Evening star., 1918-06-09
~. S. Lads Fight With Blacks
In Chateau Thierry Battle
Americans Haze Curious Respect for Sengalese.
Despite Terrible Enemy Fire, Uncle Sans
Men CoolLy Garry On.

CableGram to The Sunday Star ana
Chicago Daily News. Copyright, 1913.
WITH THE AMERICAN TROOPS
IN FRANCE. June 6 tdelayed). Il
passed the day with the boys of a
United States machine gun company
which distinguished itself IN tho de-
Tense Of Chateau Thierry, in the VIII
lage near the Marne where they are
now billeted for a rest. I gathered
from their own modest lips the story
of their baptism in FIRE. They come
from all parts Of the country. am
tempted to write q long and glowing
Introduction saying that this is one Of
the best stories Of the war because 1t
is not only interesting in itself. but
highly significant as showing how the
fresh troops now arriving in large
numbers from America can fight. But
good wine needs no bush. In this case
| the facts themselves are sufficiently
eloquent. I will set them down as
simply as possible. leaving the reader
| to make his own comments and draw
! his own conclusions.
Get Marching Orders.
At noon on May 80 the machine gun
ners received marching, orders. and by
$3.50 p. m. they were travelling on mo-
| tor trucks along the dusty roads to-
ward the front. They rumbled on all
night. the distance to be covered be-
ing more than 100 kilometers (sixty
! miles). By four o'clock on the after
noon of May 81 the head of the coll
umn suddenly found itself in the
A.
teries on a hilltop overlooking the
valley Of the Marne. The sound of
cannon instead of depressing the men
excited them. They preferred fight
ing to training any day. They had
come to fight the Germans and asked
for nothing better than a chance.
| They got their chance. The same
night they were ordered down the hill
| into Chateau Thierry, charged with an
important share in the defense of the
town. Chateau Thierry lies in a val.
ley between high hills. Approaching
from the south. one winds down hill
| across meadows, over railroad via
duct through the south part Of the
| town. then over the Marne by a fine
old stone bridge. and so UP the short
! main street to the town hall, behind
which the houses end abruptly against
a steep grassy slope. In addition to the
stone bridge. there is a new iron
bridge 500 yards farther up the
| stream.
Germans Dominate Place.
The French held the last houses, bu,
the Germans were on the slope Just
above the town, which their fire com.
pletely dominated. The Americans
| were ordered into the south part OF
the town to defend the bridges. One
company was to defend the stone
bridge and another company the iror
| bridge. One company also detached
| twelve men, a sergeant and two gun.
under lieutenant, tall, sandy-hair.
ed, young Pittsburgher, to cross the
stone bridge, follow the main street
to the city hall. turn to the right, pro.
| coed to the eastern edge of the towr
where two roads forked away acros.
the sloping fields and place themselve,
under the orders of the French in.
fantry holding the outskirts of the
| town. Those French troops happened
to be big. black Sengalese. with white
| officers.
The major in command instructed
the American lieutenant to place hi:
| guns so as to sweep the forking roads
The Germans shelled the south part o.
the town all night. Under this fire thu
| officers, without maps or range-fnd
| ers, had to reconnoiter the town, es.
tablish various headquarters and place
| uhS 81 dS " COtST The dppTOaCnes
to the bridges on both flanks. The
darkness was complete. save that al
about o'clock when the railway sta.
| ton, ignited by German shell. burn
ed with red glare. Nevertheless, by
| dawn everything was ready and the
men. who had now been forty-eigh,
| hours without sleep, could ne down
and try to snatch few hours OF
feverish rest.
Shelling Never Ceases.
The rest of the day passed Inevent.
events; in that case it was extremely
| eventful. The bombardment on the
| south part Of town never ceased. The
| Americans had to change their head.
| quarters and several gun positions
had to be changed. A number of gas
| commander, considering the guns
! somewhat exposed, told the sergeant
| that he could seek more sheltered
spot, but he refused, saying that he
had a perfect field of fire where he
| was. The captain passed the day in
going from one position to another
| making sure that the shells had not
! destroyed his guns. He was nervous
also regarding how the men could
| stand the shelling, but they were per-
| fectly cool. When the captain asked
one soldier. a theological student
ITOIl HSOTSld, stationed at mouse
about which shells had been falling
| all day. how he was getting along. he
| replied:
TT is very calm here. Nothing has
happened so far
Chimney Falls on Him.
A few minutes later. when the cap
tain hurried anxiously to another
spot, where big shell had just burst
he found a man brushing dust from
| his clothes ruefully.
Are you all right?" asked the cap
tain.
Il am all right replied the man.
except that I am black with SCOT.
| A whole - chimney fell down on
my lap"
Troops who can take their first dose
Of heavy shelling in this spirit leave
| little to be desired. The officers are
| unanimous in saying that not one man
! tiinched through tho whole three days
of hard experience in battle. No ra-
tfons arrived the first day. for the
enemy was bombarding the lines Of
communication hotly. but the machine
gunners found rabbits, chickens. veg
etables, eggs and milk aplenty. As
they expressed 1t, they lived on the
town." and lived well.
Retirement Delicate Operation.
Meanwhile tho Germans came for
such long distance along the north