Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-02
YANKEES REPEL
GERMAN RAID
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had one taste of gas a few days ago,
would fear it now, let loose great
quantities of poisonous gas. but the
men put on their masks and only a
lew were affected by it. So intense
was the firing the woods back of
the salient were shot to pieces.
AT o'clock the barrage fire lift
ed on the trenches to the right of
the salient and Germans, numbering
Z4o' came sweeping forward under
the protection of their fire. They
came forward apparently intending
to make a heavy haul and jumped
INTO what was left of the trenches
but there, instead of the easy time
anticipated, found the Americans all
ready for battle. Fierce hand-to-
hand fighting began.
One American captain rallied his
men with rifles and machine guns
and went through the American wire
entanglements into No Mans Land
and there waited for the enemy,
whom he expected to be driven out
by his comrades in the trenches.
Barrage Fire Traps Fleeing Germans
He was right, for soon groups of
the enemy started back through the
wire entanglements. The Americans
poured in a deadly fire, but, unfor-
tunately, the captain was killed in
the fighting. He is the first member
of the 1917 class at West Point to
be killed.
While the Americans were in front
of the wire entanglements and in
she'll holes, still fighting desperately,
the American barrage fire began
sweeping No Mans Land, catching
many running Prussians who had
had enough of American methods.
The barrage swept back and forth,
making sure of doing all possible
damage to the foe.
When, the enemy had been driven
back out of the positions the bodies
of ten German soldiers were found
in the American trenches. Two
German officers were entangled in
the wire and many bodies were in
sight. Eight were visible through
the snowstorm at one point. The
ground was Uttered with enemy
hand grenades. boxes of explosives
for destroying dugouts and incendi-
ary bombs. which they had no op-
portunity to use.
Bombs Find No Victims
The Germans managed, however,
to drop incendiary bombs in two
dugouts, which were destroyed by
fire. but no Americans were in them
II the Germans captured any pris-
oners, which is doubtful, there were
not more than two or three pos
sibly from a listening post OF the
missing, many probably were buried.
Digging for them now is proceeding
and others may be accounted for.
Two German prisoners were
wounded and the other taken was
unhurt except for a welt on one of
young American soldier when he
showed fight after capture.
The American officers obtained
much valuable information from the
prisoners. One said:
"I did not have a chance to do
anything before an American jumped
onto me and grabbed me by the
throat"
The Germans had been preparing
for the raid for three weeks and
belonged to the Seventy-eighth Re
serve 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 displayed the
greatest personal courage, bravery
and energy throughout the engage
mcnt and outfought the surprised
enemy from the instant contact was
established
During the bombardment a town
behind the American line was heav-
lily shelled. and there were some
casualties.