Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-10-05
NEW WORKERS FIGHT WAY OUT.
Three Companies Trapped by Too
Great Advance Refuse to Quit.

With the First American Army IN
France, Oct. |. - Delayed Three
companies of New York infantry cut
off for forty eight hours from FOOD,
drink and communications except by
carrier pigeon, fought it out in the
wilderness Of ArSonne. and unlike the
other gallant 800 at Baiaklava, sur
vived the ordeal of fire and are stlli
at desperate grips with the Hun TO
night in the widest battle area l nave
seen on the west front.
Tonighth's American communique
opens with the laconic statement:
During the day we advanced our
lines in the forest of Argonne.
1t was my privilege this afternoon |"
go in behind the fighting line east of
Bnarville, enabling me to give some
idea of what deeds of heroism and en-
durance form he basis for our army's
simple announcement that we had pro-
crossed.
Fight Ahead in Dense Wood.
These infantrymen had pushed for
ward thru the tangled underground Of
the Bots de la Grurie. Unable to see
more than few feet in any direction,
they had swept along in close locked
strife until they suddenly discovered
they were isolated.
There were machine guns in front
at the right, left, and cross firing from
the rear. Other companies behind try
ing to advance encountered an en-
liladng fire in which nc man could
live. but repeatedly tried TO bridge the
break between them and the boys
ahead.
Fearless telephone squad men had
carried up their lines with the first
squads. but the wires were cut by the
Germans behind them and later the
phone lines were utterly disorganlzcd
by shell fire.
1t is cold and wet in the Argonn'
forest and a pitiless wind from thu
north sweeps hills and gullies.
Every Thicket Trap.
Every thicket is a potential trap:
every tree possible shelter for .
lurking Hun with an automatic rin'
The doughboys were guided in tn
fights only by the flash and crash ,
! the foes guns all about them, b
sheer grit kept them going until toda:
when other companies cut their wa
| through. and then the New Yorker
again went forward against the enem,
For two miles and a half | saw
doughboys carrying hot food and coffee
up to the foremost line On each
bayonet were spitted five loaves OF
bread and suspended on muSkets car
ried between two doughboys were huge
cans Of coffee and steaming stew. The
procession moved up sometimes thru
trenches ankle deep in liquid clay,
sometimes thru woods where Ger
but the gallant 900 had waited long
enough for food and nothing could
stop the supply squad.
Beg to Got Up Front,
I saw Lieut.. r. X. Hass step into
| dugout and beg permission to so to
the front line. saying he had brought
rations for the men manning the one
| Founders and he now wanted to get
into the scrap. His superior officer
declined permission. saying no was
needed for other work. In a few min
utes Hass returned. repeating the ur-
| gent request to get up where there
was something doing and had to be
practically refused before he gave up
hope Of getting into the most perilous
spot between the Meuse and the Aisne.
| A young Harlem tailors apprentice
who was wounded in the shoulder by
a machine gun refused point blank to
go back to the dressing station. In
stead he rushed a machine gun crew,
killing one putting eight others to
| fight, and making one prisoner bring
back his gun on his back.
! These are some Of the reasons why
| I'VE advanced in the ArgOnne."