Gilpin observer., 1918-09-19
YANKEES PROVE REAL.
CHIPS OFF OLD BLOCK
American Troops France Have Shown Their Superiority Over
Germans as Fghters-The Yankee Knows He Is Up
kr, Against the Biggest Game the World Ever Knew
- and He Is Eager to Do His Bit.

They know what It means to be sent
out to invade the territory of the en-
emy at midnight. when misstep
means death. They know what 1t
means to sleep with gas masks on;
what 1t means to march so miles in
mud half way to the knee and sleep
In barns, stables and in open wagons.
They don't know what pessmism is.
They don't know what fear Is. I
have seen them in their dugouts right
up within one thousand feet of the
enemy, rolling cigarettes, playing cas-
mo, singing such songs us i've Been
Working on the Levee," "Way Down
Yonder in the Corn Field" and other
melodies which lend themselves read
lily to simple modulations known as
"barber Shops" writing letters home
by candle light or reading letters and
news from home. l have marveled at
their spirit. 1t is all new to them.
They have seen enough to realize
fully that war is the most serious,
grim thing in the world and that its
toll of death is very heavy.
In the hospitals the Yankees show
spirit which amazes the surgeons.
There was young chap--a Russian
by ancestry-from Bridgeport, Conn.,,
who was terribly wounded in the affair
. at Siecheprey. He furnished a most
wonderful example of courage. He
was doomed from the start, but he
thought he would live. When he was
finally told that his death was mat.
ter of but short time, he dictated
short letter to his sister, the conclud.
ing sentence Of which was:
81 am sorry can't see you any more,
but you are in country where you
will have your rights"
Buried by Shell Upheaval.
Then he told the nurse to thank the
Red Cross man who found him in No
Mans Land. That was the end of this
young Russian. He was buried by an
upheaval of earth from large shell
and was terribly injured. For two
days and two nights he lay with only
his head exposed, with no food or wa
ter, with shells breaking around him
and later with Germans-for he was
in territory held by them-constantly
passing him. The assumption appar>
emily was that he was dead, for his
head rested sldewise and ne kept his
eyes closed. A hundred times he was
almost stepped on. Then on the third
day Red Cross litter bearer, crawl
ing about in the land of death, found
him and dragged him to a receiving
station.
saw another case where young
man had badly shattered leg. It
was question whether it should be
amputated or not. He heard the dis
cussiOn, and with a smile said:
go ahead, take 1t off. I'll get a
wooden one and that will do me-"
The boys had their first big test at
the engagement of Siecheprey when
fifteen hundred picked shock troops in
'vaded their lines in the wake of a fu-
riOus barrage. So fierce was the gale
OF heavy shells that the boys could
not emerge from their trenches and
the assault Boche troops swept over
them.
Then there came hand-to-hand fight
ting In the village and In two pieces of
| "OoAiuu0 anu tlc hhucIICduS SuOWeU
that in a .hand-to-hand conflict they
are far superior to the Hun, even when
the latter uses his shock troops. There
are scores Of stories Of individual bra
very told Of this minor, but to the
Americans at that time, important.
clash. All show Enthusiastically that
the American soldier does not know
what fear is and that as soon as he
gets acquainted with the subleties, II
they may be called that. of war, he
will be just as dangerous a fighter as
the Boche has yet faced.
As with the Canadians and Austria.
iians. the Americans may be handi-
capped at the outset with too much
impetuOsity, but that, by the French.
Is said to be most commendable fault
because 1t is quickly rectified and so
readily nodded into vital requisites Of
war-persistence and fearlessness.
The American soldier is all right.
he Is giving good account of himself
wherever he Is placed. He worships
the French. He loves France. He
knows he is up against the biggest
game the world has ever played and
he is ready and eager to "dO his bit"
and do 1t right.
|