Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-09
Chief Staff Over the Top" With His Men
By
By Herbert Corey.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN THE
FIELD, Feb. 26-Just before an American unit
went into line in the Lorraine sector, the French
had Of their finished little transactions with
the Bosche. without moments warning they
dropped "box barrage" around angle Of the
German line. The name "box barrage' describes
it precisely. While it is in progress one can
get into the box and get out. The
unfortunates caught inside the box stay in their
dugouts, if they are well advised, and try to
remember their prayers
1.-The chief of staff of the American
unit went over the top with u.s." the CORE
spondents told when we came visiting. We
knew our fellows were going into line here Tor
the first time, and wanted to get the story
such parts of the story as could be printed
He took a prisoner, too-the first prisoner to
be taken by any of his unit.
Conservative folk may argue that chief
of staff ought not to be hopping over on
life-rsking adventure, but that he should stay
in his office with his glued to a map But
that sort of chief has the sort OF men he mas
They are fairly jumping with the fighting spirit
They want to fight. Most of our fellows here
want to the job, but they have not yet developed
belligerency. These fellows have. Once you get the
angle their jaws and the snap of their eyes you
know it. They only in training but they are on
the way to be topnotchers. They are on their Toes
Hardened By Fighting
In the gradual hardening of the American soldier
they are subjected to precisely the same strains that
the French veterans undergo on either side. They
neighbors. They are supported by their own artlF
lery and their own machine guns.
They keep watch in listening posts and patrol
no mans land at night, and they must be on the
alert continually for hasty German raid Inc va
rous branches of the service achieve that Perfect
confidence in each other that is the soul of army
The American infantryman has discovered that IL a
barrage is wanted in hurry the American artillery
is on the job.
At the moment OF writing they have not pro-
crossed to the point that trench raids on a consld-
cradle scale are thought advisable. The reason for
trench radng is usually need for information, and
that information is being gained by their french
neighbors. Nor they being encouraged to do
overmuch snipng, in spite of the statement by one
of the newborn wise in Washington that they
are 'drivng the German snipers from their posts"
Sniping demands the exercise of the highest in
divdual skill 1t is the work of specialists If &C
curacy in rife fire all that is required, the
Americans would be bell-ringers, for their target
practice is remarkable But the good sniper must
know the lay Of the land and be an adept at hiding
himself and have good line on Jerrys peculiar
psychology To send who is merely a good
rifeman out sniping would be like setting trap
shot hunting mountain goats.
on Quiet Sectors
The Lorraine and Vosges sectors have been al
most dormant for three years and were. therefore
excellenty chosen for the purposes Of training Too
much activity hereabouts is deprecated, possibly
provoking excessive reaction on the enemy part
Neither side can hope to make any worthwhile
gains and loss of life is therefore 10 De mlnnlzeu
so far possible.
going statement that the two sectors are actually
somnoIent The nature of the terrain is such that
artillery targeting be practiced with advantage
while the French have recently executed two of the
raids in which they excel, and on rather large
scale But by comparison with the rest Of the front
there is little activity.
The ground rolls in wide sweeps, afording plenty
Of cover Every inch of low ground is dominated by
the tiny hills. that usually tufted with trees
The lowland is apt to be marshy, that in many
places the front trenches trenches in name only
They are replaced by listening posts, while the real
defense rests with the fortified strong points in the
rear Through these two sectors mans land is
often three or four hundred yards wide.
The unaided eye shows that the Germans occupy
positions which have greater natural advantages
They selected these posts when they fell back in
1914 and have retained them since. Airplane
photographs show, too, that the German trench sys
tenn is in many places deeper than that of the Amer
leans.
No secret Is being revealed here, for no bright