New Britain herald., 1918-08-01
PRUSSIAN GUARD NJ
 USE IN FIST FIGHT
Kaiser'S Pets Roughly Handled by
 Americans at SeriDgeS

day of sheer, hard in-and-out fighting on the American front, telegraphs Reuters correspondent on the front capture of Seringes by the Americans was an especially creditable achieve ment
 Since the Americans took the VI- lage on Monday, the Germans made no infantry attack on the place, put kept up a constant artillery and ma chine gun fire to drive them out. This continued all day on Tuesday and towards evening the enemy seemed to think that the spirit of the defenders might possibly be broken and then they began to emerge from the Nesles forest in a way that seemed to fore cast a fresh attempt to take the vil- lage. Of the fighting which ensued the correspondent writes:
 "The Americans, after three days Of to-and-fro fighting through Villages, had learned subtlety and were deter mined to have a real fight to finish. They consequently withdrew as 1t re- tiring from Seringes and the Germans crept down from the high ground, con- vinced they had their opponents peat en- Additional German troops came pouring in until the town was oc- cupied as it never had been before.
 "But as the new occupants began to organize their defenses they found that bullets appeared to be coming in from three sides of the village and 1t was not long before they discovered that the Americans, while WlthdraW- ing from the front of the town, had commenced an encircling movement on both sides, thus forming a ring al- most completely around it.
 Then came tragic fighting. The Prussian Guard had voted not to sur render and their opponents were just as anxious to see the thing through. It was an affair of small arms. but the Americans proved to be better shots and slowly picked off men here and there.
 Then the Americans began to ad vance and slowly their encircling ring closed about the village, the defend CTS saw their doom approaching, they redoubled their fire, but still the Americans came on unfalteringly.
 Man Grapples With Man.
 "When the Americans reached the precincts of the village their fire ceased and with one wild yell they closed with the foe. The fierce up roar suddenly gave place to strange silence as man grappled with man. Only the clash of steel on steel and the groans of the stricken could be heard.
 "The issue never was in doubt, At this kind of fighting the American is more than equal to any Prussian Guardsman, and in a little more than ten minutes all was over. Except for a few German prisoners, every Ger man in the village was killed.
 During the night the enemy twice attempted to ro-take Sergy, but each time he was repulsed with heavy losses. Then he made a fierce sault on NIeurcy Farm, east of Se- ringes, which was piled with dead which he had left there the day be- fore, when every man defending it died at his post. There again the enemy was unsuccessful. Heaps of German slain were doubled.
 Subsequently the fighting extended still further eastward and in every case the Germans who attacked were annlllIated. Later came the aILdCk on Seringes and an attempt at the same time to drive the Allies from Hill 187, west of Seringes. There for the first time since the Allies crossed the Ourcq the Germans may be said to have definitely taken the offen- sive.
 "All through the days fighting the enemy's airplanes attempted in tl1e most daring manner to assist in the battle. Early in the morning sly enemy planes succeeded in penetrat- ing as far as the La Croix Blanche Farm near La Tere forest, firing upon Allied troops.
 "Members of the Prussian Guard who were taken prisoner state that their orders were to hold the line at all costs. All three of their battalions apparently were in the line on this day, which ended every where in victory for the Allies, al though there was no great gain Of ground.
 During the following night ground near Cierges was captured by the Am ericans This advance will make it possible for the troops in this sector to join hands with the conquerors of Sergy and Seringes.'