Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-12-05
GREAT BATTLE, WEST 'FRONT.'.
Germans Start Heavy Counter Att
tacks Against the British.

to-day were continuing their counter
attacks against the German forces
who yesterday penetrated the British
defenses in the Gonnelieu sector, and
who pushed considerable salient
into the British territory. Desperate
fighting was proceeding about Con-
nelieu this morning
At an early hour Of the forenoon
the Germans had been pushed back
over considerable amount Of
ground which they overran yesterday
Gouzeaucourt, which the enemy held
five hours and represented their ex-a
extreme advance, was cleared little
after 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon
and later the British operations re-
suited in the Germans being pushed
back from Quentin ridge to east Of
Gouzeacourt and from Gauche wood,
which lies west of Villeres Guislain..
Berlin Claims 1000 Prisoners.
Berlin, Dec. 1.-The Germans yes
terday captured 1900 British and
several batteries in the Cambrai re-
gion. the war office announces. f%
The statement says that between
Moeurves and Bourbon and from;
Fontaine and La Folie the Germans
threw back the British to the vil-
lagos of Graincourt, Anneux and
Cantaing, stormed the heights on the
west bank of the Scheldt, on both
sides of Banteux, and also captured
Gonnelieu and Villers-Guislain.-
Americans Making Good.
With the British Army in France;
Dec. Large numbers Of American
army engineers working on the Brit
ish railways in the region Of Gouzea-
court caught IN the German turning
movement, escaped by lying In she'll
holes and prone on the ground while
lsthaS III itishs sared ssoy them. isfs
they remained until the British were
near enough to enable the Americans
to join the ranks, when they fought
valiantly and played an important
part in replying to the enemy The
British commanders refer to their
SoilohI Will LhC 6i CuJSot
enthusiasm.
Americans elsewhere took busy
hand in the lighting and we're under
hot German shell fire. Numbers Of
them volunteered for patrol work In
the danger zone and all acquitted
themselves finely.
A British general told the corres-
pondent that he could not praise
them too highly. 1t is reported that
several Americans were captured, but
escaped after a few hours and re-
Joined the British.
The engineers were mainly from
New York.
Some Details Of Battle.
With the British Army in France,
Dec. 2.-Nine separate counter at
tacks launched against Masnieres by
strong German forces yesterday were
all repulsed after most sanguinary
| fighting, although the British pulled
their line back somewhat to lessen
the sharp salient there. An intense
! battle ragged all day, and 1t Is stated
that the British killed more Ger
mans between daylight and dark than
in any similar period since the war
began. It was virtually continuous
| fight from the first counter-attack.
The enemy infantry kept surging
| forward in waves, and as each came
up 1t was caught by the fire from the
British artillery, rifles and machine
guns. The attacking forces were
| mown down like grain before the
reaper, but with characteristic Prus-
sian discipline they continued to fill
their ranks and advance after the
ninth assault had failed.
During the afternoon the Germans
succeeded in capturing Les Rues Ver-
tes, suburb south of Masnieres, but
British eounter-attack delivered at
o'clock pushed the enemy out
again. German guns on elevations
south and southeast Of Masnieres
late yesterday were conducting a
heavy bombardment against the
town.
The British line at that time bulg-
ed around Masnieres in very sharp
salient, which made the position an
unenviable one to hold at best. 1t
seemed quite apparent that II the
British could decide to withdraw
slightly in the neighborhood OF Mag
nteres and establish their line on the