The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-30
Town Changed Hands Nine Times Until Ger
mans Were Finally Driven Out
for Good.
USED STREET CUTTERS AS TRENCHEs'
Battle of Sergy Was Fast and Furious When
Crown Prince Attempted to Check
American Advance
[By Fred S. Ferguson, United Press
Staff Correspondent

LBy Fred S. Ferguson, United Press
Staff Correspondent
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES
IN FRANCE, July 80 (1:45 a. m.).-
The crown prince hurtied the Fourth
Prussian guards, one of tho lace"
divisions Of the German army,
against the rugged American farm
ers at Sergy in an attempt to check
their advance, but the Americans
threw them back across the ourcq.
Today this famous enemy division
| Is broken. The farmers are In full
possession Of Sergy and the ground
beyond.
Standing out from tho other fight
| ing along the Ourcq is the bitter
struggle for Serey, which has been
taken and retaken nine tlmes since
Sunday morning. To reach this town
the Americans waded waist deep
across the ourcq and advanced up
the opposite bank in a hail OF ma
chine gun fire. They rushed the
machine gun positions, swept over
them and took the town. Our artil-
Isry aided in the holding off OF the
soches. Then the Prussian guards
came up.
Prisoners say they were rushed
from Avricourt, northeast of lune-
Vile (15O miles east and south, IN
an air Iine,), especially for counter
attack work. They biVouaced in the
Nesies forest two nights and were
| then brought out for the Sersy fight
! Behind a German barrage they
drove the Americans from the town.
The latter called on their artillery
for further assistance and returned
to the attack, fighting through the
streets and from behind orumbled
walls. Enemy machine guns had
been placed behind barbados Oh
debris and in a ruined church. The
| machine gun and shrapnel fire was
SO hot that the Americans lay in the
streets close to the cur5ing, seeking
! even that shallow protection.
Douuhboys Of one battalion style
their commander, who won the heart
! of every man in the outfit, that ne"
major" He lay in the debris along
side his men while the Boche fire
was the worst. Then, crying Come
on, boys!" he jumped into the oPer
and led them in new dash through
the streets.
The Prussian guards attacked fou'
times Sunday, following American
capture of the town. Each time the
! Americans reICOH It. ne 1i'bh aS
tack was final, the douGhboys driving
off the guards Monday morning, de
! spite a vigorous defense.
Statements OF prisoners indicate
the eoches generally plan to hoic
finally farther north. probably a
Fisn7es Prisoners say men engaged
in removing guns and material were
ordered to Fismes.
After the failure of their counter
attacks, the Prussian guards were
ordered to retire slowly, inflietins
heavy casualties if possible.
A prisoner from one Of the sa
varian divisions said the positions
they were ordered to hold were lost
a captured artiieryman said M
formerly worked in an atrP'ane FAC
tory in Berlin. He participated II
the general strikes last May and wa
sent to the front as punishment N
said he and his fellow workers struc'
because "some wanted peace, SOM
more food, some more money"
In addition to the guards, Amer'