New Britain herald., 1918-03-02
RcpuISC Attack at St. NihieI

With the American Army in France, March 2.-(Associated Press) Am erican trops repulsed a strong German attack yesterday morning in the St. Mihiel salient north Of Foul. l The Americans displayed the great est personal courage, bravery, and energy throughout the engagement and outfought the surprised enemy from the instant contact was estab- liShed.
 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. The Americans also lost many killed and wounded, including officers. Among the dead was a captain, who was graduated from West PoInt in 1917.
 During the attack a town behind the American line was heavily shelled and there were some casualties there. X driving wet snow was falling when the Germans opened fire on the American salient with every weapon at their command Seventy-sevens, heavy shells, and gas shells fell in a whirlwind on the trenches for half an hour. At the same time other en- emy shells in great numbers were dropping on the American battery positions.
 The Germans, evidently thinking that the Americans in this section. having had one taste of gas a few days ago, would fear it now let loose great quantities of poison gas: but the men put on their masks md few were affected by it. So intense was h fIr CtC, l1.anl r. of the salient were shot to pieces.
 Hand to Hand Fighting.
 At o'clock the barrage fire lifted on the trenches to the right of the salient and Germans to the number of about 240 came sweeping forward under the protection of their fire. They apparently expected to make a big haul and jumped into what was left of the trenches; but th ere found the Americans all ready for battle. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting began.
 One American captain rallied his men with rifles and machine guns and went through the American wire en- tanglements into No Mans Land and waited there for the enemy, whom he expected to be driven out by his com rades in the trenches.
  the enemy started back through the entanglements The Americans poured in a deadly fire, but the captain was killed during the fight, being the first member of the 1917 class at West Point to fall.
 While the Americans in front of the wire entanglements and in shell holes were still fighting desperately, the American barrage fire began sweeping No Man's Land, catching many running Prussians who had 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 back out of the positions, the bodies of ten 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.
 Enemy Leaves Ammunition
 The ground was filtered with enemy hand grenades, boxes of explosives for destroying dugouts, and incendiary bombs which they had no opportunity to use. They managed to drop incen- diary bombs in two dugouts, which were destroyed by fire, but no Ameri- cans were in them.
 If the Germans captured any pris- oners, which is doubtful, there were not more than two or three, possibly from q listening post. Of the missing men many were probably buried. Dig ging for them is now proceeding and others may be accounted for
 Two of the German prisoners were wounded, the other was unhurt except fer a welt on one of his hands, where he was struck by a young American soldier when he showed fight after capture.
 From the prisoners the American
 CContiuu>d on Ninth pAge).