The Germans started in headlong flight when the Americans seized two
machine guns and turned them on the Germans with terrific effect. The
Germans soon tired of this, and those nearest the Americans began
surrendering. In the meantime the marines kept up the chase.
[Illustration: MAJOR GENERAL HARBORD, IN COMMAND OF AMERICAN MARINES]
While this was going on the Americans almost surrounded the woods, and
the Germans, fleeing from some of the Americans, ran into the machine
gun and rifle fire of the others. Then those left rushed headlong the
other way to surrender. In a short time the gallant marines had got
to the other side of the woods, and immediately, with the aid of the
engineers, started the construction of a strong position.
Prisoners counted that day numbered more than 300. It was found that
they belonged to the crack 5th German Guard Division, which includes
the Queen Elizabeth Regiment. There had been 1,200 Germans in the
woods. With the exception of the prisoners nearly all the rest were
slain.
The prisoners said they were glad of the chance to surrender and get
out of the woods, because the American artillery fire for three days
had cut off their food and other supplies and they had lived in a
hell on earth. The Germans seemed deeply impressed by the fury of the
American attack. One of the captured officers, when asked what he
thought of the Americans as fighters, answered that the artillery was
crazy and the infantry drunk. A little German private, taking up his
master's thought, pointed to three tousled but smiling marines, and
said: "Vin rouge, vin blanc, beaucoup vin." He meant he thought the
Americans must be intoxicated, to fight as they did for that wood.
Our boys took especial delight in corralling the machine guns. These
guns had been very well placed behind trees and in rocky caves and
well supplied with ammunition. The Americans had practiced on a German
machine gun previously captured, and knew just how to use them against
the "Heinies." The captured guns were cleverly camouflaged and were
almost overlooked by the Americans. The mortars had been used to throw
gas shells from the heights into the woods upon the Americans.