Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-16
AMERICANS HURL ENEMY BACK
ACROSS MARINE; CAPTURE 1900

officers sent back word late last night |
however. that they expected TO Drive |
these boches back across before morning.
1t is reported that this was accom-
plished. but this has not been conhrmed'
The battle on the Marne was one of
the most remarkable Of the war. FOR
ten hours the intense shelling by guns
of all calibers continued. Everything
within forty kilometers twenty-five
miles) Of the front was shelled, while
the front lines and organizations imme-
diately in the rear were subjected 70
the fercest deluge of gas shells and
high explosives.
When the Germans attacked. Il creep
ing barrage five kilometers (more than
three miles) deep swept over the Amer
lean and French lines Behind this cur
tain of fire the boches crossed the river
In addition to throwing over pontoons
canvas boats and RATS. each holding
score of men, were sent out from the
cancealment Of the wooded banks, their
occupants polling them across. The
| boChcs looked like gnomes while csoss-
ing the river, being forced to wear gas
masks, owing to the violence Of their
own gassing.
Drive Through Shell Bursts
Humorous stories are told of indiVid-
ual bravery of the Americans. One ar
tillery outfit maintained such n constant
rapid fire that 1t ran short of ammuni-
ton. Volunteers were called for to GO
three miles over a road, every inch oi
which was swept by shellfire. Every
man volunteered. The necessary number
was picked They drove their horses
dragging the humping calssons, at a gal
lop through shell bursts. Several horses
were killed. Returning, more horses
were killed.
The number of horses was so reduced
that the men were forced to substitue
themselves They would leap of, cu'
loose the mangled bodies Of the faithful
animals, then grasp the traces and rur
along beside the remaining horses. Wher
this strange caralcadee-half man ant
half animal-arrived at the battery. thu
men serving the guns paused long enough
in their deadly work to cheer theil
heroic comrades.
Sergeant Fred Brown and oscar viii
cox returned to the American lines OF
the Marine late yesterday afternoon witt
eight prisoners They had been captured
themselves and dsarmed. But watching
for an opportunity they overpo"erot
their guards and escaped, picking up &
squad OF boches on the way back.
Documents and maps taken from othe
prisoners showed that the enemy reache'
none Of his planned objectives betweei
Chateau-Thierry and Dormans. ful
enemy division was identified as tn
Tenth, as the Americans engaged THU
: same division when they were throw
across the path of the Germans adNanc
E on Paris in June-and stopped 1t.
: Another remarkable phase of the bat
tie was the lack of aerial observation
In the middle of the day. While tn
weather was fairly clear early In tn
I day the sky soon became heavily cloud
L, ed and few airplanes were up when tn
r Americans counter. attacked around moor
e There were two sharp showers late II
5 the afternoon after which the sky agail
= became clear. Airplanes then began I
t swarm In great tiocks and scores o
Allied bombing planes crossed the line
r and bombed bridges and all Germa
n organizations from the front far to tn
[ rear.
e Strange sights were observed benin
t the Allied lines. Mingling in the road
o with the rushing traffic of war wer
French women and children. who sa
: atop two-wheeled wagons, fleeing fror
= newly sheled Homes
n American and French flags. put u
s in celebration of Bastille Day, were sti
?. displayed everywhere in the rearmos
X villages Women and children took tn
d American flags from their windows an
waved them as American ambulance
II passed.
10 In the hospitals, not far from tn
h front, American doctors and nurse
worked untiringly, despite the fact the
& were under almost constant fre froi
n the enemy's long-range guns.