Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-06-12
FIGHTERS PRAISED.
Daring Exploits Of U. S. Soldiers Arc
Given Prominence.

France, June 1.-TWO American lieu
tenants, both from Pittsburg, played
conspicuous parts In stemming the
German advance along the Marne.
Lieut.. Walter Il. Flannery was the
first American decorated with the
French war cross for participation
in the present great battle. Lieut..
John r. Bissel a West Point gradu
ate commanding two machine gun
units, was the first American to cross
fghting.
Lieut.. Flannery volunteered to
swim the Marnc Monday night to res
cue wounded Frenchman who had
been cut off and made prisoner by
the Germans, but had escaped. The
Frenchman crept to the north bank
of the river In the afternoon and
signalled to the Americans. He was
told to hide in a certain spot until
nightfall.
Tying rope around himself,
Lieut.. Flannery swan to the rescue
while bullets flew all around him
and brought the wounded Frenchman
back. This afternoon French and
American soldiers lined up while the
lieutenant was decorated with the
war cross while the cannons doomed
and enemy aircraft flew overhead.
Lieut. Bissel has been cited for
the French war cross. During the
height Of the fighting the Germans
had captured Hill 204 and were
sweeping tho river front with their
fire. Bissel and his men were In an
isolated position, and their retreat
to the soutehrn bank Of the river had
been cut off by allied guns which
were sweeping nearby bridge. At
ter he had held up the German ad-
vance for "a hours, Bissel signalled
his comrades to cease firing. He and
his men then recrossed the bridge
and saved themselves and 800
Frenchmen, who also had been cut
off. The bridge was then blown up,
Kill 1000 Germans.
An American machine gun battal-
ion accounted for approximately =
900 Germans while holding bridge
at Chateau Thierry during the recent
lighting. The Americans lost only
one man killed and few wounded.
At tho same time French troops
wiped out force Of 800 Germans
who had obtained footing on the
southern bank Of the Marne.
While the Germans dominated the
town from Hill 20i the Americans
and French set up machine guns in
the windows and doorways OF houses.
Great ficrceness marked the lighting,
which ragged for several hours.
One officer told the correspondent
to-day that 1t was all the command
ers could do to keep the Americans
from crossing the river in the teeth
Of the enemy fire and assaulting the
hill position.
Many American officers and pri-
Yates showed great daring and forti-
tude in withstanding the German at
tacks along the Marne at Chateau
Thierry and Jaulgonne.
Capt. John r. Mendenhall. Of New
Rochelle. N. Y, went without sleep
for three days and remained steadily
at the head of his company during
that time. Corporal Jules Mangold,
of Mcdonald. Pa. was sent out to in
vestigate German snipers under a
heavy fire from the American line.
He found the snipers. pointed them
out to his comrades and the Ger
mans fired no more.
Capt. Geo. Wakerine, the French
officer with the American unit, stood
by the Americans in the thick of the
fight, encouraging and cheering
them. The Americans, he said,
showed most wonderful fighting
spirit and were jolly, even laughing
and Joking while perfect hell ragged
around them.