The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-29
Infantry, Artillery and Machine
GunnerS There.
Yanks Marched to Front as ii
Out on a Lark.
FIGHT BESIDE FRENCH POILUS
Complete Confidence in French
Leadership.
American Wounded Already Ar
irving i'm Paris.
BY FRED S. FERGUSON.

With the American Army in North
ern France. April 9.-American forces
are now fighting beside the French in
northern France. holding secto: in
the heart of the worlds greatest
battle
This announcement is now possible,
after three weeks silence regarding
! the movement of troops.
Infantry, artillery, machine gunners
and other branches of the service are
in line.
The Americans face the German
army at the peak of German salient.
The outpoSts are only 200 yards apart
at some places. AT some points the
American positions are maintained in
shell holes.
AS soon as all troops and guns We're
in position the sector was formally
taken over from the French. The
American commander. who is under
a French corps commander, expressed
the greatest confidence in the French
| leadership.
| The entire country here is open and
rolling with very few woods or other
screening facilities and no trenches.
| The entire problem is one of open
Skies Ablaze at Night.
| The boche artillery. which is active
! in shelling all roads and villages
within range is visible from an Amer
lean observation post
: Altho the French characterized this
sector as quiet the present fire is
the heaviest the American have yet
faced.
The skies are ablaze every night
with the flash of guns and the air
quivers with the roar of artillery and
exploding shells. AS the high explos-
ives pound the American lines. the
! soldiers dive into the shallow cover
of bitches and shell holes.
1 One american outfit carried its flag
Ia "a
| waterproof case, Old Glory is on the
| battle line ..I-|s..-..----s
/ Marched to Front Singing.
The American entrance into the bat
tie line in northern France followed A
long period of travel partly by rail
and partly by marching.
! The troops were in the highest Spi-
rits thruout. They cheered the vii
layers from their freight cars and flat
cars as they passed thru the towns.
Rolling kitchens, mounted on flat cars
kept them supplied with hot .'slum.'
Leaving the trains after two days
and nights of riding. they marched to
the mobilization area. where they were
billeted in villages and chateaus.
They rested in reserve three days,
then began the march of marches to
the line.
They swung thru villages singing,
Hail. Hail. the Gangs All Here
Big camouflaged American guns
rolled across the plains for the first
time.
The march was made in stages of
from fifteen to twenty miles a day, the
men sleeping in barns, mills, any,
where at night.
Strict censorship for American rea-
sons prevented disclosing all move
ments after departure from the orig
lnal American lines to the south
Prior to their departure from a GER
tain village, an important conference
was held at headquarters in which all
officers participated and received their
final instructions.
Have Confidence in French.
With the American Forces in North
ern France, Sunday. April 2S.-Amer-
lean troops have taken up positions on
the French battle front Under the
French high command, in which all
ranks have supreme confidence. the
line barring the Germans from Paris
and Amiens, where they have been a
certain number of days.
Announcement that America
! troops have entered the allied line in
. Picardy east of Amiens. was made by
the Paris war office last Wednesday
night. The Germans that day at.
tackled the British. French and Ameri.
cans along lengthy front from north
, of the Somme to below Castel Par
ticularly stubborn fighting occurred
around Hangard. from which the
, French were driven, but part of which
! they regained Friday.
Paris dispatch Thursday an
nounced that more than 100 wounded
Continued on Page Two.)