Don Martin diary entry for Thursday, September 19, 1918:
Went to Ligny, headquarters America’s first
army. Got story about documents found in German headquarters etc. Met Herbert
Parsons, former political leader of New York and had luncheon with him in
Ligny. He is a major of intelligence now and a very fine man.
 |
| Major Herbert Parsons |
Sent 500 words to New
York. Got telegram from [Percy] Mitchell in Paris congratulating me on my work.
No raid alert tonight which seemed good. Quiet on our front.
With the St.-Mihiel salient offensive
successful, there was time for Don Martin to tell war stories. Here is one from
September 19, which was published in the New York Herald on Friday, September
20.
HUNS
IN THIAUCOURT WOOD FIRE
BIG GUN AT A WEEK OLD RANGE,
NOT KNOWING OF ARMY’S
FLIGHT
Gunners
Hidden Away in Forest Conduct Little War
All Their Own Until Their Activities
Bring AmericansSearching
for the Disturbance
By Don Martin,
Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France
[Special Cable to the Herald]
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, Thursday
One of the
most remarkable incidents of the war has been revealed within the American
lines following a report by some of our aerial observers that there was heavy
firing by guns inside the Bois de Thiaucourt. This wood has been in the
possession of the American forces since very early in General Pershing’s great
offensive movement a week ago. The report of the observers caused considerable
excitement and orders were at one flashed from headquarters to investigate the
wood thoroughly.
The Bois de
Thiaucourt is a great wilderness, but American soldiers began at once to
penetrate it. When they reached the depth of the woods they came upon a German
gun and its crew, which was loading and firing as though the life of every man
depended on it. They had ranges that were a week old and there was no possibility
of them doing any damage even though they hit the bull’s-eye at which they were
firing at every shot.
When the
Americans had surrounded them and the German gunners learned of their presence
in the woods they surrendered without resistance.
The Huns were
astonished to learn that the German forces had evacuated the St.-Mihiel salient
several days earlier. Until captured they had heard nothing of the American
advance and the flight of the German divisions.
They had a
heavy Austrian gun, which they had manned for five months. They were well
equipped with ammunition. Fourteen gunners were captured.
More than a
score of small groups of Germans have been picked up by our men in the last few
days. Many of these groups were in the very depths of great woods and were
unaware that the Germans had evacuated the salient.
The enemy in
his new positions is developing greater artillery activity, but despite this
the Americans are settling down well in their new lines.
One of the
things that has gone far to demoralize the Huns is the heavy bombardment of
their railway centres by our aviators. Aerial observers report that the Boches
are having great difficulty moving troops and supplies. The great railway
system which they constructed back of their lines has been ripped and torn
repeatedly by our bombers.
In the
neighborhood of Heudicourt our troops found that the small railroad there had
been torn up for a distance of five miles.
And here is the version of the same story that
Don Martin wrote for Paris. It was published in the Paris Herald on Friday,
Sept 20.
AMATEUR GUNNERS ‘SHOOT UP’
GERMANY WITH GERMAN 77
Seven American Privates,
Though Ignorant of Artillery, Blaze Away at Metz
(Special Telegram to the Herald)
By DON MARTIN
With The American Armies, Thursday.
Many stories
come from the recent Saint-Mihiel salient retreat, but none is more interesting
perhaps than that of an incident during the advance in the region of
Thiaucourt.
Several
American privates came upon a German “77” undamaged. They had been plugging on for
hours trying to find some Germans to attack, but with no success. They looked
the gun over, and, finding ammunition nearby, decided to make use of it. None
had more than a theoretical knowledge of artillery, but their general ideas
were reasonably good, so they inserted a shell, aimed in the general direction
of Metz and let go. It went all right. They changed the range a bit and fired
again. It was rather an odd spectacle—buck privates firing at random a weapon
which is used only by the highest experts at range-finding.
A fraction of
an inch meant nothing to these young men. They changed by feet, aiming north
one time, northeast the second and northwest the third. An American surgeon
came along. He had lost his company, which had advanced too swiftly. He
suggested that the gun was doing nothing but make a noise. The boys said that
was not true; they were shooting up Germany. They compelled him to take a
wheelbarrow and go nearly a quarter of a mile to get shells. For four hours
these venturesome soldiers blazed away. No one will ever know what they hit;
but they had a good time till a non-com. came along and stopped their
adventure.
Here’s
another: A few days ago, in the Bois de Thiaucourt, when shots were being fired
by a heavy gun, an American flier reported that there was considerable
excitement, because it was known that there was no American gun there. A
platoon of Americans was sent into the wood to investigate. After a long hike,
the platoon located the sound and approached cautiously. The men saw fourteen
Germans working like mad, firing a shot every few minutes southward. The
Americans speeded up and captured the fourteen, who expressed astonishment when
told that the Germans were several kilometres north. This crew had been left
without liaison and had been banging away at intervals all day. Their ranges
were bad, however, as they were trained on old targets; so if they made a
bull’s-eye every time they did nothing more than tear up ground.
