August 5, 1918: Don Martin reports on battle at Vesle River

Don Martin diary entry for Monday, August 5, 1918: 

Went out with [Edwin] James [New York Times]. Had a very long trip. Meaux is now about 80 kilometers from the nearest point we have to reach. Visited Fere-en-Tardenois, got some details of the fighting along the Vesle which is not progressing very well. Americans command Fismes and have a few men in the place but are afraid to occupy it because the Germans will shell them. Went to a place a short distance northwest of Tardenois and saw any number of French and German dead.  Germans were all in their machine gun nests and the French dead were for the most part close up showing they had tried to take the places. No doubt the French are brave soldiers. Saw 1,000 Americans having luncheon in a field in the rain. They have been in France only 20 days but seem eager to get to the front although they must know it is a terrible place to be. Wrote about 1,000 words cable for New York which I file press rate. Got two nice letters from Dorothy. In one she says she is picking currants to earn money for patriotic purposes. She is a real daughter!

       Here is an example of how Don Martin’s dispatches were carried in the European Edition - Paris of the New York Herald. His article, dated Monday, August 5, was headlined on the top right of page 1 on August 6, 1918. The transcribed article follows.

GERMAN GUNS NORTH OF THE VESLE POUR OUT HEAVY FIRE 

IN ATTEMPT TO STOP ALLIES

Enemy Uses Only Field Artillery; Heavy Batteries Are Not Yet in Position—Crown Prince Has Used Seventy-three Divisions in Marne Salient to Date

(Special Telegram to the Herald)

By Don Martin

With The American Armies, Monday.

          The Germans are across the Vesle, but are putting up a vigorous artillery resistance from the hills back of the river. It appears that they have brought many of their smaller guns into play behind the Vesle, but have not settled in any fixed position with their heavies. American mounted patrols in small numbers entered Fismes and small infantry patrols crossed the Vesle at two or  three points. The French sent light elements across and held their ground against the enemy’s artillery attacks.

          Fismes is plentifully dotted with German snipers, making it perilous for anyone to remain in the place.

          It is possible that Germany is hard pressed for men. For instance, out of seven prisoners taken by the Americans who are opposite the Fourth Prussian Guard, four were Poles and one an Alsatian. Again, German dead are found to be wearing bandages for wounds which, while not serious, would ordinarily compel the men to be in a hospital or in a rest camp. To-day I saw three German dead who had wounds thus bandaged. They had been killed in a machine-gun nest destroyed by the French northeast of Fere-en-Tardenois. One of the dead men had but one shoe on. The other foot was wounded and bandaged. A second had his left hand in a bandage and a third had round his head a bandage apparently five or six days old.

          The 4^th Prussian Guards arrived in the battle-line on July 26 to stem the tide of advancing French and Americans. They are shock troops, used by Germany at critical times and places.

Overwhelmed by Allied Rush

          One very interesting thing has been learned from German prisoners taken in the last few days by the Americans. While there was little doubt that the Germans were taken by surprise by the offensive under the direction of Generals Foch and Pétain and in which  the Americans took such a brilliant part, it is satisfying to learn first hand that the Germans were not only completely surprised, but utterly bewildered. They had understood, so intelligent prisoners have stated, that the French and Americans would make an offensive on July 14.

          It is now known that the Germans have used seventy-three divisions in the Marne salient to date. Forty-eight of these were reserve divisions. They had been resting in preparation for the newest phase of the great German offensive.

          Everywhere between the Ourcq and the Vesle there are further indications that the Germans retreated in a great hurry. Near the Bois Planchette the Americans found enough German tools and implements to equip an entire engineering regiment. In the Bois Planchette itself more than $1,000,000 worth of enemy ammunition was found. Ammunition dumps in which must have been many million dollars worth of shells are still burning to-day. In one place I counted fifty large-sized aerial torpedoes.

          The Germans were hurried along everywhere in their retreat. Nowhere were they behind their schedule. Orders found on prisoners showed that the Germans were to start north from Fismes at midnight on August 5. They started two days sooner. A small detachment of Germans, including many snipers, was left to give the impression that the place was still garrisoned, but the majority of the Germans departed on Saturday. At three on Saturday afternoon Americans took the place, but were unable to hold it because of heavy artillery fire. They left on Saturday night. On Sunday they entered the town with a strong force and drove out all the Germans they could find. Five Germans who were guarding food supplies were taken prisoners.

          There is no doubt from what has been learned from documents and from prisoners direct that the German programme has, for the time being at least, been ruinously affected by the strategy of the Allied Commander-in-Chief and his brilliant aide, General Pétain.

          No one can tell, of course, how far the Germans intend to go. The impression seems to be that they will make a firm stand on the heights north of the Vesle, and if they find their artillery outdone in fury and accuracy by the Allies, will move north to the Aisne. They were firing shells into the American front lines all to-day, but their big pieces fired seldom.

          German prisoners say the expression “Nase voll”—German for nose full—is on the lips of many of the German soldiers. They have appropriated an American slang phrase which means that they have had more than enough. German soldiers also do not get newspapers from home any more. There is no rule against it, but the soldiers who have taken the American intelligence officers into their confidence say that the German soldiers realize that the papers are absolutely controlled by the Government and do not print the news of the war, but only things to lend heart to the soldiers and civilians.

          German vandalism has been shown again by discoveries made by the Americans in a château which the Germans had used as a headquarters. The safe had been blown up, a costly oil painting had been cut and all the clothing belonging to the women had either been stolen or torn to shreds. The Americans occupied the château for two days—they are farther north now—and in striking contrast to the example of filth and defilement set by the Germans, assembled all the undestroyed family trinkets and personal things—things the Americans assumed would be regarded as precious by the owners of the château—and placed them together in a room which they tightly closed.