Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1918-12-04
Three american PRIVATES DID 1T.
Gave French Civilians Of Thiacou!t
Greatest Thrill Of Their Lies.

France, Nov. Sit was three
American privates who gave the
French Civilians of the Germ A Il
occupied village of Thiacourt
the greatest thrill of their lives
For four years they had been
waiting, and then the Americans
came.
When the three privates-an
advance guard of swarms OF
other Americans in their wake
swung into the war torn village
of Thiacourt, not a soul Was in
the streets But within a few
minutes news spread among the
seven hundred civilians that the
Americans were there and men
and women and children came in
droves from the cellars where
they had been hiding in terror
for two days and nights Aud
from other cellars and dugouts
there came six hundred German
soldiers who were delighted with
the idea of giving up.
The offensive Of the first Amer1-
can army, which wiped out 10"
St 1ihiel salient, began On a
Thursday morning and it was a
Saturday afternoon when the
weary Americans reached Thia-
cour+, hungry and fatigued from
fast walking in their eagerress
to keep pace with the fleeing
Germans.
AS the Americans poured irto
the village and the French real
ized more and more that again
Thiacourt had come into her own
men stood in the streets and
cried openly and women sat
about On doorsteps and bits of
wreckage caused by shells ana
wept until aear exhaustion 4 nc
III the con fusion the children
children ch5ered bit even son,,.
of them, the older ones realizing
what it ali meant. cried too an6
kissed the Lands OF the officers
and men.
WHAT food they had On hard
the French turned over to tbs,
Americans, the villagers insisting,
upon the Americaus taking all
they wanted of what they had.
So in the streets and ir the hGus-
es. some Of them occupied orly a
few hours previo usi7 by Gerr7 al
officers ard men, the Amerlc ais
made themselves at home, for d
short realizing spell, and he
French pot'Elation oI The village
endeavored TO satisfy the appe
ti;e Of their DELIVERIES.
From the tir1e She Germars
reached Thiacourt id September,
1914, until a few days after the
village had been retaken b.
American troops, the civilians
were entirely without fresh mcat
of any kind excepting now ana
then chicken or a rabbit whll>l.
was raised in cellars without the
knowledge of the Germans. Al!
che cattle in the region Of Thia
court were taken by the
Germans, but the cows beirg
left 70 furnish milk for the babies
Until the United States entered
the war foou was sent to Tbia-
court by wy Of tie Netherlar'.Ns
by the American relief commit
tee aud later b :. Spanish relief
committee. This consisted prin
cipally of bacon flour, sugar rice,
beeus, peas and some cocoa, 7 wo
boxes Of Condensed milk were
received in 7 ilacourt each mon III
and now and then a Shipment Of
sal: meat. Twice several boxes
of nerica1 shoes arrived for
the inha bitants and at long inter
walls there were small shipments
of clothing,
During the four Years occupa
tion by the Germ ans none of the
civilians WAS allowed to leave
the town, However on one or
two occasions in1ividua1s were
permitted /, visit an~arDv VII
1aee to ats ID the funeral Of Iela.
tiyes ..acco:Spauied oy soldier
guard.