Evening star., 1914-12-31

night the enemy sets of a huge amount
of fireworks in addition to his in
fantry fire, marking in q word nerV-
BUSINESS with which we are we'll salts
fed.
our attacks, delivered with continuity:
did not permit the enemy In spite OF
vigorous counter attacks to recapture
the positions lost by him de
veloped particularly between st.
Hilaire lie Grand and Beausejour Ito
the east of -Tourbe). We can
sum up by saying that all the points
seize are today in our possession.
I'm the environs Of Perthes we gained
200 meters the Goth, also the 21st and
500 meters the 22d. This gain extended
represents the whole line of the
enemy's trenches upon this front. Our
attack resulted in the capture of sew
eral blockhouses, a section Of machine
numerous projectiles and gun pro-
tected by a cupola-certain proof tat
the Germans, confident Of their ability
to resist, have nevertheless been mas
tered by our troops.
Check Five Counter Attacks.
''The checking of five counter attacks
which they directed upon this point
has likewise affirmed our superiority.
On the Gath we chased the Germans
from some zigzag trenches which they
still occupied, and consolidated our
position upon all their first line.
The operations around Perthes have
been supplemented by others still more
valuable to US to the east-a gain OF
400 meters at Mesnil-les-Hurlus on the
23d and the possession of the Hill of
Calvary near Beausejour on the 2Oth.
On the oath we seized a woods to the
east of the trenches captured on the
23d. Here again the results obtained
have been secured in spite of he enc
my's counter attacks. In this region
we have better succeeded In conquertng
the various points of support which
were presented to US as an objective.
'"The enemy suffered huge losses and
our soldiers are in high spirits.
Argonne to Swiss Frontier.
I'm the woods of Argonne the war
fare is harder and more disagreeable,
the difficulties of the wooded and mud
dy terrain rendering more notable our
continued progress. In the two woods
of la Grurie and of Bolante the enemy
succeeded on the 18th in blowing up
one of our trenches. 1t has since been
recaptured from the rear, and on the
Goth we constructed some new trenches
in advance of the old ones"
"On four occasions we blew up some
German mines, demolished machine
guns, concealed shelters and captured
rifle ammunition and other material.
Ours was the moral superiority incon-
testably. Many advances, not one re-
treat-that is the balance sheet on the
TANKS west of the Argonne. In one
day, the Gath, we repulsed five attacks.
From the west of the Argonne to
the heights of the Meuse. inclusive, we
showed an activity from the 18th to
the 24th often crowned with success,
and that in spite of the condition OF
the terrain-more suitable to the de-
fensive than to the offensive. Our ar
tillery, and especially our heavy artil
lery, inflicted notable damage upon the
artillery of the enemy. On the 18th two
pieces were destroyed: two batteries
demolished on the 10Th and one re-
duced to silence; a machine gun shell
ter destroyed on the goth and one
blown up; q battery damaged on the
22d to the northeast of St. Mihiel and
two destroyed near Bethincourt.
Gain in the Woods.
Infantry attacks developed espe-
cially In the region of Bourcuilles and
Vauquois, near Ouisy and the woods of
Forges, and in the woods of Consen-
voye. At Boureuilles the terrain has
been warmly disputed: We entered the
village. were obliged to abandon it
and then retook it. On the outskirts of
Vauquois we progressed at first 100
meters, then 300. We advanced like
wise into the woods of Malancourt the,
goth and made progress the 21st in
the region of Bethincourt and in the
woods of Forges December 81, %. 23),
with a gain of from 200 to 300 meters
in these three days. We gained $50
meters on the 24th in the woods of
Consenvoye, where, in spite of vio-
lent bombardment and of counter at
tacks we maintained the conquered po-
sition.
I'm the woods of Chevaliers, finally.
we gained 100 meters and took some
prisoners remarkable for their sordid
dirtiness. They were from head to foot
a mass of vermin.
Between the Meuse and the Moselle
the action has been less keen than upon
the rest of the front. 1t has permitted
US to register progress slowly, but this
progress continues in the forest of
Apremont and in the woods of La Pre-
tire. We succeeded in destroying or
silencing several batteries of the enc
my's artillery in the Woevre district
and in the forest of Apremont on the
Goth. We demolished trenches in the
same region on the ed and Gath. We