The Washington herald., 1918-07-13

Regiments were auartered with and
near the Marines.
"aThs division rested eight days
in this region. Maneuvers cu q
large scale or with large units were
not held; only exercises in minor
tactics, hand-grenade throwing and
target practice were carried out. A
few long practice marches (hifes)
were made.
"on May 81 the Third Marine
Brigade was ordered to move, and
put into French motor trucks
Ctwenty men or ten officers in each
truck). The Fifth Regiment Of the
Marines was the rrst 70 leave, and
Travelled via Beaumont. Lucarches.
Ermenonville twest Of NanteuiD, /,
Les Flessis-Belleville and Meaux to
Lizy- where they were
unloaded after a journey of eigh-
teen hours.
The next regiment to leave was
the Sixth Regiment of Marines,
which followed the same route,
while the Ninth and Twenty-third
regiments apparently moved via
Beaumont, Ecoven, Gonesse, Aulnay
encirons of Paris), Clave, Meaum,
and were unloaded in the neighbor-
hood Of La-Ferte-Sous-Jouar The
Fifth Regiment of Marines was put
into line during the night of June
2-3 as the First Regiment Of the
division. the other elements taking
up their position in the sector in
etchelon-
The second American division may
be classified as a very good division,
perhaps even as assault troops. The
various attacks of both regiments on
BeIleau Woods were carried out with
dash and recklessness- The moral
effect OF our firearms did not mate
rally check the advance OF the in
fantry; the nervts Of the Americans
are still unshaken.
e. Soldiers Are Very Good.
THE Individual soldiers are very
good. They are healthy, vigorous and
physically well developed men OF ages
ranging from IS to %. who at present
lack only necessary training to make
them redoubtable opponents. The
troops are fresh and full Of straight
forward confidence. A remark OF one
Of the prisoners is Indicative of their
spirit: We kill or get killed
''In both attacks on Belleau Woods,
which were carried out by one or two
battalions, the following method Of
attack was adopted:
Three or four lines OF skirmishers
at about thirty to fifty PAGES distance;
rather close behind these, isolated
assault parties in platoon column.
Abundant equipment of automatic
rifles and hand grenades. The assault
parties carried forward machine guns
and were ordered to penetrate the
German positions at weak point, to
swing lateraly and to attack the
strong points from the rear.
The prisoners are hardly able, to
state where they were in position.
According to their statements, It may
be assumed that the front line con-
sists only Of rifle pits one meter deep,
up to the present not provided with
wire entanglements. The organization
of the positions in rear Is unknown.
Morale Alert and Pleasing.
The prisoners in general make an
alert and pleasing impression; re-
garding military matters. however.
they do not show the slightest in
terest Their superiors keep them
purposely without knowledge of
military subjects, for example. most
VI ncNcT seen map.
They are no longer able to describe
the villages and roads through
which they marched. Their ideas on
the organization of their unit is
entirely confused. For example.
one of them claimed that his bril-
gade has six regiments, his division
twenty-four. They still regard the
war from the point of view of the
big brother who comes to help his
hard-pressed brethren, and 10 there
fore welcomed everywhere. A cer-
tain moral background is not lack
ing; the majority Of the prisoners
simply took as a matter Of course
that they had come to Europe in
order to defend their country. -
only q few of the troops are of
pure American origin; the majority
is OF German. Dutch and Italian
parentage, but these semi-Ameri-
cans, almost all of whom were
born in America and never have
! been In Europe. fully feel themselves
to be true-born sons Of their coun-
try. (Signed),