The Glenwood post., 1918-03-02
PUNCH ON JAW LANDS BocHE


Feb. 24.-"We got the first one" This
phrase best describes the exultation
, ROW enjoyed by members of that plr,
ticular organization Of American fight
ing men located on the Chemin des
Danes front. The capture of the first
zeal German prison,r is the proudest
distinction which one particular branch
of Uncle Sans army and one part II.
lar regiment, with civi! war tradit ION,
will ever cherish.
Correspondents attached to the Unit
ed States expeditionary forces are not
yet permitted to remain with the troops
in the valley of the Aisne, but an un-
official account Of the capture was
brought to correspondents headquar-
ters. Here is the story:
On the night of Feb. 10 patrol of
ten Americans and ten Frenchmen went
over the top to inspect the Germans
net of wire. The dual patrol was COM
manded by a French lieutenant and an
American lieutenant. Near the Ger.
man wire the French and Americans en-
sountered an enemy patrol and both
sides opened fire at once.
The Americans and French dropped
side by side to the ground and began
punching their rifles at the Germans,
who returned the fire several minutes
and then started to withdraw. Two Of
the French patrol had been killed and
four wounded in the opening exchange
Of shots, but the remainder joined the
Americans and started in pursuit of the
fleeing Germans.
The latter apparently were confused
and unable to find an opening which
admits them to safety behind the wire.
When at last they found their exit all
could not get through at once and the
hindmost one turned with extended
bayonet, ready to meet tall onrushinS
American who also carried his bayonct
il ta businesslike position.
The German thrust his weapon at the
American g breast. The American par
rid the thrust in the nick Of time, but
f$and himself unable to recover his
petition for q counter thrust. The Ger.
mfn WAS in the same prsdicsment.
The American did the next best
thing. He dropped his rifle and landed
.atstraigh. from the shoulder blow with
Ais.f on the Germas . chin. The man
chopped like stone.. -
In the meantime the remainder Of the
srcmy had escaped through the wire
and were fleeing before the whitening
AIe by tn. French anu American patrol.
which had come up. Then, knowing the
Germans would probably drop bar
rage to cut them of, the party return
ed to its trenches. Two of them carried
between them heavy German who was
still sleeping.
The prisoner revived five minutes
later in front-line dugout, took one
bewildered look up into the strange
faces over him, lisped a sleep "kam-
erad,'' and closed his eyes. 1t was then
d. the losses in the French patrol were
observed.
The American lieutenant called for
volunteers and picked one out of the
tan who responded for risky job. The
Germans were spraying No Man IS Lanl
with machine gun barrage, which
they had turned on as soon as their
beaten patrol had returned to their
lines. The lieutenant and his selected
volunteers started over the top once
more in the face of it. Within fifteen
minutes they had made two trips out to
the wire and each time brought back
two wounded Frenchmen.
The French officer sent the names of
both to headquarters with recommends
tions for the Croix de Guerre.
Unofficial reports are responsible for
this story of the first patrol encounter
between Americans and Germans on
the Asne front. This encounter, re-
ported several days after the American
occupation of that line occurred, is as
follows:
The American patrol encountered a
smaller patrol in the darkness in No
. Nan s Land. The Germans had ventur-
ed far from their own lines when they
met up with the superior number Of
Americans.
Suddenly meeting at distance Of
Sbout fifty feet, both patrols were pet
1ified with surprise and stood still,
silently watching one another. The sur
prise element 10 held responsible for
thsi fact that neither patrol fired upon
the other. Apparently, II occurred to
pssmbers Of either nartv 70 nss rifleA.