The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-11
Five Americans Reported
Missing After Germans
Make Attack.
ONE SOLDIER RETURNS
SERIOUSLY WOUNDED
Sector Now Placed in Hands
of United States General
)
for First Time.

With the American Army in France,
Saturday. Feb. BY the Associated
Press.-Fivc American soldiers are
believed to have been killed, four are
missing and one was wounded. when
an. American patrol was ambushed in
No Mans land last night by superior
force Of Germans.
The spot where the encounter oc-
CURED is an isolated one and reports
concerning the casualties inflicted by
both sides are meagre. Only one
American Is known to have escaped the
trap Of the Germans, which was laid
In front of our wires. The one sur
vivor who crawled back to the Amcri-
can lines with a bullet in his chest, is
unable to talk.
Artillery Active.
y Our artillery Immediately laid a bar
rage around the ambushing Germans
and some are believed to have been
accounted for. The infantry accounted
for others. as 1t is certain the attacked
patrol fought to finish according to
Information trickling in from the front
line.
4 One American artilleryman was
killed and five artillery men were
wounded by shell fire.
The Americans sprinkled the enemy
trenches with shrapnel all during the
day. There was considerable patrol
activity. but no further clashes We're
reported.
nf ha
sisting of II men went out to inspect
the wire. The men were moving eau
tiously along when the leader heard
suspicious noises ahead. THE forma-
ton. of the patrol was changed when
suddenly. according to the survivors.
tho men found themselves almost sur-
rounded by large numbers OF the enc
sny. 4 German cried ''kammerad"
and then hurled grenade. The
Americans opened fire with their rifles
and pistols and hurled their grenadcs.
The Germans followed suit.
Lasts Short Time.
; The fight lasted only about a minute
md a half. the Germans all the while
yelling "kammcrad." They then re-
treated, taking with them four Amer
leans and leaving behind four dead
and two wounded Americans. One OF
the unwounded me craWled to where
q comradc lay groaning and gave him
water. while the other wounded sol
dier dragged himself through the wire.
Quickly hall Of machine gun and
rifle bullets was directed against the
retreating Germans. Meanwhile the
died in the arms Of private who was
cndeavoring to give him aid.
Aids Dying Sergeant.
The men In the trenches and the
survivors had gleam of satisfaction
when the shells from the American
heavy guns and 7s's began hitting in
barrage. Cries and yells in German
were mingled with explosions: then
the barrage widened and there were
further cries. proving that the enemy
had scattered.
Another patrol quickly went over the
top into Mo- Mans land and found their
five dead comrades and one uninjured
survivor OF the first patrol. who had
remained beside the body and was
ready to give battle If the enemy re-
turned.
The greatest courage was exhibited
by the entire patrol. every man OF
which fought hard until killed or the
enemy had Withdrawn.
v. s. General Over Sector.
An American general now commands
the sector of the front recently takef
over by our troops. When the Amer
leans first entered the sector 1t wa
under the command Of q French gen
eral commanding certain large uni
Of the French army. Now We hav'
control
In turning the sector over to tn
American general on February 5. tn
French commander issued a genera
order In which he expressed complet
satisfaction with our troops and wa
confident that the sector was in goo
hands and II attacked, 1t would be de