The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-07-26
Wonderful Instances of
American Heroisn'


/, die. had stopped while he acribbIed
out the receipt he demanded. Mean
while barrage shells were falling ali
around. This receipt Il part Of the
records Of the American army.
Officers Are Included.
The prisoners included Major. one
Captain, two Leutenants and num-
Der OF noncommissioned Officers.
Il Is the individual fighting Of Am
orleans lost In the woods that dunn
founded the Germans. Many prison
ers actually complained OF Il as unfair
warfare Generally the rule for sol
diers cut off from their command and
isolated IL 70 surrender. The Ameri-
cans evidently knew nothing about
such a rule. but kept on fighting. Some
Of them. Of course. were killed. but.
hiding out there IN the woods. they
played havoc with the advancing Ger
mans.
The story shows how the Americans
fight A certain machine gunner rig
ged his machine gun alongside thick
ct through which he hoped to get adj
vancing Germans. Just then a stray
shell blew off his right hand. The
German column. to his despair. he saw
passing out OF range Of his gun. which
he was unable 10 move with one hand.
He drew his automatic and firing IL
with HIS left hand. guided the German
column 10 the line Of his machine gun
which he turned loose with telling ef-
feet
Two other Americans. lost In the
woods, came up. attracted By the fir
ing and got the wounded gunner back
70 his own lines.
Here's another little story that
sounds like fiction. but every word OF
lit n true. An American Corporal WIS
captured BY a German Captain at the
head Of his detachment
Sends German Guard.
The Captain sent the American In
care of two German privates. back
across the Marine In q canvas boat
used by the boches In crossing the riv-
err. The Corporal rocked the boat up
setting Il. and swimming back to the
south bank Of the river. made his way
unframed 20 regilnental headquarters.
A.. he wa reporting 10 an American
Colonel, in walked orc Of our men with
the German Captain who had captur-
"a the American Corporal three hours
before. A they recognized each 9TH
er the Corporal broke into a laugh and
the German Captain said; you must
be n brave man
Three American doughboys captur-
ed and sent back across the Marine.
killed their three guards with their
bare hands and got back 20 their own
|linss after swimming the Marine.
Seven OTHER Am.ericans. including
n Lieutenant. were taken over the
Marine By the Germans. The Lieu
tenant knocked one guard down with
a stick Of wood. rot his gun and un-
armed the other guards. The seven.
Americans started TO swim the Marne
when boche machine gun opened fire
on them Tn Lieutenant and one
American were killed. The others got
back BY swimming under water.
I give these instances because noth-
ing else tells 30 well the spirit Of the
American fighters. They haven't got
all the trimming OF seasoned veterans
they don't know how 70 retreat but
they have rguts- They don't know
when 20 quit
Stay to Fight Germans
Caught out there In the woods by
the Germans advancing three ways
they didn't Try TO get back. but stayed
where they were because that's where
the Germans were. and they came TO
France 20 Kill Germans There in the
woods. without food OF water IN most
cases. and swept by a merciless shell
ing. often wearing gas masks for hours
AZ a time. hundreds Of Americans stuck
fighting sometimes single. and general
~ punches OF three or four. fought un
al their ammunition gave out and then
fought with captured guns.
Perhaps our boys would have driv
en- the boche hack on the Narne any
how. but I happen 10 know that the
knowledge OF the presence Of their
comrades stiil fighting in the woods
against such odds isnt punch 20
their successful counter attack III
must be remembered that these SOL
dIers never saw a battle before They
don't know many OF the rules. but they
do know one. fight as long as the fight
ing Is good. and then fight some more
In Broadway parlance the show stag
ed by the Americans east Of Cateau
Thferry has been n bowling success II
may be remembered that the show
they staged northwest OF Cheteau
Thierry was the same sort Of a Derfor-
nance. The French have now changed
the name OF Bots Bellean TO Bots de IA
Brigade de Marines