The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-08-07

1890 - thSAA
flight. They were coming to strike for
democracy and humanity and they were
glad of the chance, impatient for bat
tie.
Their cheers and their laughter and
their snatches of songs had a wonder
full effect on the sorrowful refugees,
who forgot their discomforts, losses
and dangers and cheered and threw
kisses to their defenders from over
seas-from beloved America. Said a
French officer at my side:
1.-THE spirit and exuberance Of your
men are overpowering. Our people
have been fighting four years. Our
men on the Marine have had no time
to sleep or eat. In loaning us these
American troops at this time your com
manders and your country show they
are heart and soul In this fight. You
have given new life ard courage to
the refugees. You have given new life
to our fighting forces. You are coming
fresh and strong with what do you
call itf Oui, the punch. 1t is wonder
full. 1t Is superb. 1t has welded our
people more closely than ever"
Show Their Gratitude.
And the French populace showed
their gratitude In divers ways, by the
eloquent ovation to our wounded on
their way to Paris in ambulances, in
speeches and public prints and in
streets and highways wherever an
American uniform showed itself.
With all due respect to the tradition
al ties that bind France and the Unit
ed States, there had been periods when
the %populace wondered and doubted.
-Four months ago when / reached the
theater of war 1t was not uncommon
as French troops passed Americans,
to hear shouts In French which con-
veyed the sally that American troops
were all right for training camps, but
had not felt the gaff Of the front line.
Then came the fights In Apermont
Woods and Seicheprey and the carry
ing n holding of the village of Cam
tigny against a series Of savage but
futile German counter-attacks, and. the
biggest and most brilliant American
performance of all In stopping the
drive on Paris, which nodded a new
public sentiment and a feryor of en-
thusiasm everywhere apparent. The
fanks had come and made good. Apre-
mont Woods, Seicheprey, Cantigny and
the Marine were indexes of greater
American achievements.
The concentration of sufficient Amer
lean forces at this critical pivot was
a big feather In the cap of the Ameri-
can commanders. Thousands Of men,
ample supplies and ammunition and
the impedimenta that goes with a mod
ern army were thrown into the gap and
the German tide was stemmed.
AS we rode over the dusty hill at
daybreak we saw hundreds Of colored
Moroccans In their red turbans lying
exhausted along the road and under
the trees. We saw French artillery
and infantry leave positions that had
been filled by our men during the
night. And, oh the spectacle of our
fellows going In with their firm chins,
their broad backs and their fearless
eyes-going into hell.
RAD 10 Leave quickly.
American officers ~bivouacked in a
schoolhouse and converted the rooms
into offices where maps were unfurled
and strung. The ink was still in the
little wells in the pupils desks and
there We're chalk examples and SEN
fences on the blackboards. We brewed
coffee and breakfasted on war bread
and confiture In a little white cement
house where everything was in place.
The owners had to leave quickly, saw
ing only a few family effects. The
quaint family clock was ticking on the
mantel.
Poultry cackled In the yard and two
cows munched under q shelter. Cour-
lers on motorcycles as white as If they
emerged from flour barrels, dashed
back and forth. More artillery ratified
into place and more trucks filed with
American Drawn rumbled over the hill.
There was a brief period of deliber-
alton, and, without sleep or food, our
men attacked, with what success the
world already knows. 1t was worse
than going over the top. 1t was a
case of advancing through wheat fields
and woods In the face of nests of en-
envy machine guns.
There were no trenches or dugouts.
German prisoners said that our rifle
fire was so heavy and true they mis-
took 1t for machine guns.
Massing of machine guns and light
artillery, pending the arrival Of the
guns of larger caliber, destroyed any
mass play. Our men took their OBJ
~jectives In little crouching groups
which extended into skirmish lines
when foliage enabled. But, open as
1t was, the fighting lacked the battle
field spectacle of wars Of old one sees
In pictures. Even those engaged saw
little of the encounter.
Sets Example to Five Sons.
As an example to his five sons, who