The Washington herald., 1918-04-13
American Boys Rout 800
German Shock Troops
Near Toul Sector.
HUNS FAIL In ATTACK
Come on Out, You Ameri-
can Dogs Says Fresh
OGcer-They Did.
BY BERT FORD.

International News Service Staff
Correspondent
With the American Army in
France, April r2.-Details of the
rout of 800 German shock troops
by Americans in the sector north
west of Toul show that the
American artillery outwitted the
enemy. The American batteries dis
played wonderful accuracy, which
elected this praise from a high
ranking French officer in COM
mand Of French troops on the
adjoining front:
Show Courage.
The Americans fought With mag
nificent courage and strategy. The
work OF their artillery was wonder
fully effective. 1t was the handiwork
of real experts. The Yankee punch
marked the whole operation, and the
bravery Of the American infantrymen
was beyond praise"
From prisoners. the Americans
learned that the enemy had made
elaborate plans to gain the American
third line trenches. But American OBJ
servation work shattered the German
effort to put one over" Our OBJ
servers reported the arrival of Ger
man storming forces in three villages
opposite the American lines and the
French intelligence service helped sup
ply valuable information. At first the
enemy had intended to launch a night
attack, but delayed 1t until dawn.
The first sign OF the enemy barrage
prip1ed the American batteries for the
return tof the bombardment without
waiting for the usual signal, thus
saving valuable minutes. The sud
denness OF our reply demoralized the
enemy. The hail OF shells unloosed
by our batteries wrought havoc in the
advancing enemy ranks, killing and
wounding many and driving the ma
jority back to cover.
Huns Turned Back.
A few German ranks came through
our barrage and these were moved
down by the American machine gun
fire. Not a single German reached
our first line. The Americans leaped
over the top with fixed bayonets. In
the hand to hand fighting which en-
sued, there were five Americans to
one German. Our men used the cold
steel and grenades with deadly effect
No Americans were Captured. Two
Germans were taken prisoner, one
later dying from his wounds and the
other also being mortally wounded.
The Americans dragged in German
bodies under a curtain OF machine gun
fire. Daylight found many Teuton
| dead lying in No Mans Land
AnnihIlate Germans,
New York. April 1.-THE accep-
tance by American soldiers of a
challenge by a band of zoo Ger
man raiders. of which but twenty
remained when the Americans had
vindicated their right to the title
OF bear-cat fighters. was described
today by Adjt. Raymond Starbard
OF the Salvation Army. who just ar
rived from the French front.
On March H." said he. "A Ger
man officer leaped to an exposed
position and in excellent English
| shouted:
Come on out. you American
dogs. and fight
one OF our men threw a hand
grenade. which took of both the
Germans legs. He died from the
: wounds. Then ensued a fierce en-
counter in which the Americans ac-
counted for $50 out of the 200 in
the raiding party. Later it was dis
covered that the German who had
issued the challenge had been a
New York merchant.
Germans who were made pris-
oners said they had planned to
terrify the Americans. believing
/ they were not real soldiers. They
learned differently. to their sorrow.
The line of defense in France
will bend as good strategy requires,
but it will not break. There is
not soldier under the flags of the
| allies who has the slightest doubt
( that Germany will be defeated"