Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-12-13
Major Denig Paints Thrilling Pic
ture of the Battle of
July 10.
Three friends ARE KILLED
Battalion Of 800 Men Cut to Pieces in
Two Days Fighting, but Held Foe $
In Check-Describes Paralyzing
Horrors Of the Battlefield.

WashingtOn.-Details of the par
ticipation of the United States ma
rines in the counter-attack against the
German forces on the Marine on July
IL are given In n letter written shortly
afterward by Maj. Robert L. Denig OF
the United States marines to his wife
who lives at 2131 Porter street. Phil.
adelphia, and which has been forward.
ed to Washington for the historic files
OF the marine corps.
In addition to giving a graphic pic
ture of modern war; the letter cites
an instance of German treachery in
using alrplanes painted with the al
lied colors in their unfair methods of
aerial warfare.
The letter also establishes the fact
tnat the marines who helped to stop
the German drive on Paris at Belleau
wood early in June were honored by
DelnS brought forward from this wood
TO Very and Tigny, near scissors. for
participation with crack French d.
VISION IN the great cOunter-attack
winch started the disintegration of the
German front in the west Names that
became familiar through the fight
ing In Belleau wood are mentioned in
Major Denig'S letter as being promi.
nent In the allied counter
Lieut.. Col. Thomas Holcomb, Lieut..
Col. Benton w. Sibley, Lieut.. Col.
John "A. Hughes, Capt. Pere Wilmer
ana others who took a prominent part
In the fighting when the Hun was
blocked in his drive on Paris. The
letter follows:
THE day before we left for this h,o
push we had most interesting fight
between fleet of German planes and
French observation balloon right
over our heads. We saw five planes
circie over our town, then put on, what
we thought afterward, a sham fight.
one of them, after many fancy stunts.
headed right for the balloon. They
were all painted with our colors except
one. This one went near the balloon.
one Kept right on. The other four
shot the balloon up with incendiary
bullets. The observers jumped into
tne1r parachutes just as the outfit went
up In mass Of flames.
THE next day we took orr positions
at various places to wait for camions
lilat were TO take us somewhere in
france, when or for what purpose we
did not know. Wass passed me at tbe |
mead OF his cOmpany-we made date |
Tor party on our next leave. He was
looking fine and was as happy as cou,d
De. lhen Hunt, Keysor, and heap Of
others went by. I have the battalion
ana Holcomb the regiment. Our turn
10 embark did not come till near mid
right.
Big Shells Falling Fast.
I'VE at last got under wav after
rev Dig sea bags had hit near by. Will
mer and / led in touring car. We
went at good clip and nearly cot
uitcned IN couple of new shell holes
oheils were falling fast by now, and
as the tenth truck went under tho
Drldge big one landed near by with q
crash and wounded the two dr,vcrs
kilied two marines, and wounded five
more. We did not know it at the
liIhe ana d1d not notice anything wrono
lhl we came to crOssrOad, when we
lounu we had only II cars all fold
we found the rest of the CONVOY aftor
hlrnt, bat even then were NOT fold
'i the loss, and did not find il ont
until the next day.
we were finally, after - hours,
'ide' dumped in a big field and after
Few hours rest started our march
IL was hot as hades and we had had
lothihg to eat since the day before
we at last entered forest troons
seemed 10 converge on it from all
points. We marched some six miles