The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-30
YANKEES 0UTW|T
DESPERATE HUNS
IN TOUL BATTLE
Germans Shelled and Gassed
the Americans.
Attacked Then-Or Rather
Tried To Attack.
HUNS WANT YANk PRISONERS
Met Hot Reception and Didn't
Go Back at All.
Three Heavy Unsuccessful
Counters at Cantigny.
Germans Shelled and Gassed
the Americans. 81
Attacked Then-Or Rather
Tried To Attack.
Met Hot Reception and Didn't
Go Back at All.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.l
With the American Army in France,
Wednesday, May 29.-After a period
of almost unprecedented quiet, the
American sector northwest of Toul
suddenly has become very active.
Last night and today the Germans
threw over hundreds of shells of all
sizes and kept up a destructive and
harassing fire. The American gums
have been just as busy and are giving
the enemy more then he sends. The
artillery duel continues strong to-
night.
1t is not improbable that the Ger
mans have some plans in which they
may employ their infantry
German airplanes also were very
active today. but as a strong wind
was blowing from Germany and
American aviators were constantly
on the alert few enemy machines ven
tured across the lines Those that
aia % We're promptly driven back by the
Were After Prisoners.
There were several aerial battles.
but SO far there have been no reports
of enemy machines having been
brought down.
The purpose of the German attack
today against the American positions
near Bremenil, east of Luneville, was
to capture Americans. The deter
mined American resistance however,
repulsed the enemy with heavy losses
and no Americans were taken pris-
oners.
The Germans attacked at three
points and at one place a group of
fourteen got into the American
trenches. 1t never went back. Nine
of the fourteen Germans were killed:
four are prisoners and one is dead of
wounds.
The prisoners reported that they
were ordered to capture Americans at
any cost, their superiors being anxious
| to determine where American troops
are stationed and their present fight
| ing Nstrength.
Met Warm Reception.
At a point west of Bremenit, after a
heavy barrage, fifty German soldiers
attempted to reach the American line.
They were in three groups and the
two larger ones were held up and then
dispersed by the American machine
gun and rifle fire. The third group.
! consisting of fourteen men, managed
| by reason of terrain conditions to
reach the American trenches and jump
| into them.
! Under the leadership of a lanky
youth, who was a farmer until he en-
listed. group of Americans gave the
| Germans a hot reception.
| Bayonets on the end of American
( rifles flashed white and theh red al
most as quickly as it takes to tell 1t
and the enemy party was soon over
powered.
| During the engagement big Ger
man non-commissioned officer, who
| directed the enemy party, stood on .
parapet; he raised his arm to hurl .
| grenade at an American soldier but
| he never threw it.
| Another American who had come
| thru a severe gas attack last Monday
morning. reached the German with his
bayonet. The grenade fell from the
| dying Germans hand and exploded
harmlessly on the parapet.
Except for some sharp fighting ct
| Cantigny, where the Americans have
| repulsed German counter attacks
! against their new positions, there has
been little fighting on the line north
from Scissors. A local German at
tack against the French north of Mont
KENNEL on the Lys battlefield was
repulsed completely.
Three counter attacks were made by
the Germans against the American
| positions at Cantigny. General Persh-
ing's men, however. maintained their
line unbroken and threw back the
enemy with strong artillery fire. In
flicting severe casualties on the at
tackers. Berlin. which delights In
officially announcing the capture OF
American prisoners. does not give the
Americans credit for the success 1t
| Cantigny, but says "the enemy" car
ried out a local advance.
Hospitals far behind the American
sector in Picardy have been bombed
by German airmen. Scores of Amer1-
cans were in danger, but only few
were injured by flying glass. Several
civilians and a French nurse were
killed.
The Germans. apparently, are pre-
pairing for another attack against thu
4 American sector northwest of Toul
The enemy artillery fire has increased
considerably and German airmen arr
very active. On the other hand the
American gunners are more than an.
| swering the enemy fire and the Amer.
} ican aviators are keeping the German
: machines on their own side OF tbs