The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-22
RAIN CAMOUFLAGED
ALLIES IN ATTACK
"Temps'' Tells How Nature
Helped at Opening Of
Offensive.
ENEMY WAS STUPEFIED
Post Of Honor Given to Amer
leans With Flower Of
French Army.
ENEMY WAS STUPEFIED
Special Cable Despofch to TnE sus from tho
London Times

Special caoie Dsspofch to The sus from tho
London Times.
Copyright. 1918: all rights reserved.
PARIS. July 21.--Events are moving
80 fast that much Of value is likely
to be lost by the rapid race into history.
Tho Temps correspondent tonight gives
description Of Gen. Mangin's first on
slausht west of Rheims which merits
a better fate than oblivion.
The night preceding the attack was
stormy" the correspondent says. There
was q tremendous thunder cloud. huge
illumination by flashes of sheet light
ming. Cataracts Of rain preceded the
start Of the offensive. The heavens
themselves tried to camouflage our last
preparation along a front Of twenty-five
kilometers.
"Our troops were slightly tired as they
we're lined up. having been fighting since
March %. The centre place of honor
was reserved for the Americans. side by
side with the men who form the flower
Of the French army. They awaited the
moment of attack under an open heaven.
When dawn came every one was In his
place. ready to go over Everything
was wrapped In a great quiet. The drip
Of water from the trees was the only
sound.
Suddenly at half past the signal
for the attack went up. Immediately
terrific noise burst and an avalanche OF
shells Numbered down our front. Our
eager gunners formed another avalanche
which moved slowly but regularly east
ward It was our barrags. Behind 1t
the French and American troops ad-
vanced. They had been gone only ten
minutes when the first prisoners came
running along. their hands lifted high
in token of surrender.
AT certain points prudence was re-
quired, for 1t was impossible In this In
stance to make a frontal attack upon
the wooded horn on the plateau toward
Dommiers. There the position was sur
rounded by troops who advanced around
the horn over open country. When the
two points Joined at the extreme end OF
the horn the trap was shut. Moreover. II
had been necessary to cross the Savieres.
founder about in the marshes and cross
deep ravines but finally all those OBJ
stacles OF the first minutes had been
overcome and the general line attack
had been we'll advanced.
Having got hold. the platoors Of
tanks came up and took their places at
the head of the armies 1t was a grand
sight to see the tanks advancing as
though on parade in the enemy ranks.
situation. Our waves Of infantry fol-
lowed behind In excellent order"
Fallen Aviator Rescued.
From this moment onward the attack
became more rapid. So quickly did 1t
go that one French aviator shot down
within the German lines had hardly
time to hide himself in a wood before
he was rescued by the advancing
French. Another proof Of the swiftness
of our advance was the silence of the
enemy artillery. which had no time to
react. Hundreds of artillerymen were
captured before they had time to load
their guns. In the deep ravne at Sa-
comm we reaped fine harvest OF heavy
field guns.
Meanwhile news was arriving at the
headquarters of Gen. Mangin-which
really consisted only of his headquarters
flag placed at the foot of big oak
tree. whence he followed the French ad-
vances. Villages were falling one after
the other like houses built of cards. On
every road and on every path across the
wheat fields long lines of men in gray
uniforms were flowing in They were
the Kaisers soldiers surrendering in
groups OF 40. so and 100.
Here two regimental STATS we're cap
tured In bed there a camp surrendered,
the sentinels of which hadn't time even
to call Who goes there? Further off
the Americans were galloping over the
country, overtaking the frightened
enemy Toward the south. in the region
Of the Ourcq. the ground was more cut
up and dotted with woods. an awkward
hill and dale. where the artillery bar
rage was only able TO have super
fetal effect. There machine guns were
still In action. This allowed the Ger
mans to withdraw to the west and oc-
cupy fresh positions
THE afternoon was occupied by some
in organizing the conquered positions
and by others in clearing these last