The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-09-13
YANKS BEAT GERMANS
AT INDIAN FIGHTING
Clumsy Huns Attempt to Initiate
Them and are Captured: Dug Pit
for the Ranks: American Scout Fell
Init IL and was Forced to Pass up
Weapons, and Was Houled Out: He
knocked One Into His Own Pit.

On the American Front, Sept g.
In certain sector the American
troops who hold the line have every
opportunity to practice their favorite
form of warfare. Their is a belt Of
No Mans Land over a mile wide GOV.
cred with brushwood and scanned with
ravines. In the middle are two
knobs facing one another at a dis.
lance of 100 yards or so. On one OF
them the Germans and on the other
the Americans have established ad.
vance posts.
These postsa re centres of much
scouting and desultory fighting. An
American platoon will crawl out at
night and make their way with all the
caution of red Indians behind the Ger
man knoll. There will be some brisk
shooting and the Americans will fall
back on the trenches before daylight
with casual prisoners.
On one occasion as they crept back
with the light of dawn just breaking
they were astonished to hear the
rustling and cracking of sticks, which
seemed to show that body of men
was coming toward them from the d.
rection of the American trenches. The
advance scout listened and whispered
to his comrades: "Boys, those are not
Americans, they are too clumsy and
make too much noise"
1t was not clear how tn Germans
could have made their way between
the American patrol and the Yankee
lines, but the Americans were taking
no chances and they dropped at once
to the ground, with ready rifles, wait
ing for the ehemy to blunder into them
Gutteral EXPLANATIONS from the Ger
mans, who were stumbling in the un-
dergrowth, gave the Americans their
signal. There was sharp hand to
hand struggle with the emmy in which
the Germans were soon mastered. The
prisoners said they had come forward
from their trenches on the north of the
knoll, while the American patrol had
been working its way along the south
side.
The Germans set out TO return by
the south way and were amozed when
they found the Americans between
them and their trenches.
One night an American on patrol
got separated from his companions. In
the underground he came upon a
barbed wire that had evidently just
been put up by Fritz. Suspecting a
trap, but curious to investigate it, he
followed the barbed fence. He was
cJewljng -ch all tours when suddenly
there was breaking Of sticks, which
gave way beneath him. He was precip
itated into a deep pit.
On recovery from the shock of the
fill, he tried to climb out but the sides
were sheer and the top too high for
him to reach. The trap had been dug
under the direction of an ingenious
German, whose voice called out to
the American in excellent nglish:
"Pass your weapons up here, or We
shall throw grenades down on YOU"
There was nothing for him to do but
obey. He passed up his weapons. In
the dawning light he saw head peer
ing. over the edge of the pit. A rope
was dropped over to him and as he
was hauled up, one German covered
him with a. rifle while second gave
him a hand.
Once outside the pit the American
sunk to the ground and began to rub
his ankle, muttering something about
a strain. Then he rose to his feet,
seeming to be in great pain. The Ger
mans stepped up to secure him. A
sudden jab from the Americans elbow
sent one of them tumbling backward
into the pit, while the second German
found himself clasped in a grip he
could not break.
Two minutes later the American was
marching his prisoner in the direction
of the American lines. He met some
of the boys on their way back to the
trenches. Afr handing the prisoner
over to one Of them, he returned with
two others to the pit in which he had
left the German, who, of course, gave
himself up. He said the pit had been
contrived by himself in the hope of
getting the reward of a furlough
which had been promised any German
soldier who would capture an Ameri-
can prisoner.