Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-16
.YANKEEPR|SONERS
OLD men OR YOUNG
All Germans in Good Spirits,
Cheering Each Fresh Batch
of Captives.
40 NOT WANT TO FIGHT"
BY JUNIUS b. WOOD.
CnAlexr.m to The Evening Star and
CHICAGO DailyHews. Copyright. 1915.

CHicaro DafIyyews. Copyright. 1913.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY AT
THE FRONT. September 14.-Among
the prisoners brought to the rear
early in the battle was a wounded
German officer who lay on section or
twig revetment torn from the side Of
o trench and improvised into
stretcher. which his comrades carried
In An American soldier stopped down
and offered him a cigarette.
The prisoners formed the strangest
assortment captured in any battle up
to this time. Out of the thousands
taken few were middle-axed men.
Nearly all were boys or old men.
saw moro than 1000 Of them. with a
dozen oficers, including one daintily
perfumed cavalryman and another de-
family wearing an iron cross on his
breast and a gayly camouflaged steel
helmet.
These prisoners were waiting along
the roadside in the woods to be Ques-
toned. They appeared to be In the
best OF spirits. Orders were given that
they be fed with our rations. and they
nearly all carried a loaf Of bread and
q jar Of butter or jam. Few appeared
to be glum over their capture. and they
not only laughed and joked among
themselves. but even hailed with loud
cheers each fresh arrival OF their cap
tured comrades.
Did Not Want to Fight.
One of the many prisoners captured
IN dugouts. which they had not left
f{,1O the arrival Of the
Americans. remarked: Most OF us
are Poles and do not want to fight.
Germany did not put us on the west
ern front until she was short or man
power" II this spirit is typical the
morale of the German army has de-
Perforated seriously.
French and American airplanes
ewaEp1ed over the German lines. pur-
suing the retreating soldiers, bomb
ing the roads and the bridges over
the Meuse and the cities of CONTAINS,
Thiauville. Marshax Latour Barren
court, Lofguyon. Dommary. Metz.
Etain and other places. Tanks. cav
airy and other adjuncts co-operated
with The infantry and artillery. IN
some sectors the tanks outdistanced
the infantry. while in others the ar
tillery kept almost abreast OF them
After the second line of German re-
sistance had been crossed the engf-
.neers rushed up to build bridges so
as to permit the artillery and tanks
to continue advancing.
. Because Of the hilly nature OF the
country. 1t was possible plainly to see
the advance at almost any hour OF
the day by following a short distance
behind the troops. The Americans
deployed in skirmish formation, now
jumping up and running. and now
lying down to escape the f1re of the
machine guns. They would move up
a hill like rabbits and disappear over
the top. while another batch Of pris-
oners would come back bound for the
rear.
The boche did not do much she'll
ing. but he left some machine guns be-
hind to bother our fellows" said Pri-
vate Charles Dearborn Of Payne. Ohio.
after he had been relieved. {.
THE fighting was not anything like
some we have been up against before.
said Private Harold Bothmell of Mount
Vernon. n. Y. 1t seemed like regu-
lar parade"
HE threw q little gas in some
spots, but he did not have enough
guns to smother our fellows. who
quickly passed through it," added AL
bert Martin OF Cincinnati.
II wish we could have a fight like
this every day" said Private Lewis
Hughes OF Lawrenceville, Ga, "for we
certainly did clean him up. Our fell
lows even captured artillery officers
and cannon"