Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-07
AMERICANS STOP
GERMAN ATTACK
Fierce Hand.to.H Hand Struggle
Takes Place in the Salient
North of TOul.
MANY u. s. CASUALTIES.
But the Ground II Strewn with German
Dead-West Point Captain Of
1917 Glass Killed.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. March /. (By the Associated
Press. -American troops repulsed strong
German attack this morning In the salient
north of Toul. There we're many American
casualties, one of the killed being a cap
tain who graduated from West Point In
1917. The raid was complete failure, three
German prisoners remaining in American
hands.
The ground in front of the American
trenches was strewn with German dead.
A driving wet snow was falling this
morning when the Germans opened fire on
the American salient with every weapon
at their command. Seventy-seven heavy
shells and gas shells fell In a perfect whirl-
wind on our trenches for half an hour.
At the same time other enemy shells in
great numbers were dropping on the
battery positions. The Germans. evidently
thinking that the Americans in this sec
ton. having had one taste of gas few
days ago. would fear it now. let loose
great quantities Of poisonous gas but the
men put on their masks and only few
were affected by it. So intense was the fire
that the woods back Of the salient were
shot to pieces.
| AS six o'clock the barrage fire lifted
on the trenches to the right Of the salient
| and 2A0 Germans swept forward under
the protection Of their fire. Apparently
| expecting to make a big haul, they
jumped into what was left Of the trenches
| but there, instead Of the easy time antici-
pated, found the Americans all ready
| for battle. Fierce hand to hand fighting
began.
One American captain rallied men with
rifles and machine guns and went through
the American wire entanglements into No
| Mans Land and there waited for the
enemy, whom he expected to be driven
out by his comrades in the trenches.
| He was right, for soon groups Of the
enemy started back through the wire en-
tanglements. The Americans poured in
a deadly fire. but unfortunately the cap
tain was killed during the fight. He is
the first member of the 1917 class at
West Point to be killed.
While the Americans were in front
Of the wire entanglements and in shell
holes, still fighting desperately. the
American barrage fire began sweeping
No Mans Land catching many running
Prussians who had enough of American
methods. The barrage swept back and
forth making sure OF doing all possible
damage 10 the zoe.
When the enemy had bee, driven
back out of the positions the bodies OF
10 German soldiers we're found in the
American trenches. Two German Off.
GERS were entangled in the wire and
many bodies were in sight. Eight were
visible through the snoW--'oym at one
Lpoint. The ground was Uttered with
lenemy hand grenades, boxes of explO'
sives tor destroying dugouts and incen-
diary bombs which they had no oppor.
tunity to use.
, They managed. however. to drop in.
cendiary bombs in two dugouts which
were destroyed, by fire. but no Americans
were in them. If the Germans cap.
tured any prisoners, which it Is doubt.
full, there were not more than two OF
three possibly from a listening post
OF the missing many were probably
buried. Digging for them Is now pro
ceeding and others may be accounted
for.
, Two German prisoners were wounded
and the other take was unhurt except fol
welt on one Of his hands where he was
struck by young American soldier wher
he Showed fight after capture.
From the prisoners the American ON
GERS have secured much valuable informa'
ton. One said:
II did not have a chance to do anything
before an American jumped on to me ant
grabbed me by the throat"
The Germans had been preparing fol
the raid for three weeks and belonged t.
the 18th reserve division of Hanover. The
prisoners had Russian coins in their pos
session and came into the trenches here
lust before the Americans took over thu
! sector.
The Americans lost many killed ant
wounded including officers. The Amer
!, leans displayed the greatest persona
courage, bravery and energy Throughout
the engagement and outfought the sur
prised enemy from the instant contac
was established. During the lombard
ment a town behind the American I'M
was heavily shelled and there were SOM
casualties.
A German official statement says ina
! ten Americans were taken prisoners II
: the Chemin Des Danes sector. I'M
fighting in which the Americans partici
pated was near the village OF Chavignon
1t has been known for some time ina
Americans. probably members OF one
. the National Guard divisions taken I
France some time ago. were along tn
= famous Chemin Des Danes sector, pu
the German statement reveals their loca
lions more exactly than anything as we
= received from the lighting 'front.'.
A few more Americans have been take
to field hospitals near Toul suffering fror
9 the effects Of gas poisoning. These me
o were not In the trenches when the Ger
n man gas attack was launched. but ven
J. tured into the danger zone without ga
J. masks and were overcome by the fume
,. which had settled into shell holes an
k low places. So far as known the ga
casualties number six dead and about
d overcome. OF the latter only one cas-
Is considered to be grave.