Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-03-05
GENUINE SOLDIERS THESE
Fresh American Troops Prove Them
selves a Match for German Veterans.

selves N atch TOR Sermdh teterAns'
The comparatively raw American
troops in the front line trenches are
equal to the best Of Germany's veter-
ans. They are not to be frightened.
cowed. bulldozcd. stampeded or whip
ped BY shells, trench bombs, poison
gas, machine guns or raiding parties.
They die before they give way and
in dying they take Germans with
them. Those facts have been estab-
lished by the Germans themselves.
There were three strong raids
against the Americans last week
two along the Chemin des Danes ana
the third in the Toul sector. All
three were preceded by careful pre-
paration through heavy Smelling with
high explosives and poison gas. fol-
lowed by strong forces Of veteran
shock troops, whose business II was
TO bomb the American trenches. over
come the defenders in any way they
could and take hack as many prison
ers as possible.
On Thursday there was strong
German attack against Americans In
the Chemin des Danes sector. The
attack was preceded by terrific
hail OF high explosive shells. The
firing continued until the Germans
evidently thought that the Americans
were pretty we'll beaten and cowed
down. Then the raiders came on.
They were met by French and .Ameri-
can artillery fire and by streams OF
American machine gun bullets. The
Americans remained in their dugouts
until the proper time arrived and then
they fought like veterans. Several
Americans were killed and number
OF Frenchmen were wounded: but the
Germans. what was left OF them, went
back without any prisoners.
But the heaviest attack OF the week
and the heaviest attack the Americans
have so far encountered during the
war. occurred early Friday morning
This was on the Toul sector. The
Germans began Smelling the Ameri-
can lines Thursday night with high
explosive and gas shells. They kept
II up for several hours and smashed
sections of the trenches TO pieces
Then at about 6 o'clock in the morn
ing they began a convcrging charg.
against a section OF the line about n
mile and quarter long. II is as
sumed that they thought the Ameri-
cans, because of their previous eN-
pcricnce with poison gas. were down
in their dugouts with their masks on
trying 10 get fresh air. But the
Americans were doing no such thing
They were wearing their gas masks
to br sure: but they were out in their
trenches awaiting the oncoming Of the
German raiders. 2i0 strong. AS soon
as the German barragc fire lifted tc
allow the attackers TO get at tn,
American trenches. the French and
American guns began dropping shells
MI
falling. and American machine guns
began sending streams OF bullets ri
the approaching foe. Through 1t all
the Germans came on and many oi
them got into the American trenches
The Americans fought like demons
with rifles, automatics and bombs
Many were killed on both sides: bu,
the Germans were driven back. In
some parts OF the line few American
prisoners were captured. An official
report from Berlin so claims: but
there were not many. AT least ten
Germans were killed in the American
trenches. many more were killed in
No Mans Land. both coming and 60
ing. II is not a matter OF suppose so
The dead bodies. lots OF them. wer,
lying there to show for IL.
While the Germans were approach
ing. a West Point captain took q
squad of his men out into No Mans
Land and occupied shell hole. HI
calculated that the raiders would soor
be driven from the trenches and ht
would get some OF them as they were
going back. His plans worked out
His men moved down a number OF
the returning Germans with machine
guns; but he himself was killed.
There is a heavy wood behind the
American trenches at the point wherC
the attack was made. This wood was
almost swept away by storms OF Ger
man shells that had been sent over ir
preparation for the attack, and many
portions of the American trenches
ffn6 been Icaved In BY the violence o
the fire.
According to the statements o
American correspondents. II an.
Americans were captured they wer
not taken out OF the trenches. bu
were men who had been stationed Il
listening posts out in No Mans Land
Two German prisoners taken by tn
Americans were wounded and anothc
was unhurt except for welt that wa
made on his hand by his American
captor when he sought to offer fur
| ther resistance after he had been cap
tured
From the prisoners II was Learned
that the raiding party belonged to tn,
18th Honorerian reserves. and tina
they had been rehcarsing the raid TO
several weeks in advance. One maj
explained that he had been unable I,
inflict any damage on the Americans
because as soon as he got into tn,
trenches an American grabbed him b.
the throat and bore him down. II,
and others had In their pockets Rus
| sian coins. indicating that they hat
but lately come from the Russian
front.
Associated Press Account.
With the American Army in France
Saturday. March "A plan Of attack
including a map Of the American po
sitions, indicating every dugout. which
was removed from the body OF tn,
Prussian captain which led to the re-
cent assault upon the sector north
west of Toul. shows how completed.
the Germans prepare their raids-if
| in fact. this was but simple raid no
having as It's ultimate object the re-
tention OF n portion OF the salient.
The map goes into such detail a!
to show every machine placement
every trench and every depression In
the ground within the American lines
At the bottom there Is simply linz
drawn, labelled our front line.
Along this line are five shaded por
tions. each marked nest"
Four rehearsals were held for th'
attack and the troops who made 4
were specially picked from new ar
rivals OF fresh troops In the sector
They were told that the American:
were in front of them.
Out From Their Nests.
After the artillery had nearl!
leveled the American position. the Ger.
mans started out from their nests
each Of which contained 400 infantry.
men. one lieutenant and three pio'
neers to precede the infantry anc
five to follow 1t. The two groups upor
the American extreme right wen
around this flank and the group upor
the extreme left carried out a similar
movement there.
The two groups In the center hat
planned to attack directly. but the
American defense changed all tht
plans. When they were met by the
heavy machine gun fire from the
American lines they saw II would bt
impossible to gain a footing there
changed their direction. and followed
the other groups around the flank
The duty of the DtOneers preceding tho