The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-05-22
LIEUT.. TENNEY
IS A PRISONER
News of st. Adams Man Re-
ceived Through Letter to
Adjutant General
WAS CAPTURED IN
SEICHEPREY FIGHT
Was Taken by Surprise, the Smoke and
Weather Conditions Being Favorable
Killed at Their Posts.

AAAAACu on uC4k oStS.
MONTPELIER, May 22.--Lieut. Wal
ter M. Tenney of st. Adams, whose
name appeared recently in the casualty
hist issued by the war department in
Washington as missing, is prisoner
In the hands of the Germans and is
probably unwounded, according to in
formation received at the Office of the
Vermont adjutant general contained In
a letter just received from an officer of
the 102d machine gun battalion in
France. This letter was written Nav
and Lieutenant Tenney was reported as
having been missing since April 20, the
date Of the opening of the battle of
Seieheprey. The 1921 machine gun bat
talon is the organization from which
most of the Vermont men have been
reported as. killed, wounded, and miss
ing since that battle. The war depart
ment has not yet, as far as is known,
listed Lieutenant Tenney as captured,
nor has the Red Cross located him in
any prison camp, so far as is known
here
Extracts from the letter received at
the adjutant generals Office show that
lieutenant Tenney and the crews of
the two guns under his command were
overwhelmed and taken by surprise, the
artillery and weather conditions being
highly favorable to a successful surprise
attack. The indications are that they
were captured before they could fire
a single shot
The letter received at the adiutant-
generals Office pays high tribute to
the work of Lieutenant Tenney and the
other Vermonters who were in action.
Those who were killed were found be-
side the gun positions and exacted a
heavy price before paying the last cost
OF. their patriotism. The letter also
states, that the feeling exists, that. the.
men who have fallen into the hands of
the enemy have every chance of good
treatment and of safe return when
the war is over. The extracts of the
letter given out at the adjutant -gener-
ais Office are as follows:
Lieutenant Tenney was captured sew
erai days ago as an incident of one of
the sharpest and bloodiest battles
which the American troops have en-
gagged in. His company was next to
mine in line and | have been able to
gather all the information available.
Lieutenant Tenney commanded two
guns situated in an advanced post The
Germans attacked with large numbers
of shock troops and had the protection
and concealment afforded by an extreme
ly heavy artillery barrage and a thick
fog. Under cover of these thew were
able to advance their storm troops with
in a few yards of our posts without de-
lection. AT their attack signal several
OF our outposts were instantly over
whelmed and captured. The Americans
met them in rear of these positions, and
after prolonged struggle, drove the
| enemy from our lines and captured his
own front trenches.
1t is almost certain that Lieutenant
Tenney and his crews were captured
| without chance to fire shot. since
| an examination of the ground, made
after the German retreat, showed no
traces of fight. 1t is safe to assume
that he is an unwounded prisoner in
the hands of the enemy, and we derive
considerable comfort from the fact that
| the Germans across the line from us
seem to possess the spirit of humanity
| to degree which prevents them from
firing upon our Red Cross men. They
were also very kind to two of our
wounded who fell into their hands and
later came into our own lines.
| 50 You will find several Vermont
names upon the casualty list as a re-
suit of this battle. Men from the First
| Vermont met the shock of the combat
as machine gunners, and they fought as
we knew they would fight Those who
died we found dead at their posts be-
side their guns where the battle had
! turned. | fully appreciate the tragedy
: to those az homo who bopad frr Az -