The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1918-07-13

| dues are Sdlu 10 pc sun Ut nome.
Paragraph Two-Regarding the
distribution of machine guns the lpris-
oners made contradictory statements.
rney claim. that in the third marine
brigade for instance each regiment in
addition to the infantry battalion has
one machine gun battalion of four
platoons, each platoon having twelve
machine guns. Furthermore, each
brigade is said to have one brigade
machine gun battalion
According To captured order on
cattle of twenty sixth American divi-
sion Intelligence officer seven, num-
.er thirty-two hundred twenty eight,
!tune S. 1919. That division has only
one machine gun company to a bat
TALON in each regiment In case the
vague statements OF the prisoners are
correct the discrepancy can perhaps
DE explained 10y the fact that the
marine corps was part of the United
States peace army and was therefore
equipped according to principles or
mat VIZ EAAitti ANil -uli hiNi0lOtA W illNil
has been formed from national guard
troops since the war began.
detailed account of the history Of
the division and its movements fol
lows, after which the fighting value
Of the American troops is taken up
thus:
Fighting value;
The second American division may
90 classified as very good division
perhaps even as assault troops Tho
various attacks of both regiments on
Belleau Woods were carried out with
dash and recklessness The morale
effect OF our fire arms did not ma
telialiy check the advance of the in
fantry, the nerves OF the Americans
are still mistaken.
value of the individual.
THE individual soldiers are vesy
sood. They are healthy, vigorous and
proportionately we'll developed men OF
ages ranging from Is to 2S, who at
present lack only necessary training
to make them redoubtable opponents
The troops are fresh and full of
straightforward confidence A remark
of one of the prisoners is indicative
OF their spirit;
we kill. or get killed
method of attack.
'in both attacks on Belleau woods.
which were carried out by one or two
battalions, the following method of
attack was adopted
Three or four lines of slirmishers
at about thirty to fifty PAGES dis
lance rather close behind these, iso-
| lated assault parties in platoon col
ann. Abundant equipment of auto
! matte rifles and hand erenades The
assault parties carried forward much
guns and were ordered to penetrate
The German position at a weak point,
q swing laterally and to attack the
strong points from the rear.
Particulars on the American posi-
| tion
NO details are available. The
prisoners are hardly able to state
where they were in position Accord =
ing 10 their statements it may be
assumed that the front line consists
only of rifle pits one meter deep, up
to the present not provided with wire
cntanglements. The organization of
the positions in the rear column is
unknown.
General:
'Morale-The prisoners in general
make an alert and pleasing imprA
sion Regarding military matters,
however, they do not show the slight
est interest. Their superiors keep
hem purposely without knowledge OF
military subjects For example, most
of them have never seen a map. They
are no longer able to describe the vii
| lagos and road through which they
marched Their ideas on the organi-
zation uf their unit are entirely con-
fused For example, one of them
| claimed his brigade has six regiments
his division twenty four. They still
| regard the war from the point of view
of the big brother who comes to helr
| his hard pressed brethren and Is
therefore welcomed everywhere. A
certain moral background is not lack
| me: the majority OF the prisoners
simply took as matter of course thai
| hey have come to Europe, in order
tc defend their country
"Omy a few OF the troops are Of
lpure American origin; the majority i.
of German, Dutch and Italian parent
age but these semi Americans, al.
most all of whom were born In Amer.
lea and have never been in Europe
fully feel themselves to be true bon
sons of their country
(Signed) won BERG,
81 ipufpDant and Infpltippnrp Officer