The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-15
(Copyr;Sht. !a;S. b. N" 1uht'" Ledger
COM p;taE-)

(CopyriSht !aIS. D." III l'uh,'r Ledger
t'"n.ptnE.)
IN THE AMERICAN SF:CTuF,, April
S1.-How n!pny good r"cp;c thor" are
who during tn" las. FOUR years har" read
without emotion from an official French
or British Conmuuiou" '"Ur troops MAD"
a successful raid" and th"n un"oncern-
eddy sent their eyes IN - other news.
never dreaming that rho six words held
4 tremendous story os daring aud risk
ness prefacei by n" MOST elaborate "f
artillery preparations
But now il * quito different Our
troops can mean American soldiers.
Their mounting ~ the 'r"""h p2rnpctS
upon the frontiers ~ freedom when the
big guns kr"',k of and S;:pHinG away
into the gray mis-; ~ early morning or
:he darkness -: gathering night iowa ri
tho German flriuS Ina" 'rHa"h"" is IN
achievement IN whtcEr an own SON or
netghhor's boy or ONES brother. cousin
or friend may have taken IN active
part.
All the raids or surprise attacks can
not be written UP any more than d."
all the heroes get medals. There is Il
Sameness about them which clogs tho
imagination. \ correspondent must
content himself with painting I Very
small fragment OF the picture 80 war
landscape If he will tell !. we'll. And
he cannot tell It twice
Tho special interest connected with
the series OF raids outlined in this
article Is that the attacking squads were
American soldiers. commanded by Amer
lean officers. going forward exclusively
under the protecting wing OF American
manned guns-a little bit Of We. Cs &
co. on :he west front. Instead OF 'over
tho top" our boys say up To IT," And
Of those who don't come back we never
say ''he has gone west"-it is tho way
OF our soldiers to speak Of the passing
rs che got bumped Off" "he sent his tag
home." or "he Is pushing up the daisies"
Before the day in question concern
ing raids IN tho simon-pure American
sector north OF Tout there had been
many partnership raids with tho French
in tho sector east Of Luncvilie. and the
sector near Scissors. For conspicuous
bravery in these cooperative attacks.
many men had received "CrolS de-
Queries" the award OF honor from the
French government.
Yet somehow tho blood 1eaped faster
in the veins and nerves t!ngled more
keenly when IL dtveioped that an all
American raid was on the taps . cor
respondent IS naVcr told when n raid is
going TO take place: h. Jus, happens into
q show" If his luck K good That WAS
nay case on thu nigh, I dined with tho
colonel OF artillery.
Saw All Phases.
There are thre" prime places Of van.
taEc from which 10 View the making Of
2 night surprise attack: In tho rear
OF all the artillery. where tn" show IS
spectacular one. between the light ar
tilicry and tho heavy artillery. where -
has he character II standing before =
boiler fact Try with flying blacksmith
shops passing overhead. and from the
tirst-l;ua trenches. where :. is a great
human drama crowded with poignant
emotions BY keeping on moving in,
had tn" eo"d fortur" to get parts OF the
thee phases Of observation from n
s.us!c military operation.
Coming up tho road from Tout had
observed considerable congestion OF
heavy cannon. Their olive-drab keep
erS wsrr inanifsStly trying to look I'M
concerned - the press automobile, which
carries IN" markings on is windshield
of Tn. general staff. whizZed IN and
around th:ir -nad-fillinG bulk Some OF
the cannon were horse drawn and others
operators. were motor hauled. The
n!asstng Of extra cannon in a sector "a
an almost sure sign that important
events nre about to happen.
Seems to be lot Of artillery" was
commented.
"Oh. yes. We ara at war" had been
the noncommttal reply OF the lieutenant.
1t Is characteristic Of the French to
put an artistic narmark upon whatever
they are engaged in. One interesting
feature of the French army Is the wa,
its soldiers have for giving names 70
everything. Not cannon but has It's
sobriQuet-"Gaby." Marcel" Emily"
Lily Pauline and others OF tho fem
tnlne ike. In the same fantastic way,
each Of the vehicles Of French wagon