Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-11-01
HOW MARINES
SAVED PARIS
Graphic Account of Fighting of
American Soldier in Belleau
Early in June, Told by Sur
viving officer.

Details of the participation of the
United States marines i'll the coun-
ter attacks against the German fore
es on the Marine on July 18 are Civ
EN- in letter written shortly after
ward by Major Robert l.. Denig of
the United States marines, to his
wife, who lives at 2,131 Porter ST.,
Philadelphia and which was forward
ca to washington for the historic
hies 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 airplanes painted with the AL
lied colors in their unfair methods of
aerial warfare.
The letter also establishes the fact
that the marines who helped to stop
the German drive on Paris at Bel
lcau Wood, early in June, were hon
ored by being brought forward from
tins wood to Vierzy and Tigny, near
Soissons, for participation with
crack French division in the great
counter attack which started the dis
llntegration of the German front in
The west. Names that became ia
miliar through the fighting in Bel
leau Wood are mentioned in Major
Denig's letter as being prominent in
the allied counterattack-Lieut COL.
Thomas Holcomb. Col. John A.
Hughes, Captain Pere Wilmer and
others who took a prominent part in
the fighting when the Hun was block
ed in his drive on Paris. The letter
follows:
"The day before we left for this
big push we had most interesting
fight between a fleet of German
planes and French observation bal
loon right over our heads We saw
hye planes circle over our town, then
put on, what we thought afterward,
sham fight. One of them, after
many fancy stunts, headed right for
the balloon. One kept right on. The
other four shot the balloon up with
incendiary bullets. The observers all
jumped into their parachutes just as
the outfit went up in a mass of
flames.
"The next day we took our posi-
tions at various places to wait for
camions that were to take us some
where in France, when or for what
purpose we did not know. Wass pass
ed me at the, head of his company
we made date for n party on our
next leave. He was looking fine and
was as happy as could be. Then
Hunt, Keyser, and heap of others
went by. / have the battalion and
Holcomb the regiment. Our turn to
enbuss did not come till near mid
night
Big Shells Falling Fast.
eve at last got under way after
few big sea bags had hit nearby.
We went at good clip and nearly
got ditched in couple of new shell
holes. Shells were falling fast by now
and as the tenth truck went under
the bridge a big one landed nearby
with crash and wounded the two
drivers, killed two marines, and
wounded five more. We did not know
it at the time and did not notice
anything wrong till we came to Il
crossroad, when we found we had on
ly eleven cars all told. We found the
rest of the convoy after the hunt,
but even then were not told of the
loss, and did not find it out till the
next day.
1--WE were finally, after twelve long
hours ride, jumped in 4 big field and
after Il few hours rest started our
march. 1t was hot as hades and we
had had nothing to eat since the day
before. We at last entered a forest;
troops seemed to be converging on it
from all points. We marched some
six miles i the forest; a finer one |
had never seen-tleer would scamper
ahead and we could have eaten one
raw. AT 10 that night without food
we lay down in a pouring rain to
sleep. Troops of all kinds passed up
in the night-a shadowy stream, ov-
er half million men. Some French
officers told US that they had never
dun, if then.
"The next day, the 18th of July, we
marched ahead through jamb of
troops, trucks, ETC., and came at iasG
to a ration dump where we fell to
and ate our heads off for the first
time in nearly two days. When we
left the men had bread stuck on their
bayonets. lugged ham. All were
loaded down. Here 1 passed one of
Wass's Lieutenants with his hand
wounded. He was pleased as Punch
and told US the drive was on-the
first we knew of it. | then passed
a few men of Hunts company bring
ing prisoners to the rear. They had
we'll dressed, clean and polished, but
mighty glum looking.
"We finally stopped at the fan end
of tie forest near dressing station,
where IIoicomb again took command.
This station had been a big, fine stone
farm house, but was now complete
ruin-wounded and dead lay all about
the place. Joe Murray came by with
his head all done up; his helmet had
saved him. The lines had gone OH
ahead, so we were quite safe. Had a
fine aero battle right over us. The
stunts that those planes did cannot
be described by me.
Field Covered With Dead.
"Late in the afternoon we advanc-
ed again. Our route lay. over an open
field covered with dead. We lay
down a hillside for the night, near
some captured German guns, and
until dark | watched the cavalry,
some 1000, come up and take posi-
tions.