Evening star., 1918-06-27
Believed Hindenburg Is About
Ready to Resume 0ffen-
sive Endeavors.
AMERICANS GET 311
PRISONERS IN ACTION
Operation at Chateau Thierry Most
Important One in Recent Days.
SO German Aeros Downed.

allied armies await further enemy eff
forts. Infantry activity is confined to
local actions at various points.
On the vital stretch of the battle
front between Ypres and Rheims the
most important action of the past few
days has been that in which the Ameri
can troops took from the Germans a
commanding hill position near Belleau
wood, northwest of Chateau Thierry.
BESIDES gaining the hill, the Ameri-
cans took 264 prisoners, including
seven officers. From the hill the Amer
! leans dominate the German positions
for some distance beyond in the direc
tion of Torcy
Another Stroke Expected.
1t is believed that the German
command is about ready to launch
another stroke against the allied
lines The artillery activity remains
about normal on important sectors,
but aerial fighting has increased
markedly.
Thirty-six German machines were
brought down or forced to land in
damaged condition Tuesday by
Franco British airmen. while Berlin
claims the destruction of twelve allied
airplanes the same day. German air
planes raided Paris Wednesday night.
There is mucn sickness prevalent
, among the German troops, but this Is
not believed to be having any erect
on plans for renewal of the enemy
offensive.
Now Have 311'Prisoners.
BY the Associated Press.
WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
ON THE MARINE, June 27-The num-
ber of prisoners captured by the
Americans in their drive on the Ger
man positions in the Belleau wood
sector Tuesday night was officially
increased today to 311. The Ameri-
cans also captured eleven big ma
chine guns, ten automatic rifles,
quantity of small arms and ammuni-
ton and other material.
| The Germans have not yet made
any attempt to counter attack. Last
night was comparatively quiet on the
whole Marine front. The Americans
were kept busy consolidating their
new positions The additional pris-
oners mostly were stragglers found
hiding in the woods, under rocks or
in the shrubbery where they had
been isolated by the American fire.
t They were unkempt and hungry.
Hold Upper Hand.
/ WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, June 26.-The Importance
of the American advance in Belleau
wood is not indicated by the amount
of territory captured, as that only
amounts approximately to 500 square
Americans. however. dominate the
ridge beyond, so that they now hold
the upper hand
The Americans now are in possess
sion of virtually all the valuable
tactical positions in the Belleau wood
sector. Most of the prisoners taken
belong to the 347th German Division.
Smash Through Enemy.
On Sunday the Germans placed the
crack 2O1st Division opposite por-
tion of the American line Despite
this. the Americans went through in
steam-roller fashion.
The Germans also had attempted on
Saturday to fill the wood with gas.
but the determination and heroism
of the Americans could not be checked
by this circumstance.
/ The American artillery again bril-
/ liantly carried out it's part in throws
| ing the entire German line into con-
! fusion Prisoners said that the posi-
tion from which they had been taken
was like an inferno under the Amerr
! lean fire. They were happy to get out
alive.
r,Ioe of German pr;copore
I BY the Associated Press.
! WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. June fisherman prisoners
captured by the Americans on storm
| ing the Belleau wood section last
night include seven officers. One of
the officers said the German COM
manders have been telling the soldiers
that the Germans have landed an
army in America, capturing New
York and are now marching toward
Philadelphia. The Germans also are
told that submarines have sunk be-
tween forty and fifty ships in Long
Island sound.
Another German officer, arrogant
and sarcastic, remarked I'VE are
just starting with the Americans. We
are going to wipe out whole divisions
as If they were companies.
I The German prlVateS were less ar
rogant and apparently were glad they
were captured. One declared that the
Germans were surprised at the Amer
leans, who appeared so young. but
fought like devils when they got
started. Another declared:
"Too Many Americans"
"The war will soon be ended. There
are too many Americans coming to
Europe"
I This prisoner was Prussian who
had fought on the Russian front He
confessed that the Germans were pre-
pairing to attack the Americans in
Relleau wood when the America n
troops started their attack. 1t was
a surprise affair. The Americans
came one way, and the German off,
GERS tried to force their men forward
/ the other way. This prisoner was
shot in the leg by his own officer be-
cause he hesitated confusedly between
the American guns and bayonets and
the pistols in the hands of the German
officers.
! Raymond S. Howell of GAINESVILLE.
Ohio, who was in the first line of the
advance, describing the operation,
said:
I'VE took up position in the open
IIsT-nt;,,,al a., ,ron,l, Tto.a