Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-05-31
SUCCESSFUL
IN SEVERAL OPERATIONS
Officials In Washington
Pleased at Reports From
Fighting Front.
FIRST OFFENSIVE
MADE IN PICARDY
Yankee Troops Take Town
of Cantigny From Huns
In Brilliant Attack.

Washington, May 29-Re-
ports of successful operations
by American soldiers are COM
ing to the war department, Sec
retary Baker said today. De-
tails Of the actions are expect
ed in the regular official COM
munications from Gen. PERISH
ing. -.
The secretary made this statement
when asked to comment on the situa-
ton in Europe:
"I cannot comment on the general
situation. We are constantly receiv-
ing reports of splendid valor and sue
cessful operations by our American
soldiers and I am very proud of the
part they now are playing. The de-
tils of these actions will appear in the
communiques from Gen. Pershing"
War department officials are highly
pleased at the conduct of the Ameri-
can troops in their first offensive
against the Germans in Picardy. The
attack that brought the capture of
Cantigny, they pointed out today; was
delivered with speed and precision;
testifying to the hard hitting qualities
of the American.
The quick consolidation of the
ground won, noted by both foreign
and American correspondents, officers
said, gives satisfactory proof of the
aptitude of American officers and men
in learning the methods of modern
warfare.
Some officers believe the American
attack may forecast the launching of
a counter offensive of large scope by
Gen. Foch. They regard the time and
place of the operations as right for a
feeling out thrust as a preliminary to
counter assault in force.
The German claim of Is 900 prison.
ers in the new thrust on the Aisne
front did not strike observers here as
unusual, should it prove to be true.
British official statements have shown
I that the front line trench system in
this sector was overrun in the enemy
! rush, which appear to have penetrated
to a maximum depth of about 10
miles.
An addition to Gen. Pershing' s
communique for yesterday, given out
| by the war department today, reports
| that two German patrol attacks on
May rs and 27 were repulsed by
American troops.
Lieuts Rickenbacker and Campbell,
American airmen, downed one enemy
machine while fighting six of them.
Gen Pershing cited an American
sergeant, who although wounded,
| drove off an enemy patrol of four
men.
The communique follows:
Section B-Yesterday morning
| three of our planes encountered four
hostile planes flying at 5000 metres
| in the region of Montsec. In the
| fighting that ensued Lieut. Douglas
! Campbell successfully attacked two
! of the German machines. OF these
| one lost both wings and fell. This
was referred to in yesterdays COM
munique. In the same encounter
| one of our aviators was wounded, but
| succeeded in making a normal land
! ing within our lines.
Yesterday morning in a sector re-
Gently taken over by our troops n
American sergeant encountered a Ger
man patrol of four men, who had
entered one of our trenches during the
night. In fighting which ensued oul
sergeant, although receiving three
! wounds, succeeded In driving out the
hostile patrol, which left grenades AMI
| wire cutters behind.
"In Lorraine, on the evening of NAY
2e, hostile patrol attempted to pen.
citrate our lines. 1t was driven of
with loss to the enemy with five kill
ed OF these, one was brought intc
g, our lines. One of our men wa:
| wounded.
This morning Lieut.. Rickenbachel
and Lieut.. Campbell attacked a grouI
| of six enemy planes and brought one
down out of control"