Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-13

grandiose detectives, but in reality
the attack is for limited obJectiVes
only.
"The concentration of a great part
of the most experienced United
States troops had taken place during
the last two weeks and everything
was planned minutely and with ex-
actitude for a great event in Ameri-
can history. Last night the final
preparations were completed.
Fight Over Difficult Country
The country over which the
Americans are fighting is very diff
cult. The high ridges and thick
woods offer every concealment Tor
enemy machine guns and in addition
the Germans have a fortified line of
resistance, which has everything in
it's favor.
eat 1 o'clock Thursday morning
the artillery preparation began with
a roar that could be heard many
miles away. and all night it rose and
fell with peculiar fluctuations. From
all the roads that ran parallel the
flashes of innumerable guns told of
the impending assault. Towards 5
o'clock-the hour of the attack-the
firing became even more rapid and
its sullen. tone mingled strangely
Win the Sound OF the rain
Yanks Man Tanks
"At dawn whole fleets Of tanks
manned by Strong young Americans
and French were to be seen moving
ou. of their shelters to lead the at
tack. They numbered on, but the Ger
mans offered little opposition. The
American infantry followed in open
order, plowing through the mud, but
Iittln frnI1hlad nv the
feeble artillery resistance.
"At one point, near Seicheprey,
where the Americans had previously
fought desperately with the Ger
mans, machine gun and automatic
fire swept down upon the Yanks
right flank, but the tanks and artil-
lery quickly moved in that direction,
and the Americans went steadily for
ward.
Tanks Disappear
"At Z o'clock thetanks had disap-
peared amid a smoke cloud over the
ridge in front of Seicheprey.
The Germans have offeyed very
little resistance to the advancing
Americans. Occasionally a stray ma
chine gun or automatic rifle has been
discovered, but 1t is apparent that
the enemy has withdrawn his main
forces to a second line, which pos
sibly he will defend with a certain
degree of tenacity.
Lose One In Mud
His artillery has been firing from
behind a ridge which runs in front
of the American line, but he is being
pursued by tanks, which at one point
lost only one, out of forty-five, and
that stuck in the mud.
"A few prisoners from the Tenth
Bandwehr division have been taken.
The Americans are pressing for
ward in fine style and slowly closing
in the extreme ends of the St Mi
hiel salient.
"At the time of telegraphing, news
of what has happened is very meager
bu: the correspondent has just vis-
tied the battle front and heard of the
progress of the American units in the
region of Montsec and Seicheprey
and of the capture of several villages.
Advance Through Sunlight
From Beaumont l could see lying
just below me the trenches from
which the Americans started and the
valley through which they were fight
ing. The sun was streaming across
the valley, casting shadows from the
melancholy wrecks of villages all
around. On The left was the black.
forbidding height of Montsec, with
the tiny village of that name nest
ling on its black side. Spurts of
earth sprang from its capacious sides
as the American artillerymen bat
tered at it.
I'm the valley the tops of what
once had been houses In the village
of Richecourt were discernable when
the smoke disappeared.
Khaki Figures Move Forward
Away to the right, bathed in the
sum-! hit, was the village of st. Baus-
SAINT, resting on the side of majec-
tic promontory. Khaki figures were
moving along the valley. The smoke
occasionally blotted them from view,
but they would reappear soon after
ward, walking with easy stride.
Meanwhile the air was rent with
the torrent of shells passing over
head. American gunners, manning
every possible type of gun, were
working with mechanical rhythm as
they loaded and sent the shells to
their destination. The light railways
continually brought up supplies"
Employ Pincer Tactics
1t is clear that for his first blow
General Pershing determined to en-
ploy the pincer tactics Marshal Foch
has used with repeated success in
hurting the foe back from the Marine
and out. of the Ricardy and Flanders