Evening journal., 1918-01-02
IN American Trench
When FOE RUjHEDN
Officer Describes the First
Attack on Our Men as
a Surprise
SAYS RESISTANCE
WAS HONORABLE

NEW YORK. Jan "A letter from an
oflcer who was with the American
force that was rsided in It's trenches by
the Germans late in October, calls the
audiences Of the German descent the
only reason" why the attack was sue
cessful.
This ofncer asserts that the German
barrage opened upon the sector soon
after the Americans had taken their
positions and that the artillery response
TO a hurry call for a commentaries
was not quick enough 10 halt the nan
/ OF German shrapnel and thus stop the
F raiders.
The letter SAYS there were 30 in the
attacking pa ty and 100 defenders. he
describes the American resistance as
Honorable" and discloses casually the
fact that the American soldiers had
been with the British In Flanders before
they took up the position where tney
were attacked
The letter. which Is dated November
a and is printed in The Springfield Re
publican. reads In part:
Two weeks ago we left THIS rest
billet and by automobile buses jour
neyed TO our sector This was SUP
posedly 6 rest sector for the French
The Americans. Just becanse they are
American, have changed this Our first
night was. 10 say the least. rather eX-
citing About ? 10 a m. the boches'
who were too familiar with our move
nents opened up with strong ba~rage
on our rirht sector We called for a
harrage of our front from our own
artillery. The call was not answered
promptly.
"The boches almost with the first
shells OF their barrage blew up two
lanes in our, wire and came into our
trenches like a herd Of wild cattle. II
was a well organized, success ful raio
In which the borhes took eleven Amerl-
cans away. dead or alive / don't know
leaving one dead Frenchman and three
Americans. Il took us entirely by sur
prise. and that is the only reason on
: Gods earth 70 was successful.
"An Alsatian who was one or th'
boche ralding party deserted while they
. we're in No Mans Land, Just after th'
raid. waiting Tor our artillery ilre u
I, lessen This Alsatian came into th'
j lines Of our infartry TO the left OF ou
y sector He said the boches had planned
70 he raid fo~ two months, THAT Is, II
. their .St~osst~oM-a school to tran
5 men for raids Finding us to be th'
s 0rst Americans IN the line, why WI
d were the goats, that's all
Il "The raiding 20 Sc was 2iO men gu
company holding the sector was 10
n men our troops acted in a very honor
IS able attitude Everything goes to snow
> That. after having undergone an eH
e tremely violent bombardment' our me
II fought of an enemy much stronSer U
J. number The killed and wounded Wer
struck by grenade fragnents, P'SSS
r bullets, rifle bullets ana KNIVES ".
I. later found considerable boche equip
D. ment lust beyond our wire lnsS
s doubt carried away lhelr uoa" '''
+ wounded with them. IA.
4. III / could really open up WIN
n detailed story. | could tell you som
m tbings The newspapers never hear an
\ neve~ WI hear p Operly. our battalio
NJ a. the first TO have any real nSntin
a We have had what would be called on
,e ,haptism OF FIRE. ] don't say that
10 lIke n hut there is something fascina
G. .lng about Il all. .,-.,.
"You soon get used TO the whistle
shells thouvh must admit at the IA
Inc indefniteness Of their fight sc
vour goat My wo thy helmet wnlc
as looks much like the B 'itlsh. has bee
al ratified with flying mud and stones fro
nc n shell burst not too near our e
n MASKS are always kept fastened at u
Iai alert on our chest'
I'VE did get a gas scare one eVeniI
= that resulted in a good deal OF coined
- You see. some shells come over az
don't explode. These shells are CALI
'duds.' When gas shells come on
on they do not explode. They sound III
TX. dropping a bad egg
ut Tbe writer describes the trench
nd the muddie place In the world
ID recommends hip boots as the best pr
ne lection and expresses surprise at no
ur well the men keep He tells Of direC
ito ing a combat wagon over road In u
ms daytime in full view Of the Germ
air lines, when suddenly IL upset al
spilled its contents in the mud. He ss