Evening star., 1918-06-17
Attack on Americans
at Xivray Frus-
trated by
Observers.
GERMANS SOUGHT ONLY
TO TAKE PRISONERS
Preliminary Bombardment Dis
pensed With, But
Plan Failed.

By the Associated Press.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, Sunday, June 16.-In their
attack on Xivray on the Toul sector
today the Germans hoped to enter the
village and carry off a large number
of prisoners, but the alertness Of the
American artillery observers complete
ly overturned the enemy plan. Exam
ination of the Germans captured in
the fight disclosed that the enemy
planned the raid week in advance
and that the 600 special troops who
took part in it were rehearsed behind
the German lines.
The enemy plan was to send forward
a large party without preparatory ar
tillery fire. This party was to take up
a position near the American barbed
wire and then send up signal rocket
for a box barrage to cover Xivray viii
lage and the approaching communication
trenches, while the heavier artillery was
to lombard the villages in the rear.
<AAASiAOdA dIIblSIS OOoCI sClo GOV q
large number Of Germans creeping about
in no mans land and. thinking they
composed a large working party, the ar
tillery signaled for q barrage.
The American artillery and machine
guns went into action Immediately, and
before the enemy barrage could get
started had inflicted heavy casualties on
the unprotected Germans in no mans
land and played havoc with the plans for
the raid.
Divided In Sections.
The original enemy plan was for the
attacking party to divide into three sec-
tions and to enter xi9ray from three dif-
ferent directionG Oaly one section
actually reached the outskirts of the VII
lage. but only after it had been cut up
badly by the American barraSe fire. OF
these only small group got into Xivray,
where they were quickly surrounded by
killed. Eight prisoners, including a
lieutenant, remained in the-Anerican
hands
A majority of the American casual
ties, which do not include any MISS
ing, resulted from the German artil-
lery fire.
Casualties among French civilians
occurred when a German shell burst
near q church, as procession Of viii
layers was emerging from mass.
Many Of the French wounded were
cared for in American hospitals.
This afternoon the American artil-
lery opened q retaliatory fire against
the area behind the German lines
while the Germans, apparently anger
ed by the failure of the raid. bonn
barded villages as far as eight miles
behind the American lines. The
whole Toul sector is now echoing to
the heaviest gunfire in many weeks.
! American Takes Captor.
The Germans captured an American
soldier in their attack on Xivray to-
day, but he did not remain a prisoner
very long.
At the edge Of the village three
Germans came upon wounded Amer
lean. He was placed under guard 81 q
German private and started for the
enemy lines. Reaching q point near
+, the enemy wire entanglements. the
American suddenly drew a revolver
and forced his surprised custodian to
march back across no mans land into
the American lines. After turning his
prisoner over to fellow soldiers the
wounded man fell unconscious from
loss of blood.
600 Shock Troops Raid.
About 500 German shock troops
raided the American first-line posi-
] tions at the village of xivray. in the
Toul sector, early this morning. Some
Of the enemy got into Xivray. but
were soon driven out. At other points
the Germans were badly beaten.
ha or ha n q 4 n'clnrk y, fhA
morning. after an extremely violent
| bombardment Of the front line, Amer
| ican batteries and villages far in the
rear The Germans advanced swiftly
heavy fire. Those who penetrated
! xivray were forced speedily to with
draw. and elsewhere the enemy was
completely repulsed in hard fighting
lasting more than two hours.
According to prisoners. the object
| of the enemy was to take American
prisoners. This object failed, as no
American is reported missing.
The American troops engaged at
close quarters the small German force
| we're ighting with bayonets and
ciubbed rifles. The Germans left nine
dead in the. streets. The prisone RS
came from the seth Landwehr. They
ment. 9Th Bavarian Reserve. also par
| ticipated In the attack.
In the artillery bombardment pre-
ceding the German raid many villages
| in which French civilians are still
living, several kilometers behind the
| line, were heavily shelled. There
were many civilian casualties.
AS the shock troops advanced German
afrplanes lowered over villages far be-
hind the lines dropping huge smoke
bombs, thus directing the range OF
tho German guns, which Immediately
T! began shelling the villages. Ameri-
| can machine gunners and rifiemen re-
, pulsed q German attack on the Amer
| lean sector in Alsace, this morning.
| An American observation balloon
was shot down this morning by a
shell from a German gun. There were
no casualties as a result of the Incl
dent.
Fight in Picturesque Land.
| To no other American forces en-
xaged in the war has there been as
signed such a picturesque country to
defend as to those who crossed the
old German frontier Of 1914 and went
slipping down at night to relieve the
French in the Alsace sector near the
CONTINUED on Fourth Page.l