The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-06
OutshoOt and Outgame Ger
man at Chateau Thierry.
Machine Gunners Smother
Every Hun Attempt to Cross.
BIGGEST U, S. FORCE THERE
Marne Now Is the Principal
American Sector.
''This Is the Life" Say Men
Guarding Crossings of Marne.
BY FRED S. FERGUSON.

BY FRED ). FERGUSOO-
With the Americans on the Marne,
June 6.-Fighting with machine guns
mounted in the windows of Chateau
| Thierry. Americans today held the
| crossing of the Marne. They outshot
and outgamed the enemy.
I'VE had the time of our lives" said
one of the men in this battle, who
came back for rest. I'VE had heard
that trench warfare was dull and un-
iinteresting-but this is the life."
Many of the Americans were green
at the business, but they shared with
the veteran United States marines the
glory of stopping Germany's advance
at the Marne.
/ Rode to Battle in Fords.
| For three days the battle was most
kbitter. The Marine runs thru Chateau
TsThierry, dividing the town. One side
was held by the enemy; the other by
Americans and French. After TWO
days of constant travel, the Amerl-
can reserves arrived at the greatest
battle in history, riding IN Fords.
Within two hours they were in the
thick of it. Their guns were dumped
from the Ford wagons and hastily
mounted in the streets and in the
houses of Chateau Thierry. Then Tor
three days they held the bridge and
| prevented the Germans from SetNAiS
pontoonS across.
Huns Kept Coming.
| Despite our whitening fire the
enemy came ON repeatedly from the
other side of the stream. Our machine
guns were going constantly. Officers
| aided in picking off the boches with
their revolvers. Then the enemy
mounted machine guns in the windows
on their side of the river, right oppo-
site the Americans and opened Iire
One group of Americans had guns IN
an old mill directly over the water ano
lboches were just across. For Two Gays
Ithey fought, trying to dtsiodges eacn
other. -, AZ.
windows and pumped into the walls
of the room, but the Yanks shooting
i finally won, inflicting heavy casualties
and silencing the German guns.
Wipe Out German Charges.
| Our guns in this mill also COM
manded a wheat field at the edge OF
town, thru which the enemy attempt
ed to advance. At times as many az
ible in this field. AS the American
machine guns opened fire, every Ger
man would duck out of sight in the
wheat, then slowly, line by line, tne.'
heads would appear. then their shout
ders, as they tried to resume the al
vance and the bullets again whipped
against them, reducing their numbers
They endeavored repeatedly to reach
the river by this means and each
time they were driven back.
Il Meantime the hottest fire waf
poured in on the Americans. The en-
emy held Hill 204, overlooking ouI
positions and made the most of the
Those guarding the bridge maintained
a sweeping hail of bullets at its ap-
proaches and prevented the bochc!
from crossing until it had been blowr
up, then they poured in a stronger
. fire, preventing enemy engineers
from throwing across their pom
toons.
Automobiling past batteries firing
at the Germans thru endless lines Of
supply trains and the other vast NOV
ing units necessary in open warfare,
heard the story of the machine gun
ners' fight from men and officers WHIT
were in it. They were all laughint
: as they told their adventures. The
majority of them were apparently re
, cruited from the region of Pittsburgh
and included everything from a clerl
to mill hand, but now they are tn
fightingest fighters on the Marne.
Brought Men Safely Back.
Lieutenant John Bissell. Pittsburgh
who graduated ahead of time last yea
at West Point. has received th
French war cross. He crossed tn
river with a machine gun detachmen
and for two days and nights saw moth
> ing but fire. The enemy was al
around him and his men and guns, 81
they were completely cut off from tn
i main American force. The only wa,
= by which they could return was swep
by both allied and German fire. Bis
sell finally walked out to the bridg
and shouted across to the Americans
- whom he saw, SO as not to be mis-
taken for the enemy. Then he lie,
his own men and 800 French bacl
, safely.
81 Describing the incident to tn
: United Press. Bissell said:
'It wasn't SO bad, but the bullet
, kept hitting the iron railing of tn
bridge. 1t was night and sparks from
the bullets striking the rail were jus
. like dozens of matches being hghte
all around"
Bagged German Officers.
1 Another outfit told gleefully no,
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