The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-08-08
RELENTLESS RING
WIPED GERMANS OUT

LONDON, July sly festerday was q
day OF hard in-and-out fighting on
the American front, telegraphs the
Reuter- correspondent on the front
north of the Marne, who says the
final capture of Seringes by the Ame-
ricans was an especially creditable
achievement.
After the Americans took the vii
lage on Monday, the Germans made
no infantry attack on the place, but
kept up a constant artillery and ma
I chine gun fire to drive them out.
This continued all day Tuesday, and
toward evening the enemy seemed to
think that the spirit of the defenders
might be broken. Then they began
to emerge from the Nesles forest in
way that seemed to forecast fresh
/ attempt to take the village. Of the
fighting which followed the cores
pondent writes:
The Americans, after three days
OF to-and-fro fighting through vii
iages' had learned subtlely and were
determined to have a real fight TO a
hnish. They consequently withdrew
as II retiring from Seringes and the
Germans crept down from the high
ground, convinced they had their on
ponents beaten. Additional German
troops came pouring in until the tow,
was occupied as it never had been
before.
But as the new occupants began
TO organize their defenses thew found
that bullets appeared to be coming in
from three sides of the village, and
1t was not long before they discover
cd that the Americans, while with
drawing from the front of the town
mad begun an encircling movement on
both sides, thus forming q ring corn
pletely around it.
lhen came tragic fighting. The
Prussian Guard had voted not to sur
render and their opponents were lust
as anxious to see the thing through.
1t was an affair of small arms, but
the Americans proved better shots
and slowly picked off men here and
there.
Ihen the Americans began to ad-
vance and slowly their encirclinp ring
closed about the village. AS the ring
drew closer and the defenders saw
their doom approaching, they redou-
oied their fire, but still the Americans
came on unfaltering like a storm or
dob In 90,
When the Americans reached the
precincts of the village their fir.
ceased and, with one wild yell, thew
:cScd with the foe. The fierce NJ.
roar gave place to strange silence
as man grappled with man. Only the
clash of steel on steel and the groans
OF the stricken could be hard.
The issue was never in doubt for
an instan.. At this kind Of fightiny
the Am"rictr is more than equal &c
any Prussian Guardsmen, and in little
more than ten minutes all WAS over
Except for a few prisoners, every
German in the village had breathed
his last Such was the final capture of
Seringes.
During the night the enemy twice
attempted to retake Sergy, but each
time he was repulsed with heavy
losses. Then he made a fierce assault
on Meurcy farm, east of Seringes,
which was piled with the dead, which
ne had left there the day before, when
very man defending 1t died at his post
There again the enemy was unsuc-
cessful, though not until steel had
crossed steel in the big farmyard
and the heaps Of German slain had
been doubled in the ruins about it.
This was classic fighting, indeed
man against man, and the better to
win. There was no call for quarter.
The pride Of the professional soldier
was up against the pride of the free
man, both preferrin death to sur
render.
Later in the morning the fighting
extended still further eastward, and
in every case the Germans who at
tackled were annihilated. Later came
S''> HSeoSN VII ccI anu dn aILemDI
at the same time to drive the Allies
from Hill 1877, west of Seringes.
"rhere for the first time since the
Allies crossed the Ourcq the Germans
may be said to have definitely taken
the offensive.
"All through the days fighting the
enemy's airplanes attempted in the
most daring manner to assist in the
battle. Early in the morning six
enemy planes succeeded in penetrat-
ing as far as La Croix Blanche farm,
near lie Fere forest. They swooped
down close above the roads in the
valley and fired upon allied troops.
Members of the Prussian Guard,
who were taken prisoner, state that
their orders were to hold the line at
all costs and we'll thew oheved All