New-York tribune., 1918-03-20
American Observers Report
First Line Trenches
Abandoned
Bombs Dropped on
Works Near Metz
Our Artillery Shells Towns
Near Front, Using Gas
and Explosives
By The Associated p.,

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMv I'M
FRANCE, March 1ss-American prt;,-
iery on the Toul front to-day bonn
oarded towns within the enemy lines
on several occasions considerable
numbers of gas shells were used. The
gunners also dropped projectiles ON
German trenches. Some shells hit i,
the town of Essey and others in
Montsec.
All American patrol between Rem
nleres wood and Jury Wood (between
eelcheprey and Flirey) encountered an
enemy patrol early this morning. For
an hour and half the American n,,,o,
'rled TO make some Of the enemy
prisoner, but without result. ALTHOUGH
number of fights with pistols and
rifles occurred as the Germans ret;rod
jumping from tree to tree American
snlpers made number of lucky shots
to-day and Germans were seen +o foil
American Wires Tapped Again
The telephone wires within +ba
american lines were tapped again
during the night, not far from where
1he patrol encounter occurred Tho
enemy artillery fired number Of ras
shells at our lines.
The weather last night and to-dav
was we'll suited for aerial work anJ
much was accomplished American
antl-a'rcraft guns drove off at least six
enemy alrplanes, while others crossed
the lines at such a height that thew
were out of range.
Last night airplanes from the rear
Vi the American lines crossed over to
the German zone. Soon after many ex-
ploslons and flashes were heard and
seen IN the direction of Metz.
American planes discovered dur;nc
the night that the Germans are
strengthening their second line. It is
known that the first line in manv
places virtually has been abandoned.
1t is believed that the accurate Ameri-
can artillery fire has had something to
do with this.
Shatter Enemy Mine Throwers
1t is now permissible to announce
that American artillery in the Lune-
vile sector has located and blown IN
a battery Of mine throwers, one of
which few days ago obtained direct
hit or dugout in which were a num-
ber of American soldiers, most of them
of Irish descent
The battery had been causing great
deal of trouble for several days. and
the Americans were determined to put
it out of action. 1t was located after
considerable trouble, and the artillery
concentrated high explosives on it.
A patrol of twenty-four men, half
Americans and half French, last night
went into the German lines from an
isolated portion of the sector 1t COM
pleted its mission of reconnaissance
bringing back the desired information
Ihe patrol had a short skirmish. but
OBTAINED no prisoners.
Not Like Home, Say Irish
Yesterday (st. Patrick's Day. Irish
the Luneville sector held an appro-
pirate celebration. The men had en-
tertained hopes that something would
develop which would enable them to
lay low or capture some Germans by
way of celebration, but nothing out of
the ordinary happened. Last year on
st; Patrick's Day these men held their
remara ost n and yesterday the
something like this: well. this day
last year was strolling down -.
Now l am strolling down the narrow
way of duckboards, in the mud"
Yesterday extraordinary activity de-
veloped in the Chemin des Danes sec
tor, where some troops from New Eng
land are in training. The enemy be-
gan gas bombardment late Saturday
night and continued it until yesterday.
A vigorous reply was made by both
American and French batteries. which
gave the Germans about four times as
much as they sent over. Massachu-
setts troops bore the brunt of por-
ton of the bombardment Six thou
sand shells were fired yesterday from
ne sector in which the Americans are
stationed; large proportion of them
being gas shells.
Americans Get War Crosses
Citation Of three more American
soldiers, carrying with it the French
war Cross, was announced at Ameri-
can army headquarters to-day, while
on the Luneville sector six officers.
SIX SerSeants and two prlvates were
receiving the War Cross at an impres-
vc ceremony just back of the fighting
line.
The men decorated near Luneville
to-day were Colonel Douglas MacAr-
thur, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew A.
Tinly, Major William J. Donovan, Cap
tain Thomas Handy, Lieutenant W.
Arthur Cunningham, Detroit; Lieuten
ant Oscar Buck, New York; Sergeant
S. G. Russell, New York; Sergeant
Abraham Blaustein, New York; Pri
vate Charles Jones, New York: Ser
geant William Moore, New York; Ser
Sergeant Carl Kahn, New York: Ser
geant William Bailey, New York. and
Private James Quickley, New York.
All the sergeants and privates as
sisted Major Donovan on March z and
in aiding new unit in withstand