The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-02
GERMAN ATTACK
WAS REPULSED


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
this 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 a perfect whirlwind on
the American trenches for half an
hour. At the same time, other enemy
shells in great numbers were drop
ping on the American battery posi-
! tons.
The Germans evidently thinking
| that the Americans in this section,
| having had one taste of gas a few
| days ago, would fear IL now. let loose
! great quantities OF poisonous gas, but
| the men put on their masks and only
| a few were affected by 1t. So intense
| was the fire that the woods back Of
| the salient were shot to pieces.
Germans Attack.
At o'clock the barrage fire lifted
| on the trenches to the right of the
salient, and Germans numbering $40
came sweeping forward under the
protection Of their fire. They came
forward apparently intending to
make q big haul and jumped into
what was left of the trenches, but
there, instead Of the easy time antici-
pated, 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 en-
tanglements into No Mans Land and
there waited for the enemy, whom
he expected to be driven out by his
comrades in the trenches.
He was right, for soon groups Of
the enemy started back through the
wire entanglements. The Americans
poured in a deadly fire, but I'M
fortunately the captain was killed |
during the fight. He is the first |
Point to be killed.
While the Americans were in front |
OF the wire entanglements and in /
shell holesy still fighting desperately, !
the American barrage fire began /
sweeping No Mans Land, catching /
many running Prussians who had
enough Of American methods. The
swept back and forth, max
ing sure Of doing all possible dam
age 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 I'm sight Eight
were visible through the snowstorm
at one point. The ground was litter
Cd with enemy hand grenades, boxes
Of explosives for destroying dugouts
and incendiary bombs which they
had no opportunity to use.
They managed, however, to drop
bombs In two dugouts
which were destroyed by fire, but no
were in them. II the Ger
mans captured any prisoners. which
IS doubtful. there were not more than
.wo or three possibly from a listen
ng post. or the missing, many
were buried. Digging for
hem now is proceeding and others
nay be accounted for.
German Prisoners.
Two German prisoners were
wounded and the other taken was un-
lurt except for a welt on one Of his
lands where he was struck by a
roung American soldier when he
howed fight after capture.
From the prisoners the American
ulcers have secured much valuable
One said:
II did not have a chance to do any
hing before an American jumped on
o me and grabbed me by the throat
The Germans had been preparing
or the raid for three weeks and be-
onged To the 18th reserve division OF
hanover. The prisoners had Russian
oins IN their possession. and came
lto the trenches opposite just before
he Americans took over this Sec
or.
The Americans lost many killed
nd wounded, including officers. The
americans displayed the greatest
ersonal courage, bravery and energy
the engagement, and OUT
ought the surprised enemy from the
lstant contact was established.
During the bombardment. a town
ehind the American line was heavily
1eiled and there were some casual
ea.
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