Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-10-03
ILLINOIS TROOPS AT.
ARCONNE CLEARING.
WOODS OF ENEMY.
PRAIRIE DIVISION HEROES OF
GREAT BATTLE - HUN USES
SNEEZlNG GAS-GAlN SIX MILES
IN TARUST.


With the American Forces on the
yerdun front, Oct HERMAN artil-
lery in the early hoVrs Wednesday
freely sprinkled the areas behind the
American lines with shells contain.
ing sneeziug gas and phosgeue BE
tween the Meuse and the MOselle the
Germans directed quite a concentrate
ed artillery fire on The American po-
sitions.
The nervousness u the enemy along
the line indicated that he expected an
attack
American attachments entering
Gesnes. northwest OF Montfaucon,
found it free of the enemy. The roads
in the neghborhood of the village
likewise were clear of Germans.
One German airplane fell to Ameri
can anti-aircraft guns and some fifty
Austrians wtte captured in the
Woevre sector.
lIlinoIsars Clearing Argonne
The Argonne forest is being clear
ed Of enemy troops by American sol
diers from New York and Illinois.
One Of the American negro units also
has participated in the operation
Illinois troops advanced more than
six miles on the first day Of the at
ack, the unit reaching its objective
hours ahead of time.
The Jois men pushed forward
just to ie vs. est Of Meuse. Starting
from the hborhood OF Dead Mans
Hill, they .aaled directly north until
half way to heir destination and then
turned to the northeast
Their advance was so rapid that in
the region of -Drillancour
they came upon a party of Germans
just about to sit down to a luncheon
in their dugout. The party was over
come and the German colonel who
was shot in the heel as he attempted
to escape.
Eat German kraut.
'rhe Illinois soldiers helped them
selves to the Germans lunch of pork,
red cabbage and black bread Seven
kegs Of beer, supply of wine and
German typewriter were found in the
dugout The wounded colonel told
the officers he was as-ounded at the
rapidity of the American advance
He had no idea that the Americans
would reach that region for days, if
at ALL he said
The colonel had so many war maps
and other paraphernalia, including a
large telescope. that the Americans
had to get truck to haul his belong
ings to headquarters.
The Illinois men had dinner and
went to bed in the positions that had
been occupied that morning by the
enemy. During the afternoon Ameri-
can aviators dropped newspapers and
cigarets for the men, who had moved
along the west bank of the Meuse
beyond GeEourt, and consolidated
their positions before dark.
To-day the chief activity of the
Americans was in holding the con
solidating their positions in the face
Of heavy counter attacks especially
on the debatable ground north and
west of MantfaucOn, In the heavily
wooded ground Of the Argonnc west
Of the forest Itself the fighting be
came reduced to mere bushwacking
tactics
This is a form Of warfare in which
the Americans, with their individual
initiatives are second to none Thus
although numerous small bodies of
Germans infultrated through the
lines toward the American read the
Americans were easily able to take
. care Of them.
TO what extent the Germans have
been compelled by the turn Of events
40 change their plans is shown by
battalion order just captured. II
says tersely:
THE troops are reminded that our
present position is our Winter pos.
ton
U S. Hospital SheIed 20 die.
Twenty patients. many Of them al
ready suffering from wounds recev
ed In iattle, were killed when Ger.
man she'll struck an American hospi
fal several nights ago. The hospital
Vas only a short distance behind the
fighting line
It is possible that it was a stray
shell, but it appears probably that
teibera 'ttempt was made to ar.
tack the pital.
Optimistic Thought.
A city does not prosper that shakes
stfith pnItfiop ,,,J 49,. 1