The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-03
Play Vital Part in Fight North
of Scissors.
American Artillery Is Ripping
Up Trenches.
GENERAL FACED THE BULLETS
Went Up in Front To Observe
Artillery Fire.
Men Fought Two Days Without
Hot Food.

With the American Armies in
France. Sept. s.-American artillery is
ripping up the fields, roads, trenches
and woods along the enemy lines, in
conjunction with the French who are
attacking northeast of scissors.
The intermittent rains ceased late
yesterday and the roads in this region
are dry and heavy with dust. Emerg-
ing from vast clouds of dust long col
umns OF French caissons were visible
today, hurrying forward. The six
horses attached to each caisson went
forward at a gallop, their riders crack
ing their whips over their heads and
flashing their animals to greater eff
fort.
Americans Led the Assault.
Stories of individual incidents of
Saturdays fighting today brought ad-
ditional honors to French and Ameri--
cans alike. French divisions on the
right and left of the crack American
units which participated in this fight
ing did brilliant work, but during the
entire attack the Americans led In the
assault.
When one small French tank was
put out of commission, its crew of two
men leaped out of the machine, seized
rifles and continued to fight along side
the American infantry.
At another point German machine
gun nests temporarily held up GER
tain American detachment under COM
mand of Lieut. C. o. Harris. Harms
crept I'D alone and single handed cap
tured the nest. He has been recon-
mended for gallantry in action.
North of Terny-Sorny. an American
brigadier general went forward IN the
open, altho constantly exposed to ter
rifle machine gun fire. in order to
make personal observation of ma
chine gun nest, preparatory TO oroer-
ing artillery fire.
At another place Major Dusenberry
Joined the men of his battalion in the
front line when communications were
interrupted and personally directed
them. --1 -.
Cavalry Played Important Part.
& The Americans who participated In
Saturdays fight gave the highest
praise to the cavalry. Despite the
fact that the battlefield was covered
with old trenches and strewn every
where with wire, the cavalrymen rem
dered invaluable service, patrollinS
the country in the wake of the re-
treating enemy and maintaining con-
slant contact. One of the remarkable
fl atures of the battle is the fact that
the telephone service from the front
line was scarcely interrupted at any
stage of the sight. Signal corps troops
advanced under. heavy artillery and
1i,t-chine gun fire alongside tn. infan-
try and kept their wires strung at all
times to the nearest command post.
During Sunday afternoon the Ameri-
Gems d livered five attacks against a
hostile trench beyond the Terny-
Sonny road before the position was
captured. On the sixth attack, they
went over with rush, cleaned up all
the Daachine gun nests and killed or
"a Mt y Il
Beaumont woods, southwest of Terny-
Sonny, was encircled by Americans
after machine guns there had given
bitter resistance. The woods then
were quickly cleaned up.
Fought Without Hot Food
The Americans in the front line
continued to fight Saturday and Sun
day without hot food. Their last hot
meal was received Friday morning.
Thereafter their movement was too
continuous and the German Smelling
was too heavy to permit bringing up
hot rations. Among the trophies cap
tured by the Americans was a German
saWtootn bayonet. One side was
sparpened to a keen edge and the
other side carried a toothed edge.
With the American Armies In
France, Sept. (night)-Strong Ger
man raiding attacks between Razoches
and Ffsmes. near Chateau Du Diabie.
were repulsed. by the Americans early
today.
Shortly after midnight, the enemy
put down heavy barrage and in the
clear starry night, Americans saw the
Germans coming over the top. Open
ing up with machine guns and rifles,
the Americans quickly broke up the
attack before it reached our lines.
Then while the Germans were SHELTER
ing back to their own lines, the Ameri-
can artillery laid down a barrage in
their midst, inflicting heavy casualties.
Drove Off Second Attack.
Within half an hour the enemy re-
formed his columns and Feattacked at
the same place. American sinners
and machine gunners thinned out the
advancing ranks so rapidly that the
unwounded Germans fled
Every night American patrols scour
No Mans land hunting out German
posts, engaging in many lively skir-
mishes and keeping constant contact
with the enemy along the whole Vesle
front. One American airplane brought
down q German observation balloon in
flames in this region.
Meanwhile, the American artillery
is Smelling the enemy rear areas with
effect. One shell dropped on a Ger
man dump exploded a quantity of
ammunition.