Don Martin sent New York a dispatch on
reactions to the Austrian peace overture, dated September 19. The New York Herald
published it on Friday, September 20, in a black lined box on page 1.
LEAVE IT TO US TO LICK THEM
TO A FRAZZLE, THEN TALK PEACE, DOUGHBOYS’ WORD TO AMERICA
By Don Martin,
Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France
[Special Cable to the Herald]
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, Thursday
Here is a brief summary of what the
American doughboy says regarding Austria’s plea for peace:--
“The only time to talk about peace
is when Austria and Germany are licked to a frazzle, and leave it to us, for we
will attend to that job.
“If the people at home will stand
the gaff as well as we do the Hun will get the licking he deserves.
“He ain’t licked yet, but he is
groggy. He is like a prize fighter in the ninth round who is bluffing to get
his second wind.”
I have talked to soldiers from a
score of our States, and all of them seem to realize that big battles are
coming. However, they want to finish the job here, even if it takes years to do
so.
Our men are especially angry with
Austria, which was believed to be at least half friendly to the United States
but which now comes forward with peace suggestions almost simultaneous with the
appearance of her troops in France to fight against the Americans.
Also dated September 19, Don Martin sent a
tribute to a well-known New York surgeon, from Columbia University and
Presbyterian Hospital. It was published
in the New York Herald on Friday, September 20.
DR.
E. BREWER NEVER PAUSES
IN HIS WORK AS
HUN SHELLS
HIT WING OF HOSPITAL
Distinguished
New York Surgeon Continues Operation Under Bombardment as Coolly as Though in
His Operating Room at Home—Bravery of Medical Men
By Don Martin,
Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France
[Special Cable to the Herald]
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, Thursday
Decorations
for bravery likely will go to many members of the medical arm of the service as
a result of the work they did during General Pershing’s notable offensive
operation last week. Our surgeons showed that they are among the very bravest
men in the army. There were numberless instances during the fighting last week
where they dressed wounds and performed their full duty and more when death was
staring them in the face.
The case of
Dr. George E. Brewer, a distinguished New York city surgeon, now a major in the
Medical Corps, is typical and illustrative of the courage of the men in the
Medical Department. When the fighting was heaviest he and his assistants at a
surgical station well within the danger zone worked constantly taking care of
the wounded.
The Huns soon
got the range of this station and at once began shelling it. As the projectiles
fell closer and closer to the station it became necessary to move the patients
back out of danger. Many of them were moved, but before all of them could be
taken away, a shell struck a wing of the building. Dr. Brewer was amputating a
soldier’s leg at the time. He and his assistants paused a second and them
continued their work.
During the bombardment
no less than five Hun shells struck this hospital building, killing some of the
patients and inflicting fresh wounds on others. Through it al, however, Dr.
Brewer never once stopped work or showed the least concern for his own safety,
despite the fact that it seemed a certainty that a direct hit would be scored
on the operating room.
For three
hours he and his assistants worked here and during that time more than one
hundred shells fell in the immediate vicinity of the hospital. So busy was Dr.
Brewer saving lives that not even a suggestion was offered that he stop and
seek refuge in a safer spot.
And in this
connection I can say that the nurses showed the same bravery that was exhibited
by the surgeons.
On many
occasions I have seen our surgeons working close to the battle line. Too much
cannot be said of their bravery. They are getting none of the glamor or glory
of this war, but they are sharing all the dangers.
For Paris Don Martin wrote a political
dispatch, dated September 19, about German morale, which was published in the
Paris Herald on Friday, Sept 20, 1918.
GERMAN LETTERS BARE HEART
OF ARMY AND “FATHERLAND,”
AND SHOW DESPAIR OF DEFEAT
Soldiers Refer to Crown
Prince as Nonentity and Speak of Kaiser as Mollycoddle—Disappointed Hopes of
Victory This Year Cause Grave Anxiety Among the People
(Special Telegram to the Herald)
By DON MARTIN
With The American Armies, Thursday.
From an
official examination of letters found on prisoners, some of which were written
but not mailed and others received by troops in the field, fresh from various
parts of Germany, it becomes clear that the German morale has never been lower.
The High Command is worried by the indifference of the soldiers and also by the
inefficiency of the officers as compared with their perfect efficiency at the
beginning of the war. Soldiers, in their letters as well as in statements,
refer to the Crown Prince as a nonentity, and speak of the Kaiser as a
sentimental mollycoddle afraid of his own shadow. They express suspicion as to
the honesty of Ludendorff, and say Hindenburg has been proved a failure as a
leader.
