The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-31
FRENCH WIN IN
TWO DIRECTIONS
Move Ahead of AiIette River and
East of LeuiIIy-NeuviIIe
Line.
take IMPORTANT POSITIONS
Gain Three Miles South of the Somme
and Straighten Out Their Line
Near Coucy-6erIin Claims
Victory.

Paris, March 29.-The advance of
the French in the region north of Sois-
sons was continued during the night.
Progress was made north of the Ailette
river and east of the Leuilly-Neuville-
sur-Margival line, where important po-
sitions were captured.
These gains are recorded in the Off
cial report, which also indicates un-
usual activity farther east. The ar
! tillery of both the French and the
Germans kept p"s violent fire dur
ing the night on the front between
Butte du MeSnil and Maisons de Cham
payne. Heavy artillery fighting is in
progress in the region east of the
lower forest of Coucy.
French Advance on Two Lines.
The statement follows:
Between the Somme and the Disc
and south of the Disc there We're no i'm
portant events during the night. The
artillery firing was rather heavy in
the region east of the lower forest
of Coucy. North of the Ailette we
made further progress and also in the
sector west of the line Leuilly-Neu-
ville-sur-Margival, where we cap
tured several important points Of sup
port.
"1n the region of Reims we made a
surprise attack east of Neuville, TAX
ing prisoners. In the Champagne dur
ing the night the artillery fighting be-
came violent, especially in the region
of Butte du Mesnil and Maisons de
Champagne"
Advance South of the Somme.
The French made substantial ad-
vance south of the Somme, moving for
ward in places as far as three miles
from their former positions, with the
result that the big bulge in the line
formed by the lower Coucy forest has
disappeared and the front runs con-
tinuously straight from the Somme to
the AiSne.
Coucy-le-Chateau, which is perched
on height, could not be attacked
from the front, and the French, follow
ing NapoleOn's maxim of going around
an obstacle that cannot be surmounted,
cleared the Germans out of the lower
forest. The operation was carried out
with skill and dispatch and Coucy,
turned on the right, fell into their
hands like a ripe fruit.
Main Position Far in the Rear.
The Germans naturally did not place
their main position on the automat-
ically outflankable Coucy plateau, and
it evidently lies farther in the rear.
Behind the lower forest and plateau
Is vale passing from Anizy-le Chateau
through Quincy-Basse and Aulers to
Fresnes. On the upper side of this
natural moat, rising abruptly to a
height of $50 feet lies the upper
Coucy forest from which artillery can
sweep the plateau on which the old
tower of Coucy stood.
1t is there that the enemy's main po-
sition will be found. 1t is Il most for
lQlQADle pOSlllOu anu dulIllIdblS uudpl-
ed to defense, and it is to be fore
seen that the French, who are acting
with the great prudence the situation
demands, will mark time here, as ON
the more northerly sections, and give
the columns operating between the
Ailette and the Aisne time to work up
toward Anizy and threaten the posi-
ton from the left flank.
In taking all of the lower forest of
Coucy the French captured the VIII
lagos of Petit Barisis, Verneuil and
Coucy-la- Vile. This important terri
tory lies to the south of La Fere and
west of LRon. The French advance
has now reached the western outskirts
of the forest Of st. Gobain.
RepuIse French With Big Losses.
Berlin March ga French attack
on the west bank of the Disc near
La Fere failed with heavy losses, the
war office announces. French trenches
in the Champagne south of Ripont