Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-05-09
FIERCE BATTLES IN PROGRESS.
Reports Indicate Continued Gains on
Part Of Entente Armies.


fresh divisions on the positions which
the French captured yesterday along
the front from Craonne to Mont
Carnillet were repulsed in all cases,
it is officially announced. In addi-
tion the French made progress east
Of Mount Carnillet. The French
took more than 1000 prisoners
The French statement speaks of
each of the German attacks as "vio-
lent" Every violent" or severe"
and in each case states unqualifiedly
fantry, artillery or machine guns, or
all three. 1t also says the German
losses were very large.
British Make Progress.
London, May 4.-The British made
additional progress north Of Havrin-
court Wood and near Fresnoy, ac-
cording to an official announcement.
Report 4,3OO Prisoners.
Paris, May 5.--A brilliant success
for the French army Is recorded in
the official communication issued by
the war Office tonight. An important
French advance has been made
against powerful opposition along
the road from Soissons to Laon, over
an extent Of nearly four miles.
French troops have captured all the
plateau in the neighborhood of Cerny
and Craonne and the hills dominating
the valley Of the Aillette river. The
number OF prisoners captured to-day
was 4,300, In addition to the 1000
taken yesterday.
Sanguinary Engagements.
The lighting during the last 48
hours has made several breaches In
the German line. Fighting on the
British front has been the most san
culinary and desperate since the bat
tie OF the Marne. From south Of
Lens, where the Canadians and Aus
tralians fractured the Hindenburg
line, to the region of Rheims, where
the French have made breaches in
the German line in the sector from
which Rheims is being bombarded
continuous series of attacks, followed
by counter attacks, which have been
Of SO desperate a character as to indi-
cate that the supposition that the
Germans have planned 70 retire Is er-
roneous, at least for the present.
The Germans have counter attack
ed more violently than at any time
since the offensive began, throwing
fresh troops into the battle at threat
ened points in fierce efforts to regain
their lost positions. The fighting
was especially prolonged and vio-
lent around Craonne, where the
French took prisoners from two fresh
divisions and maintained all their
gains.
Prisoners Total $500.
Paris, May 6.-Every gain scored
by the French in yesterdays brilliant
advance northeast of Soissons was
maintained against numerous heavy
counter attacks last night, the war
office announced to-day. Consolida-
tion of this ground has made them
masters of most Of the ridge crowned
by the Chemindes-Damas along
front Of more than Is miles. The
text of the statement reads:
Northeast Of Soissons the Ger
mans launched during the night num-
erous counter attacks with large ef-
fectives upon the positions captured
by us yesterday. The fighting was
particularly fierce in the regions Of
LafauX, north Of Froidmont farm,
north of Braye-en-Laonnois, north
west of Cerny.
Everywhere the enemy's efforts
wore broken down and his forces dis
persed, the assault being thrown
back by our fire or at the point of the
bayonet. We have fully maintained
our gains. Our troops have organ
lied the conquered territory, which
gives evidence that the Germans suf-
fered Sanguinary losses during yes
terdaY's fighting as we'll as in the
counter attacks during the night.
"sn sum, all the operations carried
out on May and 5 in correlation
with the British operations, have
rendered us masters of the major
part Of the edge marked by the
Chemin-des-Dame upon a front Of
80 kilometers. The number of pris-
oners actually counted has reached
$500, Of which $50 are officers,
among them several battalion com
manders. We captured seven cannon,
OF which several are OF large calibre.
violent artillery actions occurred
northwest Of Rheims and in the
Champagne west Of Mont Carnillet.
We captured a fortified position Of
support and repulsed. after lively
fighting, two German attacks upon
our trenches in the region Of Mont
Haut.
can enemy surprise attack in the
direction Of Maisons .de-C -Champagne
was likewise stopped
"On the remainder OF the front
there was no important event to re-
port"
Drive Failure, Says Berlin.
Berlin, May GA tremendous
thrust by the French on front of
nearly % miles in an effort to break
through the German line on the ALL
lette-Craonne front yesterday proved
futile, army headquarters announced