The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-12-07
"Tom' Leonard Letter
Continued From Page Three. }

Continued From Page ThIee)
lance for the first nile or TWO, as the
Germans had been driven from these
positions by the artillery fire. About
ten O'Clock in the morning We began
running into German machine gun
nests and snipels. All the lighting
took place in woods. and the machine
guns were 50 well hidden that our
progress became very slow. BY dark
we had advanced probably four
vance further through the woods, we
miles. When it was too dark TO ad-
simply laid down and waited for
morning, and before morning came
it was raining We had no shelter
of any kind, and did all our sleeping
without even blankets to cover us.
At daybreak the next morning We
again started the advance, still fight
ing machine guns and snipers, and
by noon We had captured Montfaueon
After passing through Montfaucon,
we found that we had advanced las
ter than our artillery, and had pass
ed beyond its protection. \ German
airplane soon discovered TINS. and
their artillery made the most of it.
They threw over such rain of shells
that our advance was stopped, and
we were compelled to find the best
possible shelter. The only shelter to
be found was shell holes. At the
same time German planes were fly
ing low over our lines and firing on
US with their achine guns. This
lasted about three hours. when our
artillery began to get the range and
the German guns were directed else
where.
Beyond Montfaucon there is a
large open field This field slopes
up toward d high, wooded hill. On
top of this mill and hidden amons
the trees the Germans had placed Il
vast number of machine guns and
small cannons. We were compelled
to advance across this open field and
up the side of the hill to get at this
position. We started after it imme-
diately, and worked until dark, but
got nowhere. Early the next morn
ing we started again, but did not
completely capture the position I'M
til it had again gotten dark.
Begun. LIS hill We found an ex-
actly similar position. An open tleit.
sloping down and then up the side
of another hill, covered with woods.
The Germans apparently lad thou
sands of machine guns in the woods,
and in addition to this, any number
of big guns were throwing shells into
the open field.
However, early the next morning
we started out to capture this posi-
ton. Our losses in this advance
were awful. The shells and bullets.
were coming thicker than we had
ever struck them before, and we had
no protection whatever. However,
shortly after noon We had gotten
about 800 yards into the woods, ana
our Colonel ordered us to hold our
position until he could get some
tanks to help Us.
1t was while waiting for these
tanks that l was lying fiat on the
ground in the woods and got this ma
chine gun bullet through my left
arm. Since then l have not heard a
single word from my Company
l made my way to the rear,
where l found First Aid Station, !
where they put q temporary bandage
around my arm. From there l went |
to look for Field Hospital. When |
found one the Germans had lust
shelled it, killing several patients, !
and the rest had been forced to move !
out. A Medical Corp man put me
aboard a motor truck, but the roads
were so badly torn UP by shells that +
we could make very little progress.
By the next morning we had prob
ably covered five miles, during which |
time we passed two more hospitals, !
both of which had been destroyed by I
shell lire. In the meantime they had !
been Smelling the road ahead of US,
and the roads finally got into such a t
condition that traffic was entirely /
stopped. During the next "a hours I
the truck did net move more than /
=--------,-----------------------