Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-06
AMERICANS STOP
BOCHES AT MARINE
For Second Time u. S. Sol.
diers Prevent Germans
Crossing River
DEFEAT SHOCK TROOPS
BY EDWIN L. JAMES
Special Cable to Epening Public Ledger
COPYRIGHT. 1913, by Ne,o York Times Co.


COPYRIGHT. 1918. bp Neto York Times Co.
with the Allied Armies, June 6.
American forces on the west side
of the German salient in the south
won a notable victory Tuesday in q.
bloody fight for the woods Of Veuilly.
la.Poterie The enemy launched a
a age drive in an effort to strength.
en- his position. At first the Ameri.
cans were driven out Of the wood
with casualties, the Germans getting
what was considered a strong hold.
But our men gathered strength and
in a magnificent counter-attack drove
their opponents out of an important
position and retained possession Of
the woods. ,
Tuesday the Germans launched an
attack of shock troops, gaining pas
sage across the Marine at Jaulgonne.
After they had gained footing on
the southern bank, they were met by
an American attack and machine-gun
bullets swept the structure on which
the Germans were crossing. and rush
es of American infantry forced the
enemy back across the river.
This was the second time Ameri-
cans had prevented the Germans from
crossing the Marne in the southern
part of the salient.
Americans Hold Bridges
our trooos were rushed from a dis.
tant training area. starting on Thurs
day. They arrived at the front Friday
night, and the machine gunners,
being ahead, went into position at
Chateau Thierry, guarding four
bridges across the Marne. They had
been in line three hours when the
German shock troops made strong
attempt to cross the stream.
The Americans. hidden along the
southern bank. held them back TWEEN.
ty.four hours until the arrival of
strong forces of French infantry and
artillery.
One American unit reached its posi-
tion Sunday morning. and by o'clock
had been in three fights, in one of
whfSh 1t drove the Germans back for
two kilometers on front Of four kilo-
meters. Our losses in this engage
ment were light.
I lave been all along the batteline
and have paid special attention to the
sectors held by the Americans and
have learned from French officers
their high opinion Of the performances
Of our troops in the first great battle
in which they have been engaged
When the fine exploits Of the war
( are permanently recorded. attention
must be paid to the performance OF
4 certain machinegun units of our
4 army. A larger unit to which they
belonged loaded into motortrucks and
trains in the afternoon, Travelled all
4 that night and next day, reaching Its
Z destination, an important point on the
Marine. at 10 o'clock that night
Three hours later shock troops of
the German army tried to cross the
Marne right where the Americans
guarded the bridges. Our machine
guns were carefully camoufiaged in
buildings and cellars. The Allied ar
tillery had not yet come up in
strength. and the Germans had little
trouble in reaching the northern bank
OF the river, but that was as far as
they got.
The Americans played their rattlins
pieces on those bridges and punished the
German sshock troops all that night and
repulsed an attack next morning, lust
az re-enforcements arrived
M looked down over a hill to where the
Americans were helping hold that ALL
important line. ] couldn't see them, but
every now and then ''rat-tat-tat" like
q steamhammer told that they were
busy. Their losses In this fight were
small, compared with the casualties in
fiicted on the German shock troops.
French officers are lavish in theirDpraise
OF the exploit.
American infantrymen coming ND to 20
into the lNe. They were singing an old
army cong ending;
And they couldn't beat the infantry
In hundred thousand years" and as
they neared the top of the hill I heard
sisomc one start ditty, which gees:
- - Kaiser Bill" and they all
y took IT up.
At another point on the salient Amer.
lean units arrived after a forced march
and got into line Sunday morning. Jus,
after noon the enemy launched an at.
tack against them. Their line held and
they even advanced a little An hour
and half later another assault was re.
pulsed. Several miles south was a deer
German wedge. where local drive had
succeeded before the Allied reserves ar.
rived. The order to straighten the line
was given and the American infantr,
went forward with virtually no artii,
lery aid and on the front Of two and !
half miles droyst,szs Germans back az
) average ofz-<eaf1y a mile Then the,
reported tersely TO the French com
manders that the line had beer
Strengthened as ordered.
Americans In High Spirits
AS left the sector more Americana
were going irno the line. All were IL
the best spirits, singing and cheering
Because of change in plans seyera
units were caught at nightfall where M
billets were available and spent tn,
night under the stars. However. IN,
weather was perfect There was on,
sentiment among the men visited in III,
bivouace just back OF the lines, ant
that was. Let US get in e." I talket
to the officer commanding the unit ant
he said:
"All wish for is to get that bunc,
OF boys up against the same number O
Germans in one OF these big open fielos
There would be nothing TO It. Wait
few days and see."
The passage Of many thousand Allies
soldiers had beaten the roads to a fin,