r the hill
at Chatel Chehery. Before we got there it got light and the Germans sent
over a heavy barrage and also gas and we put on our gas-masks and just
pressed right on through those shells and got to the top of Hill 223 to
where we were to start over at 6:10 A.M.

"They were to give us a barrage. The time came and no barrage, and we
had to go without one. So we started over the top at 6:10 A.M. and the
Germans were putting their machine guns to working all over the hill in
front of us and on our left and right. I was in support and I could see
my pals getting picked off until it almost looked like there was none
left.

"So 17 of us boys went around on the left flank to see if we couldn't
put those guns out of action.

"So when we went around and fell in behind those guns we first saw two
Germans with Red Cross band on their arms.

"Some one of the boys shot at them and they ran back to our right.

"So we all ran after them, and when we jumped across a little stream of
water that was there, there was about 15 or 20 Germans jumped up and
threw up their hands and said, 'Comrade.' The one in charge of us boys
told us not to shoot, they were going to give up anyway.

"By this time the Germans from on the hill was shooting at me. Well I
was giving them the best I had.

"The Germans had got their machine guns turned around.

"They killed 6 and wounded 3. That just left 8 and then we got into it
right. So we had a hard battle for a little while.

"I got hold of a German major and he told me if I wouldn't kill any more
of them he would make them quit firing.

"So I told him all right. If he would do it now.

"So he blew a little whistle and they quit shooting and came down and
gave up. I had about 80 or 90 Germans there.

"They disarmed and we had another line of Germans to go through to get
out. So I called for my men and one answered me from behind a big oak
tree and the other men were on my right in the brush.

"So I said, 'Let's get these Germans out of here.' One of my men said,
'It's impossible.' So I said, 'No, let's get them out of here.'

"When my men said that this German major said, 'How many have you got?'

"And I said, 'I got a plenty,' and pointed my pistol at him all the
time.

"In this battle I was using a rifle or a 45 Colt automatic pistol.

"So I lined the Germans up in a line of twos and I got between the ones
in front and I had the German major before me. So I marched them right
stra