Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-04-25
Enemy Attempt to Separate
Americans and French at
TouI Results in Failure.
IS TERRIFIC
Pe%rshing's Men Regain Every BIT o.
Ground They Had Previously Lost
To Teutors-Arti!Iery Fire
Worse Than at Vo.dEn

London, April 23.-Romtard.
ment of Amiens has been heavily
renewed, according to a dispatch
from the British front. Three
additional hits have been made on
the famous Amiens cathedral.
While awaiting the next Ger
man blow, now ~momentariiy eX-
pected, Field Marshal Haig is TAX
ing advantage of the comparative
iull to strengthen his lines.
With the American Army in France,
April 23.-The American position re-
main intact after the heavy German
attack and, after a brief lombard
ment, the American troops attacked
and drove the enemy out of the old
outposts which they had gained, thus
breaking down an offensive which it
is believed was intended as the be-
ginning of a German plan to separate
the Americans and French.
There is a comparative lull along
the sector northwest Of Toul. The
Americans engaged in the terrific
hand to hand fighting showed the
most daring bravery, stories of which
are already being recounted.
Bombardment Beat Verdun.
AS indicating the violence of the
offensive, French ambulance men,
who went through the famous battle
Of Verdun, declared that comparative.
ly speaking, the German artillery fire
against the Americans was heavier
than in any single engagement on
the Verdun front at any time.
The German attempt to break
through continued until late: The
troops hat were hurled against the
Americans, came full Of bravado and
arrogance, waving. their rifles and
shouting like mad, but they found
more than they bargained for.
When the Germans entered Seiche-
prey it was evidently in the belief
that the American had gone, but
some of them remained scattered
through the village and they attacked
the Germans with hand %grenadesr
killing many Of them. Furious hand
TO hand fighting ensued in the village
streets, the Americans falling back
only when they were greatly out
numbered.
Germans Set Death Traps.
Later the Germans were driven out
If the village, but they had concealed
:hree boxes containing high explosives
20 which they had attached wires
stretched across the streets. Some of
wires, causing explosions. but steps
we're Immediately taken to clear out
.hese German traps.
German forces came across No
, Mans Land in three waves They had
| been especially trained for this opera
lion. The Americans, although great
y outnumbered, fought for every inch
If the way, giving ground slowly and
pouring a deadly machine gun, rifle
automatic fire into the advancing en-
envy.
Foe Uses Gas Or Batteries.
The German carriage began just De-
fore sunrise, after a heavy lombard
ment of front and real positions, in
the course of the night. In an at
tempt to put the American batteries
out of action, the Germans used an
unusually large number of gas shells,
/ but the American artillery replied Wig
orously, hurting hundreds Of shells
across the Teuton lines.
4 counter barrage set down by the
Americans caught the advancing Ger
mans and killed a number Of them be.
fore they had opportunity to reach
the American trenches.
The commander of one unit holding
an outpost reported at n stage OF
the attack that his men were slowly
giving ground, bet that they were
fighting every inch of the way"
TpJvV T pHNnC "