Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-03
us. TROOPSKEEP
HUNS ON THE RUN
''MiddIe West Regiment" in
Hot Pursuit for Distance of
Twelve Miles.
BRAVE OFFICERS PERISH
BY HERBERT COREY.

Jury OF hEhtlnS when the men OF
a certain middle western regiment
attacked on the morning of Septenl-
Der T. Then there was a footrace
for twelve kilometers. The regiment
took only $50 prisoners. The boche
had too good a start.
We are particularly proud of our
young officers said the lieutenant
colonel who is in command of the
regiment during the temporary alb
sence of the colonel
They led their men every inch of
the way. They were always on the
watch. 1t was the most workman
like thing l have ever seen"
Like the other Regiments of the
division which form ii the point OF
the advance in the St. MihieI angle,
this regiment attacked on u battalion
front of half mile ReSImental
headquarters was SO near tne 'front.'
line that Il stone might nave been
thrown into it. Battalion headquar-
tiers was actually on the front line
on the toe of a little hill which
thrust out from the Bots de JuTeH
toward the :.n3-yard valley through
which the westerners We're ordered 10
advance to take the thin woods OF
the Bois de Sennartl, on the other side.
Wire Entanglements Encountered.
The wood itself was but 400 yards
deep. A strong belt of very heavy
wire ran through the valley at a dis
tance of $50 to 200 yards from the
edge of the wood. and therefore from
100 to $50 yards from the shallow
firSt-fine trenches to which the west
ernerS were marched at 4 O'Clock on
l,nr- N
spite of the excellence of the Amerl-
can barraGe this wire had not been
cut. Shortly before = o. clock wire-cut-
ting parties were sent out with their
heavy nippers to start holes through
it.
NJ. A. FINLEY of Council Bluffs was
stationed at the toe of the hill over
looking the valley. He saw the men
go over when the whistle sounded
with Guy s. Brewer of Des Moines in
the lead. From the other side of the
valley the machine guns quickly end
ed their fire. They had been playing
upon the American lines. but when
the barrage lifted they knew the
westerners had started They swept
the line of wire.
Every pta toon commander led his
men," said FINLEY. 1T was the pref
tiest thing YOU ever saw. The boche
flares coiored the fog of the vet
morning Il shimmerins rose. l could
see the lines of men plainly.
Seven officers were killed before the
men got to the wire. Brewers run
ner dropped Private Phelps Of Red
Oak. Iowa. Sprang TO his side:
III run" said Phelps.
His message carrying was not to
place of safety, but to the battalion
p C. on the toe of the hill. Other
Phelps kept on More were needed,
and Private Austin o. Russell of Red
Oak volunteered. Here the Germans
made perhaps the StiffeSt resistance
along the entire ST. Mihiel line,
thanks 10 the uncut wire and an ad
vantage of position.
The time came when Brewer had
to return TO the battalion =. {. Be
fore he did SO he called his senior
captain and gave him his lnstruc-
tionS. The line went on. 1t was at
this time that q major vas wounded.
Saw His Men Going On.
His right hand was mangled by
machine gun fire" said man who
watched the fight. Put he was as
cool as coUld be. When he got back
to the rear We thought he had re-
ceived q fatal wound. His right side
was covered with a mess Of wet
his coat. y bullet had passed
through the chemical box of his res
pirator. and the powde~ had mingled
with the blood from his hand. But
he was not badly hurt He shep-
herded his men until he saw them
going We'll"
Capt. Percy NJ. I-ainson OF Council
Bluffs took command OF the battalion
commanded by the wounded ma j0r-
Before he got through the wire TO
the wood he met Il line OF machine
gun nests. He fought his men right
through" said Il man who kept watch
in the turmoil. although before he
got to the ShcltCr-if ii might BE-
called shelter when the grove was
laced through with machine gun
nests and wire-half his officers We're
down
First Lieut.. james c. Eonham Of
Council Eluffs picked u2 command
of the company when LainSon re-
linquished it: With every other Of
fcer incapacitated he swept his men
right up to the machine gun nests.
Not that he made an unwise frontal
attack. He Unanswered them. as
is the Army phrase. hut the breed of
German that fought these troops was
somewhat different from that en-
countercd at other places along the
line. Bonham fought them hand to
hand. When the IoHans finally passed
over the machine gun line the gun
nerS were still sitting in the saddles
of their guns. their heads looping to
one side, their dead hands fast in the
grips.
"They fought we'll" said the Amer
leans. "'They We're good soldiers.
From Shell Hole to Shell Hole.
This advance through the wire had
not been in column of squads by
upright men, of course. The men
dedged from shell hole to shell hole.
a little difficulty was experienced
with the new men in this fight. They
are as good quality as any men can
be. hut they lacked the cold nerve of
the men who had been through this
before. They had to be told what
officers who We're wounded We're
picked off by enemy snipers while
at this task Their activities identified
them. As for the regiment as whole:
THE conduct of the men was be-
yond all praise" said an old soldier.
the newcomers along
1t took an hour and ten minutes to
cross the 300-yardwide valley. 1t
was made possible in the end by the
Stokes mortars and as that had been
hurried up TO the old first line and
wood edge. Once in the wood il was
literally hand-to-hand fighting, for
the Germans resisted with the same
desperate courage that had marked
their fighting in the valley.
1t was here that Harry H. Brown
of the Signal Battalion distinguished
himself. In spite of the continuous
danger of death he strung his wires
and kept his telephones right up with
the advance. 1t is an impressive
proof of American GOODNESS in the face
of danger that at every moment of
the fight the men who commanded in
the front of the advance could and
did talk to the battalion T. C The