New-York tribune., 1918-03-04
Heavy Machine Fire Forces
Foe to Change Carefully
Laid Plans
Slain Enemy Had
Map of Positions
Prisoners Are Glad Of
Capture; Give Valuable
Information
tBy The Associated Pressl


FRANCE, Saturday, March "A plan
of attack, including map of the
American positions, indicating every
dugout, which was removed from the
body of the Prussian captain who led
the recent assault upon the sector
northwest Of Toul, shows how COM
pletely the Germans prepare their
faids-if, in fact, this was hut simpl
raid not having as it's ultimate object
the retention of portion of the sal
lent.
The map goes into such detail as to
show every machine gun emplacement,
every trench and every depression in
the ground within the American lines
At the bottom there is simply line
drawn labelled "Our front line" Along
this line are five shaded portions, each
marked "Nest.'
Four rehearsals were held for the
attack and the troops who made it were
specially picked from new arrivals of
fresh troops in the sector They were
told that the Americans were in front
of them.
After the artillery had nearly lev
elled our position the Germans started
out from their nests, each of which
contained forty infantrymen. one lieu
tenant and three pioneers to precede
the infantry and five to follow it. The
two groups upon our extreme right
Al
upon the extreme left carried out a
similar movement there.
Plans Suddenly Changed
The two groups in the centre had
planned to attack directly, but the
American defence changed all the
plans. When they were met by the
heavy machine gun fire from our lines
they saw it would be impossible to
gain footing there, changed their
direction and followed the other
groups around the flank. The duty Of
the pioneers preceding the infantry
was to clean up any wire that had not
been broken by the artillery, while the
pioneers who followed carried large
quantities of explosives for the pur.
pose Of cleaning up the dugouts.
Germans Try Revenge
There has been extraordinary artil-
lsry activity along the American sector
on the Toul front since yesterdays at
tack was repulsed. The enemy. ap-
parently angered by his failure, is try
ing to punish the American troops with
deluge of shells, but not much dam
age has been done Two thousand
shells of all calibres were counted
along the front from noon yesterday
until noon to-day, while many more
fell uncounted. Some 10-inch project
lies battered towns behind the Ameri
can line
American infantry and engineers,
the fight on Friday, found some bodies
hurled Among them was a surgeon of
the Reserve Corps and a stretcher
bearer who was killed when she'll
mt frst-aid station.
Another German prisoner has been
captured in front of the American wire
entanglements He had lain there
wounded for many hours before the
Americans discovered him, and shout
ed, Come out." lie refused, and
patrol went out and brought him in.
One OF the German prisoners taken
curing the fight has since died. Among
The German dead who have been buried
were the lieutenant and captain lead
ing the attack. The latter was taken
from the American wire entanglements.
Gas shells were dropped into one
town back Of the American line early
41,r ut
gas poisoning have developed SO far.
All the prisoners taken by the Amer
cans say they do not believe that Ger
many can win the war. They did not
want to hgnt, but had to.
Some Of the American missing have
been found.
One Of the prisoners told the intelll-
gence officers he presumed that the
Americans, like the Germans, did not
want to SIGHT, but had to. The officers
quickly changed the Germans view
point by informing him that all the
troops in the attacked positions were
Volunteers.
One prisoner, whose home is in Ger
nan Lorraine, said he thought the
fatheriand would lose the war, but he
aoped not. He knew nothing about
me Americans, except that they were
IN the war, the German newspapers
NV printing much upon the subject,
ne said, and being slow in reaching the
sfont lines because Of mail congestion.
Long for Peace
This prisoner said he was convinced
nat the recent strikes in Germany
nere caused by desire for peace, add
.ax that all Germany wanted the war
= end. He was certain that an often
sITe was coming. but did not believe it
you'd be launched before April 1.
c"one Of the prisoners had scen any
ysrfnan tanks, they said. All Of them
Used Used they we're glad to have been
sssn prisoners, especially by the
naericans, because they believed they
"gTuia be we'll treated.
she prisoncrs' accounts showed that
~ ~ zeetor opposite the American posi-
~. mas commanded by General Stalz-
me correspondent talked With a
zen OF the American wounded in
,nsT hospital cots. Every ono Of them
anxious 10 tell of some deed Of
ssroism or other performed by his fell
~; ~; but displayed great nodesty re-
'nz his own exploits. One youth,
n