The Sentinel=record., 1918-04-02
MEN ARE ENVIED BY
COMRADES LEFT BEHIND
II May Be Many Days Before the
United States Will Know Where the
Troops Have Been Placed-Four
Thousand Shells Dropped on Ameri-
can Sector in Four Hours.


CBy a Staff Correspondent of the AS
sociated Press)
With the American Forces in
France. April definite official an
nouncement that American troops viii
actually fight side by side with the
French and British in northern
France reached the American troops
tonight in Paris newspapers. 1t was
greeted with cheering The men who
viii go are envied by the rest of the
American forces.
AS they passed by on the roads they
were speeded on their way with cries
such as Eat 'em up" and Gee. you
fellows are lucky"
Orders to proceed toward the
plains of Picardy were received from
the French high command three days
ago, but until today no mention could
be made officially of it.
The muddy roads were iammed with
Americans on the move In some
cases they were marching In double
lines taking up the road from side
to side For obvious reasons it is in
advisable to disclose where the troops
are going, where they are coming
from, or even the directions in which
the movements are being made. II
may not be many days, however, be-
fore the United States will know. II
is probable that the first news will
come with the report of the Ameri-
can forces in action, but when that
may be is q subject which cannot be
discussed. Whenever it is, 1t Is GER
tain that the troops will give a good
account of themselves, for they are
husky, hardy trained and completely
equipped and on their toes for a clash
with the enemy. If this clash should
be in the open the troops will like
Il all the better for they say. That's
our game"
All are determined to get into the
fight if possible. The correspondent
saw men marching. limping along, but
refusing to drop out for fear that they
might be left behind. If there was a
single straggler in the long march ing
lines today, he has effectively hidden
himself.
A deluge of gas, shrapnel and high
explosive shells fell on certain parts
Of the American sector northwest OF
Toul for four hours last night and this
morning. A number of towns. trenches
and roads were targets for the enemy
who began firing before midnight.
First one place was "strafed" and
then another. At one location aloine
four thousand shells, two thousand of
which were gas projectiles, fell
Towards the end of the shelling the
Germans let down a barrage in front
of one of the American front line po-
sitions for good measure.
1t is surprising what little damage
was done, for the enemy was not only
a poor marksman, but the information
upon which he was apparently acting
was bad
The American artillery retaliated
and dropped many shells near a truck
carrying supplies TO an advanced post
before the driver abandoned it.
TWO American patrols entered the
enemy lines last night Both found
the belts of wire heavily electrified,
one reporting that the strands Of wire
We're connected with interrupters
which gave warning sparks as a
warning to the enemy sentries.
Great activity continues in the
rear of the enemy lines. One espe-
clally active point is in the town Of
Pannes. at which the American gun
ners do not shoot because French civ