Republican farmer., 1918-03-15
Lone YANKEE SENTRY
ROUTS FORTY BOCHES.
REPELLED WITH LOSS
GERMAN RAIDING PARTY FLEES AS SINGLE
SOLDIER KILLS LEADER, AND INFLICTS 9TH
Err LOSSES-HUNS ABANDONED GUNS

With the American Army in
France, Thursday, March T.
by the Associated Press) A
lone American sentry this
morning attacked an enemy
patrol of about 40 men, some
of whom had stealthily entered
an advanced American trench.
He drove them off, killing the
leader and wour ding others.
The first reports of the en-
counter were that another raid
had taken place, and all along
the line details were being
awaited eagerly. But investi-
cation showed that one Ameri-
can started what there was of
an offensive.
The name of this man is mentioned
in all reports of the affair, and hs has
been congratulated by his officers and
comrades for his, courage and level
| Medicines.
The sentry saw the patrol advanc-
ing, and looked on as the Germans
began to drop cautiously into the
trench. He knew that an American
patrol was out along the wire not FAR
away, and counted upon its help af-
ter he opened fire. There were -FOUR
/
time five Germans had entered the
trench the sentry thought he should
| delay no longer, especially as the un-
der officer who was leading the Ger
mans had approached within few
yards of him
The sentry opened FIRE rapidly with
out challenging. The German lsaderss
fell at the first crack OF the rifle. The
others in the trench hurriedly srught
protection, but they were not quick
enough, for the sentry's bullets caught
some of them.
| AS the Americans began firing a
German some distance outside the
wire shouted: Come out, come OUT
| The Germans needed no second invi-
| tation. In fact, those who were still
in the wire already had started out.
| The small American patrol saw the
! enemy trailing back across No Mans
| Land, under fire from the sentry and
| from Americans at a point further
| along the line. The patrol joined in
| the fray and helped to speed the Ger
mans on their way by hurting a large
number of hand grenades, some of
which probably took effect. Four
| rifles were found in the American
| lines.
| Patrols, both American and Ger
| man, are constantly seeking oppor-
tunity to inspect the opposing lines,
and the Germans On this occasion GER
| tainly did not wish to be discovered.
| They cut the American wire with the
| greatest caution, making no noise. but
| the sentry who later drove them off,
was watching their performance all
| the time.
! American troops in the sector north
west of Toul have been subjected for
| the first time to an attack with liquid
| fire. Enemy troops carrying flame
projectors were just opening the at
| tack when an American patrol which
| happened to be nearby fired on them.
The Germans fed precipitately, pur-
sued by the, Americans. They dropped
| four projectors, two of which were
flaming. The Americans went into
action so quickly that the enemy had
no chance to light the other two. No
damage was done by the flames. The
projectors lay in No Mans Land for
| three days. Early this morning they
! were brought in by an American pa
troll. All had been punctured by shots
from the American trenches.
Late this evening the projectors
were taken to headquarters. They
were strapped to the backs of the
men who brought them from No
Mans Land, and moving pictures
were taken. They are of a type long
| familiar on the western front.
| Enemy snipers have been excep-
| tionally busy in the last "a hours at
a certain point, with more or less sue
| cess. Various parts of the American
sector were bombarded, without suf-
| fering great damage. Many valua.
BILE points in the German positions
were bombarded with success by the
| American artillery. A gap in the wire
| through which the &c: mans sppar-
| emily thought patrols were emerging
| was covered with bursts of machine
| sun fire all night long, and even to-
| day,
An enemy observation balloon in
the rear Of Montsec caught fire this
morning and was hauled down. There
was great activity in the air all day,
following the bombing expeditions of
last night, during which the Germans
| threw down near towns behind the
I American lines bombs, aerial torpe-
does and heavy shells. They set the
fuses and dropped them from their
planes. but the only result was to dig
! large holes in the ground.
| American anti-aircraft guns drove
off several enemy machines of the
| many which crossed the lines today.
| One enemy plane was driven down
! out Of control behind the German
| line after an aerial battle which
thrilled the men IN the trenches.