September 23, 1918: Don Martin reports developments at American front

Don Martin diary entry for Monday, September 23, 1918: 

Stayed in again today. Orders to correspondents are they cannot leave the war zone, meaning something is soon to happen. Played billiards for couple of hours with Battersby of Reuters [London], a very able man who was a great friend of Tolstoy. Had dinner at the Angleterre. Wrote nothing for New York. At night sat in [Ray] Carroll’s [Philadelphia Public Ledger] room and listened to Junius Wood [Chicago Daily News] abuse Cameron Mackenzie [London Chronicle] and Mackenzie good naturedly abuse Wood. Carroll abused everyone. Bailey [London Daily Mail], [Edwin] James [New York Times], [Wilbur] Forrest [New York Tribune] and several others came in and talked till two in the morning when we all went to bed. Indications are we will leave here for a few days very soon.

          Don Martin’s cable sent on Monday, September 23, to the New York Herald was published on Tuesday, Sep 24.

GERMANS MASSING POWERFUL TROOPS ON YANKEE FRONT

American Raids Reveal New Forces 

Behind Foe’s Lines In Lorraine

PREPARE FOR BITTER DEFENSE OF POSITIONS

Engineers Develop Hun Railway System,

Found Almost Intact After Enemy Retreat

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, Monday

                       The German forces opposite us have recovered breath since the recent shock of General Pershing’s offensive in the St. Mihiel salient and indications now are that they are preparing to defend bitterly every foot of the territory they hold. In support of this theory raids during the last few days by the Americans reveal that the enemy has placed new and powerful troops opposite us.

                        I have just talked with an officer in the American forces who before entering the army was a New York city broker. When I saw him he was just in from the front line, where he had passed a week in a dugout, which most of the time was extremely muddy, due to the recent heavy rains here. At home he was a modern Beau Brummel, but when I saw him he was a rough looking specimen, muddy from head to foot.

                       “Yes, life here is quite different from that at home,” he said. “However, a day under fire and a night in a dugout are no worse than a day of bad markets on Wall Street, followed by a sleepless night when a man is trying to prepare himself for the following day.”

                       Also I have just heard a remarkable story of a private who asked to be transferred from the front line because he stammers. He said that recently he was held up by a night sentry and asked for the password. He stammered an unintelligible reply, whereupon the sentry fired at him and barely missed the mark. The stammerer’s speech quickly returned to him. His request for transfer now is being considered by the military authorities and probably will be approved.

                        The railway system which the Germans constructed inside the St. Mihiel salient and upon which they largely relied to make their positions inside the salient invincible, now is being used by the Americans. Our engineers have built a narrow gauge road and now have connected it up with the system the Germans built. It makes a splendid means of communication for our forces. Two days after the Germans were driven out of the salient the railroad tracks which they put down were being used by our forces to carry ammunition forward.

                       The enemy sought at various points to destroy the track and equipment of their lines of communication, but their flight was so precipitate that they could not complete their work of destruction. Our engineers promptly repaired the damage the Huns had caused.

            Published in the Paris Herald on Tuesday, September 24.    

INCENDIARY SHELLS OF  HUNS 

NOW FALL BEHIND THE LINES

German Frightfulness Now Trying Itself Out

on Civilians in Saint-Mihiel District

(Special Telegram to the Herald)

By DON MARTIN

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES, Monday

              German frightfulness is now trying itself out on the civilian population of the villages which the Germans have evacuated in the Saint-Mihiel salient. Incendiary shells are being sent almost constantly into the villages behind the lines. During the German occupation of these towns the civilian population lived in perfect security from the bombs and shells because they knew that the French would not bomb or shell so long as there was danger of killing women and children non-combatants. The civilian population has been almost entirely moved from some of these villages. More than twenty incendiary shells dropped into one village and set fire to several buildings.

              On Sunday morning the Americans put a barrage around a village which contained about a hundred Germans. The barrage prevented the Germans from escaping except by running toward the Americans. The Germans battled for an hour and a half in the deserted streets of the village. There were many bayonet engagements, and at least forty Germans are known to have been killed. All those not killed were taken prisoner.

              The American front was quiet last night and to-day except for clashes between patrols.

          The Washington Post published on September 23 a photo titled, “Famous Correspondent at Hero’s Grave”, of Don Martin at Quentin Roosevelt’s gravesite.