A batch of
material in the hands of the Americans affords perhaps the best reflection yet
as to the actual conditions prevailing in the German army, also to the mental
condition of the people in Germany. An American who has made a summary of
everything says that before the offensive in July the Germans were about
normal, but in need of constant victories to keep them at par. The attitude of
the average German soldier now is summed up as follows: “We cannot win the war,
but you cannot either.” There is disappointment all through Germany, and in the
army also, that the war cannot end this year, for the enemy has been nourished
and stimulated by this belief. The people at home are anxious as to the future,
and worried about the iron yoke of debt which will hang about their necks when
the war ends.
Fear America’s
Strength
There can be
no doubt, from what letters received and letters unmailed contain, that the
situation in Germany is far more serious than ever before. Many people writing
from places where German prisons are located speak of the wonderful physique of
the American prisoners, and say deprecatingly: “We had men like that, but they
have all been killed. American has an inexhaustible supply.” A prisoner, who
before the war was a professor in a Cologne school and has been an officer
since the beginning of the war, supplied most interesting information. He made
the following sententious statement: “The only need that German cannot satisfy
is man-power.” He says that many officers now in line were relegated to the
rear more than a year ago for various reasons, chiefly inefficiency, and have
been reinstated now because of the absolute lack of men to lead the
troops. This is not surprising in view
of the large number of officers among the prisoners recently captured.
The Germans
are voluminous letter writers. Until recently German prisoners were disinclined
to talk, and usually lied or refused to say anything. Now it is different. One
prisoner says: “At the beginning of the war no German could have been forced to
talk no matter what penalty he was threatened with. Now they all talk, with the
exception of the officers, and even many of them give information freely.”
Lord Northcliffe’s
Activities
Copies of
many pamphlets which the Germans have been dropping in the American lines as
propaganda have been found, also notices issued by the army to officers. Here
is a copy of one which was distributed among the soldiers: “The enemy realized
we cannot be crushed by blockade, superior numbers or military force. Therefore
he is using trickery and underhand methods to cause doubt in your minds as to
our invincibility. The British have founded a special Ministry to destroy your
confidence. That most thorough-going rascal Lord Northcliffe is at the head of
it and has billions of dollars at his disposal to influence opinion and
assassinate Ambassadors, etc. He is distributing leaflets through aviators over
our lines. Northcliffe forgets the inexhaustible resources of Germany and
forgets also that our soldiers are neither negroes, Hindus, nor illiterate
French, British or Americans, incapable of seeing through such machinations.”
Foe Has 198 Divisions
The German
losses from Allied artillery fire have been extremely high. At the present time
Germany has 198 divisions on the Western line; thirteen are ready to enter the
line; seventy-one are in reserve or refitting; and 114 are in the line. Ten
divisions have been disbanded since the Marne retreat. German reports show that
some divisions were used after three days’ rest, while others which had not
been in line for three weeks were available, indicating that Germany’s superior
troops were used in the Marne fighting and in the more recent clashes.
While there
is no doubt that Germany is greatly weakened, largely through the paucity of
first-class soldiers and the rumblings among her civil population, it would be
unwise to assume that she is not a tremendous foe. This is fully realized by
the army authorities. As a general explained recently, she is like the bully
whose nose is made to bleed: he is badly hurt perhaps, but not licked. There is
much long, hard fighting ahead, and this prospect is fully appreciated by the
“doughboy” as well as by officers. But there is a well-grounded and
thoroughly-justified feeling that Germany cannot make a powerful offensive
again this year and is on the way—slow though it may be—to complete defeat.
Also on September 19, Don Martin sent to Paris
a brief report on the shelling of Metz, published in the Paris Herald on
Friday, Sept 20.
Huge Amex Guns Have Scored
Good Hits on Metz
(Special Telegram to the Herald)
By DON MARTIN
With The American Armies, Thursday.
The American
artillery has for several days had the Metz fortifications within range, and
has dropped several shells, making good hits, according to aerial observers.
Some of the
guns available for such work can not only hit the fortifications, but can pound
the city as well, and if necessary hurl their enormous projectiles many miles
beyond the strongly-fortified place.
Finally for September 19, Don Martin sent
Paris a note about General Pétain hearing American jazz, published in the Paris
Herald on Friday, Sept 20.
General Pétain Hears
and
Likes Jazz Band Rags
(Special Telegram to the Herald)
By DON MARTIN
With The American Armies, Thursday.
General Pétain has heard a jazz
band, and he liked it. It was the first he had heard. He was paying a visit to
an American chief of staff, when a negro regiment was having a little entertainment
of its own. The general stopped and for half an hour listened to a genuine jazz
band, to plantation melodies, sung in true barber-shop style, and watched a
negro do a buck and wing dance. When the entertainment was over, the
distinguished French general shook hands with the leader of the band and
thanked all the entertainers.
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