Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1918 — AMERICAN ARMY TAKES OVER LINE ON FRENCH FRONT [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN ARMY TAKES OVER LINE ON FRENCH FRONT

Secretary Baker -Makes Announcement Following Raid on U. S. Trench. MEN PRAISED BY PERSHING Germans Attacked Yankee Position During Dense Fog—Heavy Bombardment Preceeded Raid in Which Two U. S. Men Were Killed. Washington, Feb. I.—Secretary of War Baker officially announced that American forces have formally taken over a section of the line In France. The announcement followed the publication of a dispatch from the American epeditionary force in France telling of the latest raid on the American trenches by German forces, in which two Americans were killed, ijour wounded and one was made prisoner. Definitely in Action. “The fact that this and other raids have taken place and that reports are beginning to be received daily of men killed and wounded in action,” said the secretary, “makes it proper to say that American troops are now definitely in action.” When the first detachments of Americans went into the front lines it was made plain that this was for training. French troops were in reserve at all times and would relieve the American troops when the latter were back from their baptlsifi of firet Pershing Praises Men. 1 Representatives of every elates of the military service, including regulars. National Guardsmen and draft men, have gone under fire, and flattering reports have been received from General Pefshing concerning their conduct in action. The training processes are understood to have gone forward much faster than was at first thought possible. Details of Raid on U. S. Trench. With the American Army in France, Feb. 1. —A dense fog which rolled in clouds over the American sector all through the night enabled both American and enemy patrols to work freely. Owing to the fog. aerial and artillery observation is American antiaircraft gunners at various places are standing by their guns as clearing weather Is expected. An American position was raided during a heavy fog shortly after daylight Thursday. The attack was preceded by a violent artillery barrage. Two Americanswere killed and four wounded. One soldier is missing and Is believed to have been captured by the enemy. At daybreak the heavy fog which had been enveloping the whole position and the country for miles around for several days became still thicker, blotting out all except the nearest enemy positions. At seven o’clock three muffled reports sounded through the fog. There were three whistles, followed quickly by three shell bursts. The projectiles exploded on three sides of an American listening post just outside the wire, within forty-five feet of an enemy listening post. ■ . “Then hell broke loose,” said one of the men there. For 15 minutes the enemy broke hundreds of high explosive 77s around the post and the surrounding ground, cutting off the men there. Lick ’Em With His Fists. Four days ago a youth who has sandy hair and comes from a farm near Bismarck, N. D., said: “I am afraid of no German alive now. I feel that I can lick any of that crowd with my fists, and a German with a gun is no worse than one without one if I have got a gun myself. “I've only Men in France a few weeks. I came with a division of former National Guardsmen. I was put in that organization after being drafted.”