The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-02
GERMAN DEAD
STREW GROUND
AFTER ATTACK
ON AMERICANS
Many American Soldiers Die
in First Encounter with
"Shock Troops whi c h
They Outright.
BOTH TAKE PRISONERS

American soldiers on the firing line
in France have met the famous Ger
man "shock troops" for the first time
and have outfought them. In two sec
tors-northwest of Toul and along
the Chemin-Des- Danes. the Germans
failed in attempts to penetrate the po
sitions held by the Americans.
The fight northwest of Toul result
ed in a desperate hand to hand strug
gle. The Germans reached the Amer
lean line, only to be driven back with
heavy losses.
The dead were found in the Ameri
can trenches and many enemy bodies
we're scattered over No-Man's Land.
An American captain, West Point
graduate of 1917, was killed in a gal.
liant exploit.
When the Germans reached the
American position, he led a party out
in front Of the wire entanglements
and attacked the eAemy from the
rear as they retreated
On the other sector, the Germans
were driven back. but not until after
they had captured ten American pris-
oners. In both attacks, the enemy
Storm OF Shells.
A driving wet snow was falling
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 num-
bers were dropping on the American
battery positions.
The Germans, evidently thinking
that the Americans in this section,
having had one taste of gas few days
ago, would fear it now, let loose great
quantities of poisonous gas, but the
men put on their masks and only few
were affected by it. So intense was
the fire that the woods back of the
salient were shot to pieces.
Barrase Fire Lifts.
At s o'clock the barrage fire lifted
on the trenches to the right of the sa
lient and Germans, numbering 240,
came sweeping forward apparently in
tending to make big haul, and jump
ed into what was left of the trenches,
but there, instead of the easy time an
ticipated they 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 entangle-
ments into No Mans Land and there
waited for the enemy, whom he eX-
pected to be driven out by his COM
rades in the trenches.
He was right, for soon groups of the
enemy started back through the wire
entanglements. The Americans pour
ed deadly fire, but unfortunately the
captain was killed during the fight. He
is the first member of the 1917 class
at West Point to be killed.
From the prisoners the American Of
ficers have secured much valuable in
formation. One said:
6emoans His Luck.
Il did not have chance to do any,
thing before an American jumped on
to me and grabbed me by the throat"
The Germans had been preparing
for the raid for three weeks and be.
longed to the Seventy-eighth Reserve
Division OF Hanover. The prisoners
had Russian coins in their possession
and came into the trenches opposite
just before the Americans took over
this sector.
The Americans lost many killed and
wounded, including officers. The
Americans displayed the greatest per-
sonal courage, bravery and energy
throughout the engagement and out
fought the surprised enemy from the
instant the attack started.
The French in Champagne have
been hotly engaged with the Germans.
After being repulsed in attacks south
west of the Butte Du Mesnil the enemy
attacked again and obtained footing
in part of the position from which he
was driven by the French more than
two weeks ago and which he had been
trying to regain since. The artillery
battle on the Champagne front has
been OF great intensity.
Negotiations Proceed.
No decision has yet been reached as
to Japanese intervention in Siberia.
Negotiations between the allied gov
ernments are proceeding. According