Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-02
HUN ATTACK ON
AMERICAN LINE
COSTLY FAILURE
Marked Bravery Displayed by
Yankees in Repulsing ..
Three BattalionS
With the French Army in France,

With the French Army in France,
May "A heavy German attack
launched yesterday against the
Americans in the vicinity of Villers-
Bretonneux. was repulsed with heavy
losses for the enemy.
The German preliminary bonn
bardment lasted two hours and then
the infantry rushed forward, only
to be driven back, leaving large
mum bers of dead on the ground in
front of the American lines.
The German bombardment open
ed at o'clock in the afternoon and
was directed especially against the
Americans, who were supported on
the north and south by the French.
The fire was intense, and at the end
of two hours the German command
er sent forward three battalions of
infantry.
There was hand-to-hand fighting
all along the line, as a result of
which the enemy was thrust back
his dead and wounded lying on the
ground in all directions. Five pris-
oners remained in American hands.
The struggle, which lasted a con-
siderable time, was extremely vio-
lent, and the Americans displayed
marked bravery throughout.
1t was the first occasion in which
the Americans were engaged in the
big battle which has been raging
since March 21, and their French
comrades are full of praise for the
manner in which they conducted
themselves under trying circum-
stances, especially in view of the
fact that they are fighting at one of
the most difficult points on the bat
tlefront
The American losses were some
what severe.
Washington, May "A glowing
tribute is paid the American soldiers
in France by a French officer in a
letter published yesterday in the
Paris Temps The letter, written to
a friend, says:
Infinitely interesting is our con-
tact with the American troops. They
have occupied the sector Immediate
ly beside ours. We have seen them
at work, and 1T should be told and
retold that they are marvellous. The
Americans are soldiers by nature,
and their officers have the desire to
learn with an enthusiasm and an
idealistic ardor very remarkable.
There is the same spirit among
the privates. They ask questions
with touching good will, setting
aside all conceit or prejudice. Nat
urally they have the faults of all
| new troops. They show themselves
too much and expose themselves i'm
prudently. letting themselves be car
ried away by their ardor, not know
ing when to spare themselves or to
seek shelter or when to risk every
thing for an end. This experience
will be quickly learned.
LAS for bravery, activity and disci-
pline, they are marvellous They abb
! solutely astonished us one morning
! of attack. The cannonade. suddenly
i becoming furious, had just thrown
me out of my bunk. No doubt about
! it, it was a Verdun attack. Taking
| time to seize my revolver. put on nv
helmet and gather up several docu-
| ments. 1 descended to the streets.
| When l arrived there they were al
ready filing by with rapid. easy, de-
cided steps, marching in perfect or
der, in silence. with admirable reso-
luton. and, above all, with a strik-
ing discipline, to their fighting posi-
tions. 1t was fine. You can have no
idea how cheering it was to my
poilus.
Their artillery will be and already
is of the first order. The officers
| are intelligent and filled with zeal,
and the greater part of the service
| functions without hitch. Too much
| praise can never be given their sani-
tary automobiles, swift, strong, COM
| Portable, veritable godsend to u.s."