TIL
) Americans displayed the greatest per
y sonal courage, bravery and energ
D throughout the engagement and out
fought the surprised enemy from tn