The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-04
Americans Answer Germans
With Shell for Shell
From Big Guns.
GREATEST OFFENSIVE
ON PERSHING TROOPS
Yankee 75's Greatly Harass
Traffic Of Enemy Behind
TcutOn Positions.

With the American Army In France,
Feb. a.By Tho Associated Press.-A
German barragc fire at stlndown last
night opened the heaviest lombard
rnent of many days along the American
sector the American artillery replying
shell for shell, as the firing Of the
heavy guns spread along several kilO-
meters OF front. Two Americans were
Killed and nine wounded during tho
hombarlmont and one suffered shell
shock.
The whole American sector re-
sounded with the boom OF guns. Air
men became exceedingly active along
the American front on Saturday.
Shippers wounded two Americans
slightly. early In the morning.
1t was aseertained today that the
American gunnors wrecked several OF
the enemy dugouts and SO badly dam
aged the first line positions that at one
point the Germans were unable to Oc-
cupy them Sunday.
When the bombarament had reached
its greatest intensity the Germans
suddenly concentrated their fire ut two
points. throwing about 25o shells into
"A town In which the quarters Of cer-.
tain regiment are located. and which
heretofore had been immune to enemy
fire.
After the bombardmcnt wounded
American soldier was discovered in n
position whore 1t was necessary to
carry him over a trench to Il field
dressing station. A medical corps
man displayed the Red Cross and the
Germans ceased firing until the man
was removed.
Early in the day an American was
wounded by a sniner.
Air Battle Fought.
\ shift of wind cleared away tho
mist which has hindercd aerial opera
tons and other activities for several
days. number of battles in the dir
W. re fought by pntroing planes early
In the afternoon. In one instance the
French defeated an attempt Of German
fliers to cross behind the American
trenches.
The artillery and snipers also have
been increasingly active. American
| T5's harrassed traffic behind the
enemy trenches. The Germans con-
| fined their fire largely to the Ameri-
can trenches.
Throughout Friday night machine
guns ratified ccAselessy from German
positions.
Samrees or Lorraine Front.
| American troops are now occupying
u sector Of the Lorraine front IN
| France. This announcement Is per-
mitted by the military censor.
| The fact that American troops were
| in the trenches In Lorraine was re
vcaed by the German war office three
months ago at that time, according to
an official German announcement, the
| Americans were on the front at the
| Rhine Marine canal. which intersacts
| the battle line near the German border.
duo east of Nancy. This announeement
! as made in the official report from
| Berlin Of the first German raid on the
| American positions in which three
| Americans were killed, five wounded
and II captured.
The eastern end Of the battle line in
| France and Belgium runs through
French and German Lorraine, French
| Lorraine, in which the American
sector Is included in the departments
of Meus", the capital of which is Ver-
dun; Meurthc ct Moselle, whose cap
| ital is Nancy, and Vosges, with the
capital at Eplnal. The length of the
front In French Lorraine Is about 150
miles.
| Estepsiye Line !
| This section Of the battle line cx-
tended into tho Meuse fy,m the Marne
near st. Menehould and runs eastward
to the north of Eerdun. south to st.
| Mihisl and east to the German border.
There ii turns to the southeast. and
almost parallels the border to the vi
ciniiy of L.ientry. Below Lientry 1t cuts
across n section of French soii, past
/ BadonViIlcr and Scnones and to the
j east of st. Die and again crosses the
lBerman border at a point west OF COL
mar. The remainder of the line to the
tSwiss boundary is in Germany.
This the battle of Nerdun there haa
been no fighting of great imp0rtanca
laIong this front. For the most part lk
runs through high and broken c0untxY..
Since the battle of veriun theeA hna
.tablished early in the war theFo hang
been comparatively little activlv 5N
the front to the east of the VeE10n|
sector. the nature of the country. MAX !
I;pr larcra aparafious in,nra ~ trse Hln sss