New-York tribune., 1918-06-08

furnished with food, while the Sax
ons, the Wirtemberg troops and
others went without.
1t must not be imagined, however,
that they did not put up fight, for
their officers were among them urg-
ing them on, but the marines dashed
into them yelling like Indians and
plying bayonet and rifle. One ma
rine who was taking back a prisoner
ran into two German officers and
ten men. He tackled them single
handed with his rifle and bayonet,
killed both the officers and wounded
seven Of the men.
Stays Treacherous Germans
+ Another sergeant was about to
take prisoner when the German
threw himself on the ground and dis
charged his revolver at the Ameri-
can, after calling "comrade." That
settled the German. The sergeant
shot him, as he did four others who
also had surrendered but refused to
put up their hands.
The marines advancing in the Bel
leau Wood region went forward in
four waves, in open formation. The
men in the first wave were for the
most part armed with rifles and
bombs, while the rear waves were
equipped with automatic rifles, while
with them came squads Of machine
gunners Juggling their collapsible
guns. Bent over like gnomes they
crossed the open space. The trenches
the marines passed over were clear
ly visible from below, but they hardly
deserved the name, for they were
simply lines of little holes, each big
enough to hold man, while barbed
wire was lacking there. Some barbed
wire, however, was interlaced among
the trees of Belleau Wood, but the
marines pushed their way through it.
Bussa;res Seen in Flames
In the open field artillery officers
with glasses were directing the sup
porting fire, while on the roof Of a
nearby farmhouse a signalman wig
wagged with his red and white flag.
On all sides the guns were flashing,
some of them stationed right out in
the field, while others were hidden
in the woods.
Looking down into the valley, only
a mile away, the village of Bussaires
could be seen on fire. AS the CORE
spondent watched the scene, the
clouds of white shrepnel smoke over
the village of Torcy also became
brownish and flames appeared in
that town.
The artillery fire that preceded the
attack lasted an hour and was Of espe-
cial intensity for five minutes preced-
ing the time when the marines went
over the top. French and American
batteries both took part in the firing
putting down rolling barrage and
then shifting to the roads behind the
German lines.
1t appears that the marines fore.
stalled an attack planned by the Ger.
mans. II was to have been carried ou,
| by the Prussians who had relieved the
Prussan Guard division, which was
badly chewed up in the fighting Of the
last day or two. They. in turn, hao
relieved the Saxons. just after the
marines took over the sector, so the
marines are proud Of the fact that
they have used up three German divi
sions in less than a week and are still.
very much alive themselves.
American Morale Wonderful
The morale of the men is wonderful
They arc willing to attempt anything
and are talking with pride Of the
heavy losses inflicted upon the Ger.
mans yesterday morning. while all the
early reports indicated that the after.
noon attack was even moro costly ia
the enemy.
The latter attack was undertaken
largely because of the splendid show.
ing the marines made in the morning