The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-04-25
'AMER|CAN vALOR AGAIN GIVEN
PRAISE BY FRENCH OFFICIALS

WITH THE FRENCH ARMY IN
FRANCE April 23.-(By The Asso
ciated Press 1.-The valor and stead
fastness OF the American troops dur
ing the German attack at Ietcheprey
last Saturday is given unsllnted praise
by the French troops on the same
front. This admiration for me nSht-
ing qualities Of his transatlantic COM
rades is demonstrated in q report for
wardcd TO the general commanding
BY the colonel of IL French infantry
regiment which took part in The Ielch-
eprey engagement.
Il visited Rennercs wood after inc
countcr-attack. in which tho poSltloh
was rc-capturcd. and examined inc
situation in detail" says the report:
EVERYWHERE traces OF hand-tohano
fighting show that the American SOL
diers, despite TWO hours of heavy bonn
bardment by large calibre guns ue'
Tended themselves valianuy.
In the vicinity between the lrollt
trenches and the communication
Trench connecting the Jury and hen
neres woods, two American machlnc
gunners died fighting on their "eap-
ons. after covering the ground aroQhu
with German dead. The enemy SUI
fered great losses, thanks 10 tn's ne
roic resistance.
"Eyrrywhere there are signs Nol
German wounded having been carried
off while many German bodies re-
manned because OF the retiring eneW!
was unable TO remove them. Huii'-
bers of those dead belong to German
storming detachments."
The French soldiers. who joined IN
the fight, declare that The Americans
displayed splendid spirit of comoal
They related that north OF Aelcnep'cs
an American detachment was SepaFdu
ed into small groups and was cut OIL
from the company 10 when II NC
longed throughout the entire n@nl'
Behind the Americans and on lleir
left flank were German units. ou' L"'s
could have retired on the tight. HOW
! ever, they decided to stick ana nsu''
which they did with wonderful Falor'
Notwithstanding the incesSant ehethS
bombardmrnt and rifle fire. Numcr-
Gus hand-tO-hand Combats were louS
in the course of this long slruSEie,
from which the Americans louhu
themselves obliged to retire toward
nightfaN, but only after destroying
their machine guns.
In Zeicheprey Il squad OF Americans
found several cases OF grcnades' WIFI
which they succeeded in putting ur
TERRIFIC fight and holding out the on
fire day on the extremity OF the VII
I1ace. They refused 10 SURRENDER Wien
summoned to do so. and at Inc emu
Of the fighting only nine out OF tue
original twenty-threc were te1t. n
cook. surprised by the Germans anu
half stunned by blow from a Srei-
AIDE, seized q rife and continued NJ
ling until he fell dead.
I Toward evening hosplCai "nN'
had been re-established in HelchepFeE
was blown up. along with the doc'oIs
and ambulance men. The cher sur
geon of the American regiment en-
gaced hurried to the spot with french
land American ambulance cars as soon
as he learned Of the occurrence. Inc
rescue party passed through a severe
harrage fire but eventually reached
the village. wlEre they t"lA"d 70. tue
wounded for many hours under a
heavy enemy fire.
An American lieutenant. with only
six men. patrolled 600 yards Of the
front during the entire day and mann
tanned communication with the bat
talions on his right and left. Many
other incidents of bravery are record
cd by the French. but details arc not
obtainable