The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-03-28
FEW AMERICANS
ARE IN ACTION
ONLY ENGINEERS ON BRITISH
FRONT INVOLVED.
MAY HAVE SUFFERED LOSSES
French Refugees Leaving Evacuated
Towns in streams-Enemy Pays
Great Price For Every Inch
Of Ground Taken
tBy Fred s. Ferguson.l

(By Fred s. Ferguson)
! With the Americans in the Field,
March 26- Explosions were observed
from the rear of the German lines
north of Toul today, following a
heavy American artillery fight.
There was considerable aerial act
! WITTY today and the enemy is again
using gas shells in their attacks on
the American lines. The front 9TH
erwise is quiet.
The denial today that American
forces are engaged in the resistance
of the German drive was again reit-
Grated few companies OF Ameri-
can engineers are already on the Brit
| ish front
1t is believed that they possibly
threw down their tools and fought
their way with rifles as they did in
the battles around Cambria last No
vember.
Engineers Suffer.
Washington, March 26.-American
engineers have apparently suffered
losses in the German western front
offensive.
Correspondence indicates that in
! the onslaught Of the Germans they
have fought bravely as they did in the
battle of Cambria last year
Their losses will be small because
only two regiments are within the
British lines and there are only three
companies in the Crozat Canal region
where Berlin official statements
sought to make it apparently believed
that there was a stable army of re-
serve forces defeated there.
Many Refugees
With the British Armies in the
Field, March 26.-For the last four
days French refugees have been
streaming back from the evacuated
towns in large numbers Everywhere
along the roads leading to the front
were to be met old men women and
children all trudging stoically behind
their horse drawn carts of household
furniture, or even packing few be-
4 longings in a bag on their backs.
1t is possible today to give details
of that most important phase of the
battle fought in the sector beween
Gouzeacourt and st. Quentin Rlle
country here was completely shroud-
ed in mist Thursday morning and the
Germans advanced without being seen.
Strong forces of infantry flung them
selves against the British front line
and, after fierce struggle, broke
through it at several places. They
then continued driving hard for Tenn
pleux, near Hargicourt.
Just in front of the former village
were quarries in which the British
had taken up positions, and here
battle of great ferocity was waged.
The Germans repeatedly tried to take
the quarries by storm, but so gallant
was the defense of the comparatively
small forces that the attacking troops
were unable to push their way
through.
Every Inch Contested.
Every inch of ground was contest
ed as the BRUSH WlthdreW ana some
of the most magnificent work of the
war was done by the hardy troops
who fought the Rar guard action
and allowed the main force TO retire
in an orderl yand moderate manner
The fighting southwest of Rosel
was especially severe. On Saturday
the Germans were tired and there was
no very heavy fighting in this section.
The enemy forces pushed forward to
occupy the evacuated territory and,
as they came. they were deluged with
shells by the British artillery
No finer targets could have been
offered to the defending artillery
men, who shot all day with open
sights and covered the, ground in
front of them with dead and dying.