The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-10-25
YANKEES PIERCE
HUN DEFENSES:
HAIC DRIVES ON
Pershing Troops Push Away Into
Meuse Positions; British
Near Mons.
SAMBRE CANAL IS CROSSED
Y. s. Fighters Penerate Deeply in Line
North Of Verdun, Wedging Drive
Into Seemingly lmpregnable
Positions-Counter-A
Fail.


Fail.
London, Oct. 25.-More than 1000
prisoners and 100 guns have been cap
tured by the British and Americans In
their drive south of VaIenciennes, be-
gun Wednesday morning, according to
Field Marshal Haig's report.
With the American Army North
west of Verdun, Oct. 25.-Amertcan
patrols penetrated deeply into the Ger
man lines in the region of Grand Pre-
and north of Verdun. The enemy has
been using his artillery and machine
guns freely along the entire front.
There has been little change in the
situation since last night.
Advances have been made east of
the Meuse in the BGis Etraves and the
Bots de Wavhiile.
Aerial Activity Less.
Aerial activity is less than on
Wednesday, when conditions were al
most ideal.
The bright moonlight enabled Amer
lean aviators to bomb large area be-
hind the German lines. One of the
American bombing squadrons dropped
3,077 Kilograms of bombs on the BOis
de Barricourt and the Bois de FOlie.
German aviators dropped bombs on
towns behind American lines occupied
only by civilians and without great
military value.
Pershing Tells of Gains.
Washington, Oct 25.-Continued
progress by the Americans on the bat
tie front north Of Verdun was report
ed by General Pershing. Enemy posi-
tions east of the Meuse were pene-
trated and west of the Meuse Banthe-
vile was completely occupied and the
American line established on a ridge
northwest of the village.
Fifteen enemy airplanes and one OBJ.
servation balloon were shot down in
the course Of many combats, in which
three American balloons were de
stroyed and six planes failed to return
Yankees Task Hardest.
London, Oct. pa Times CORE
spondent with the American forces
says in a dispatch to his newspaper
that it would be difficult to exaggerate
the violence Of the opposition which
the First American army Is meeting
between the Meuse and the Argonne.
Indeed, slow as the progress is
he writes, sit Is quite remarkable wher
all the circumstances are taken into
consideration. Little by little the
American divisions are pushing for
ward, and both at Grand Pre- and east
Of Landres they can fairly be said tc
have reached the Kriemhilde position
5 Under Constant SheIIing.
"On the left Of the American front
around Grand Pre- there Is constant
heavy artillery firing and vicious ma
chine gun resistance. More to the
right, ROmagne, Sous, Montfaucon, Gu
mel. Cierges and Mantillois are kept
continually under heavy bombardmen1
by the enemy, who is using a good
deal of gas along the roads behind the
American lines.
"On the east bank of the Meuse
there is greater infantry activity anG
enemy patrols are continually har
assing and cOunter-attacking. 1t is
quite evident that Ludendorff and the
German general staff have ordered this
part Of the line to be held at all costs
and that re-enfOrcements are cOntinuu
ally being thrown in against the Amer
icans."
French Cross Disc.
Paris, Oct. 25.-French troops have
crossed the Disc canal opposite Long
champs, the war Office announced.
They have also made an important
advance between the Disc and the
Serre rivers. the statement adds.
British Drive Forward.
London, Oct. 25.-The British Of
fensive On both sides of the belea
guered city of Valenciennes drove for
ward against fierce German opposi
ton.
On the southern flank of the attack
the British, aided by American divi
sfons, pushed forward against the
strategic town of Maubeuge and Mons
AT last reports they had pressed across
the EscaillOn river and had taker
Beaudignfes, one and One-half miles
from LIE Quesnoy, the most importanr
stronghold defending Maubeuge on the
west. More than 5000 prisoners ant
many guns have been captured to date
VaIenciennes Is Pocketed.
On the north another British army
gained ground above Valenciennes
thus pocketing the city. The Ger
mans were reported to have evacuated
Valenciennes with the exception of 6
few outposts.