Arizona republican., 1918-06-08
CASUALTIES AMONG
 AMERICAN MARINES
 PROBABLY IS HEAVY
Republican A. p. Leased Wirel

IRepubllcan A. P. Leased Wirel
 LONDON, June 7.-Reuter's limited correspondent with the American army in Picardy sends the following dispatch concerning the fighting northwest of Chateau Thierry in which the Ameri- cans were victorious.
 The American force operating northwest of Chateau Thierry appears to have been involved in a much larger affair than was at first believed. This force now has been engaged for three days in serious and determined fight ing in which our allies held the upper hand throughout
 Americans on Offensive
 "The Americans themselves believe they have been holding up a German advance that was intended to extend the front along the valley of the Marne, but the Germans methods rather sug- gest a reluctant acceptance of fight that was forced on them unexpectedly. The Germans doubtless believed tha, the Americans here, as elsewhere, would hold the line defensiVely in order to gain experience. The American ac- tion, however, has been on the offen- sive throughout and they daily wrested ground from the enemy which he had been compelled unwillingly to defend and forced to attempt its recapture.
 American Unit Handles Three According to the statements of pris- oners, it appears that a single Ameri- can unit forced three German divisions into action, making q seryiceable ex- ample of the first two and taking ground from the third in bitter strus- gle lasting a whole night. With this | last named division the Americans were still employed when the corre- | spondent left the field, at which time | the omens were favorable to the Amer | jeans.
 Germans Need Food and Rest | Judging from further statements of | prisoners the Germans were badly in need of rest and, according to appe- | tites, they were sorely in need of food. | Inadequate artillery baking given to the first two German divisions sup ports the idea that the enemy did not expect an offensive, and that the guns | they used last night and this morning were hurried back to a point when 1t was not expected they would be need ed. On the other hand, it was largely owing to the superior gunnery of the Americans that the first two enemy d. visions were compelled to give ground | and had to suffer severe casualties.
 Enemy Has Many Machine Guns But if the enemy was short of ar tillery he appeared to have an un- limited number of machine guns which were used with great skill and effect The Germans evidently extended their practice of sacrificing a machine gun or two in untenable positions in orde, to bring the captors under a deadly flank fire. This maneuver took toll of the Americans as indicated by the number of machine gun bullet wounds and the surgeons explained that a ma jority of such wounds had been re- ceived at very close quarters.
 Americans Fight In Dark
 Nothing hindered the American de- termination to reach their objectives Indeed, their eagerness carried one ar- tack in the dark three kilometers be- yond the assigned position.
 Tn the river valley, which contains a railroad, the stiffest fighting of the night occurred, the enemy showing great determination to hold the railway station of Bouresches. This station with the entire village, ultimately fell into the hands of the Americans and the French.
 "One reason why the fighting last evening was so desperate was because the German counter attack was launched at the very moment our fresr advance began, the men thus coming into close grips in which the bayonet played a decisive part. The American casualties were not out of proportion to the magnitude of the operation but owing to the unfaltering courage of tho marines, the losses largely have faller on that fine regiment of redoubtablt fighters"