Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1918 — U. S. MARINES DRIVE TEUTONS BACK TWO MILES [ARTICLE]

U. S. MARINES DRIVE TEUTONS BACK TWO MILES

Americans Attack Foe in Chateau Thierry Sector and Win Heights. TAKE OVER 100 PRISONERS Yankees Make Second Attack and Germans Are Forced to Throw Three More Divisions in the Line —New Battle Raging. With the American Army in Picardy. .Tune 7. —American marines attacked the Germans at dawn Thursday morning npd gained three and a liulf kilometers (over two miles) over a four-kilometer front and captured more than 1(H) prisoners in the Chateau Thierry sector. Tire French attacking at the same time on the left took 1(10 prisoners. The Americans now hold all the important high ground northwest of Chateuu Thierry. New Battle Raging. The marines again attacked at five o’clock yesterday afternoon and the battle is still raging. The light started at 3:45 o’clock Thursday morning and the Americans had attained all their objectives by 7:45 o'clock.

The Americans have been pressing the Germans so hard that the enemy lias been forced to throw three new divisions of hjs best troops in live line during the last three days. The Americans sang and whistled “Yankee Doodle” and cheered as they wont over tin; top. They made their way swiftly through the German dead! that lay strewn in No Man’s Land. 1 Prisoners Tired of War. In addition to prisoners, the Anieri-i cans cnpturotfi ten machine guns. Ger-' man prisoners said they had not been* fed for four days owing to the deadly' fire from the French and American guns which prevented the bringing up' t)f supplies. * These Germans were without hel-i diets. They were tlred of the war.! They hud been told that the British opposed them, ns their commanders! were afraid to let them know that it' was the Americans. The Germans were cleared out oft Veullly wood also by the Americans, whose guns were thundering against! die enemy last night. Struggle Near Torey. The fiercest lighting was in progress it last reports neat* Torey, which llesj about two und u half miles east of Veuilly. The French attack was to straighten out the American line, and it was 1 i brillant performance. In (ids they were assisted by the American forces. American Infantry cleaned out one group of thirty-live Lilians, who were mounted.

“Don’t let one escape,” shouted u big American. All but one wus killed; be was captured. Soon after the attack the Americans jarrled hill 142 (about two-thirds of a mile south of Tofey), the highest point in this vicinity, and swept on and stopped at the foot In a wheat* Qeld on the other side, from where they raked the Germans with machine guns. One entire enemy machine gun company was almost annihilafed.

Huns Wear French Uniforms. The Germans had donned French uniforms, but the Americans, forewarned, poured volleys of fire Into them. One German soldier had 32 wounds. Among those captured were two officers. The Americans advanced In a solid phalanx, their strong determined faces and great physique gave an' inspiration to their gallant French comrades, who now regard them with brotherly affection. On Tuesday the Americans faced a Saxon division; on Wednesday a guard division; today a crack Prussion division and also a battalion of famous Jaeger sharpshooters. The Americans .caught one scouting party of eight sharpshooters and killed them all. Fight Like Tigers. The Americans are like tigers. Their commanders have all they can do to hold the men back. Even the wounded! nre enthusiastic *and eager to fight. They are proud of their wounds. A general who visited a field dressing station said he was elated by the sight U. 8. Valor Stirs French to Ecstasy. Washington, June 7. —In addition to telling of American operations near Toni and Lnneville, General Pershing’s communique includes a French official report on American participation in

the fighting at Chateau Thierry. The Branch statement is as follows: ' On May 31 the enemy threatened to take Chateau Thierry, attempting ‘to flank the town on our left, and a breach was produced. The machine gun battalion, United States army, was immediately thrown Into Chateauu Thierry simultaneously with a colonial Infantry battalion. Immediately the Americans re-enforced the entire defense, especially at the ends of the bridge. Their courage and ability as marksmen evoked the admiration of all. Crushed by our fire, the enemy hesitated and, as a result of counter-at-tacks, vigorously supported by American machine guns, they were thrown beyond tlie edge of the town. Chateau Thierry remained entirely in our hands. On the Ist of June, towards evening, taking advantage of the darkness, the Germans stole towards the large bridge, in which direction they penetrated through the western suburbs to the banks of tlie Marne. In order to mask their movements, they made use of smoke bombs, which made the aim of the machine guns very difficult. At the same time the town underwent an extremely violent bombardment. At the moment when the Germans arrived on the large bridge and believed themselves to lie in possession of the same, a terrific explosion destroyed tlie central pier. Some Gormans who had already crossed were taken on the south bank. The American machine guns held the south bank and gave protection for the withdrawal of the troops retiring from the northern section for the purpose of crossing the bridge prior to its destruction. Here again the courage of the Americans was beyond all praise. The colonials themselves, though accustomed to acts of bravery, were struck by the wonderful morale in the face of fire, the coolness and the extraordinary steadiness of their allies.

Huns Driven Over Oise. Paris, June 7. —The official statement follows: “East of Sernpigny French troops drove back enemy groups which had succeeded in crossing the Oise. The French took 100 prisoners, “North of the Aisne the French improved appreciably their positions north and west' of ITautehraye. Fifty prisoners remained in our hands.”

British Statement. London, June 7. —The British official statement says; “Local fighting in which hostile attacks were repulsed by French troops took place in t lie neighborhood of Lucre (in the Keminel sector).” With the American Army in France, June 7. —An American machine gun battalion accounted for approximately 1 ,000 Germans while holding a bridge at Clratoau-Thierry during the recent fighting. Tim Americans lost only one man killed and a few wounded. At tlie same time -French troops wiped out a force of 300 Germans who had obtained a footing on the southern bank of the-'Marne. While the Germans dominated the town from hill 204, the Americans and French set up. machine guns in the windows and doorways on houses. Great fierceness marked the fighting, which raged for several days.

U. S. Losses Light. With tlie American Army in France, June 7. —Reports received here from Chateau Thierry are to the effect that the Americans in the fighting with the Germans killed a large number of tlie enemy and themselves suffered very light casualties.