Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-23
overwhelmed
But American Troops
Fought to Finish
Details Of Sundays Engagement
Show That U. S. Boys Stuck to
Their Guns While Germans Placed
Every Conceivable Device of
FriahtfuIness On Them.

Every Conceivable Device of
FrehtfuIness On Them.
With the American Army in
France, April 22.-(By The Associ-
ated Press)-"Odr troops were over
whelmed by a superiority of num-
bers, but fought to finish.'
This was the official characterize
ton by a field commander Of the
American troops who successfully re-
pulsed an enemy onslaught in the
Toul sector in his report to head
quarters.
Details of the engagement, which
the correspondent pieced together
firm interviews With officers and men
who participated in the battle showed
that the Americans stuck to their
guns while the Germans were placing
liquid fire, gas and almost every
other conceivable device of frightful-
ness on them. One of them who lay
in an American hospital today kept
his machine gun going after the
chief gunner had been killed. two feet
away, and he himself had been
wounded. Thus he protected a turn
in the road known as Dead Mans
Curve" over which some of the Am
erican couriers PASSED in the face of
concentrated enemy fire.
That the enemys losses were so
severe that he changed his mind and
was cured of GiS belief that it was
going to be a walkover. was indicat-
ed by his feeble artillery fire yester-
day and today. Despite the driving
rain, however, the American artillery
showed signs Of animated activity.
The officers and men were, in fine
spirit, even the wounded laughing
and joking.
There appears little doubt that the
Germans thought they would go
through the American line. There
was time, it will be recalled, when
they predicted they would go through
Great Britains contemplate little
army"
The enemy made another attempt
troops on the right bank of the Meuse
soon after the attack near Seiche-
prey. Sixty of the enemy started a
raid, but were repulsed by q heavy
fire.
Some Of the Germans reached the
American entanglements and were left
dead hanging to the wire, but the en-
envy carried off all his wounded.
An American raid against the enemy
line nearby was carried out about the
same time. and one of the raiding
forces was brought back dead and one
wounded.
Reports coming in today relative to
the fight in the Toul sector show that
the losses sustained were no larger than
could reasonably be expected from such
an engagement. which was the most
severe of any in which American troops
have taken part The losses of the Ell.
envy were much greater than he had
anticipated. as evidence by more than
800 dead Germans in the American
trenches and in No Mans Land His
losses in wounded are unknown as dis
ahled men were dragged back to the
German trenches.
An American officer today brought in
a new German revolver 1t is a rapid
flrer resembling a miniature machine
gun. and made rs first appearance
against the Americans. Not far from
the scene of the American first big fight
against the enemy is the village where
Joan OF Arc was born. From the Hill
where the martyred girl saw the vision
which called her to the defense Of
France one can now see fine young
Americans marching toward the front.
They are cheered by the French who,
relying or their defender, remain in
their homes despite the roar Of German
guns.