New-York tribune., 1918-08-07
17Guns aiken
BY Our Men in
Fisnes Fight
Germans Crews, Pouring In
Enhlading Fire, Also
Captured
tBy The 4 ssocinted Prcss>

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON
THE NESLE, Aug. 6.--In the capture
of Fismes American troops took seven-
teen guns. These weapons and their
crews had been left south of the Vesle
to enflla1e an advance into Fismos
Some of the German artillerymen also
were captured
The Germans along the line onnosi+e
the Americans to the west. of Fismes
used their guns freely yesterday after
noon IN an apparent attempt to dis
courage the Americans and their
French allies from further aggressive
effort. The Germans we're handi
capped by the weather conditions. It
was misty, and at times rainy, and al
though the German balloons were up
they must have been unable to report
accurately on the Allied activity.
About mid afternoon the Germans
began trying other methods of get
ting the range for their heavy guns.
which they evidently hoped to use at
', night in interfering with the Allied
troop movements. Many shells which
threw out black smoke upon explod
ing were tired in the direction of the
crossroads and other objectives, the
enemy trying thus better to gauge the
range from the smoke clouds which
arose. The mist likewise worked to
hamper accuracy in observation on
these shells, which were of the time
variety, and after wasting numbers of
them the attempt was abandoned.
Gas Attacks Fail
Late IN the afternoon the Germans
began using mustard gas, sneeze gas
and some chocolate gas, the latter so
named from the odor given out nv tho
gaseous substance. These gas attacks
were ineffective. the American gas
drills having taught the troops all the
German tricks. Nevertheless. the Ger
mans were persistent IN this gassing
effort: They combed the hill border
ing the Vesle with their shells, en-
deavorlng to reach the roads leading
to Fismes and other points where thev
thought the Allies might be assem-
bling for a crossing of the Vese.
AT some places along the highways
the Germans would start planting gas
shells, and lay them down in zig
gag line for mile or so and back
again, often dropping the shells every
twenty or thirty feet, and then re-
peatlng the process along the road
way or other objective at which they
were aiming.
South Of Bazoches, one of the points
where the Germans tried this trick,
they fired lighter gas first, follow
ing it up with sneeze gas, and then
suddenly switching to more power
ful poison gas, hoping to catch the
Allies mapping. The men. however,
have learned TO discern the various
varieties of shells and their effects,
and have regular systems of sending
word along the line for each others
protection.
Gas Carried Back
To-day, likewise, there happened 10
be a south wind. which carried the
gas back across the Vesle, and. after
putting on their masks for each at
tack, the Americans would laugh as
the gas was blown back, and then con-
tinue about their business
Meanwhile the American and French
heavy guns to the south were sending
in repeated salvos, and the Germans
were supplementing their gas shelling
with their mine tnrowers and machine
guns north of the Vesle. These small
er weapons were kept working full
time, in the hope of keeping clear the
south banks Of the river. Darkness
came, and with it more rain. The
Germans kept pounding away after
dark, but for every she'll the enemy
sent in the Americans sent across a
half dozen or more, and never said
good night