The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-03-07
FORCE
OF AMERICANS
NOW FACING
THE GERMANS
Enemy Repulsed with Losses
When Raid Is Made on
New American Sector.
HOLD EIGHT MILES
(By Associated Press)

VIII lI1L AMEhlCAN ARM ] In
FRANCE, Wednesday, March 6.--Ar
American staff colonel, while with
French raiding party for the purpose
Of securing information a few days be
fore his men took up their position in
the new American sector on the Lor.
raine front, met a Prussian lieutenant
In an enemy trench and captured him.
The colonel with an American aptaiu
brought the Prussian officer back ID
the lines the Americans are now oc.
cupying.
The German raid in this new sector
occurred on Monday night, sharp
fight taking place In which the Ger.
mans suffered a repulse with losses.
In 1t unit which was among the
most recent arrivals displayed the Gus.
tomary American fighting energy and
apparently gave the enemy a much
warmer reception than he expected.
Third U. S. Force
The American troops are trainina
with French troops at the Chenlin-des
Danes position. This makes the third
American force now facing the enemy.
During several days OF the American
service here the casualties have been
extraordinarily slight as the sector is
one of the quietest. The lines are far
apart and the position is held by
strong points rather than by continu.
Gus trenches.
The Prussian lieutenant's capture
was the first instance of an enemy Off
Ger being taken prisoner by the Amer
leans and also the first occasion upon
which an American officer had cap.
tured either an enemy officer or sol
dier in this sector.
WASHINGTON, March 7.-American
troops are now holding something over
eight miles of trenches on the battle
front in France, it was learned today,
although In an airline their frontage is
only about four and half miles. This
frontage is liable to extension at any
time to the regular trench allotment
for an army corps.
Irregularity of the trench line is re-
sponsible for their eight miles OF
length. They are laid out so that
thanking fire may be obtained along
every part of the front Strong points
containing machine guns jut out for
this purpose. The trenches also follow
closely any protective slope of the
country and wander up and downhilI.
Held by Division.
The American sector is understood
to be a divisional frontage. which
means that at least three divisions of
American troops are there TO give the
necessary support in depth for the
front lines. This fact has aroused
speculation here as to who will be
selected by General Pershing to COM
mand the first corps of his army Maj
Gen. Hunter Liggett is known 10 have
acted in that capacity, but as yet the
expeditionary commander has not
made any recommended ations.
1t is possible that the French sys-
tenn will be followed in the American
army SO far as the appointment OF
corps commanders goes. 1t is the Gus.
tom in France to select any one of the
division commanders in a corps and to
place him at the head of the corps.
He retains his rank as division COM
however, and in the case of
the American army that would be Il
is adopted therefore the grade of lieu
tenant general may be employed only
for field army commanders.
General Pershing today reported five
privateS killed in action. two men Sc
verely wounded and fourteen slightly