The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-09-19
GREAT AMERICAN DRIVE
TAKE $50 SQUARE MILES AND 49,
600 PRISONERS.
ST. Mihiel Salient, in German Hands
Four Years, Falls to Americans.
200 Big Guns Captured.


First army has carried out the in
itial task assigned to 1.-THE level
ing of the famous st. Mihiel salient
In Lorraine.
In a little more than twenty-four
hours not only has the work been
accomplished but Gen. Pershing's
men had all the important towns,
villages and strategic positions in
the sector within their hands and
were standing on the banks OF the
Moselle river at Pagny, looking
across the stream into German terri
tory. And the southern outer fortifi-
cations of Metz, the great German
stronghold in Lorraine, were only
four miles distant.
Large numbers of Germans have
been taken prisoner-more than H.
600 had been counted and others
were still on their way back to the
prison cages-and many guns and
machine guns and great quantities
Of ammunition and other war stores
were in American hands.
From Hattonville, on the north,
across the salient eastward to Pagny,
the Americans have closed the mouth
of the big sack that extended south
ward to st. Mihiel, trapping within it
by their fast advance all the enemy
forces who failed to take refuge in
flight when the great bombardment OF
Thursday morning heralded the ap-
proach of the offensive.
In addition, along the eastern side
of the heights north of Nationwide
the Americans have debouched from
the hill region and are astride the
railroad running from Commercy to
yerdun. Likewise the Thiaucourt-
Metz and Nancy-Metz railroads are in
American hands.
In American Hands,
Beginning in the northwest and
crossing the salient eastward, Fres-
nes-Les Eparges, Hattonville, Preny
and Pagny. and all the ground lying
between them are In American hands.
The towns of virgneulles, Thiaucourt'
Pont-A-Mousson and st. /Mihiel are
far in the rear of the present line.
Montsee, the dominating height in
the center of the salient, and from
which much trouble had been expect
ed, fell without fighting. Among the
numerous prisoners taken were men
from mAustro-Hungarian armies.
Into Germany Next.
Although the operation of the Am
ericans has been described as having
Limited objective it cannot but
have a most important bearing on the
future of the war. From the straight
ened line growing out of the obllt-
GRAFTON of the St. Mihiel salient, the
Americans now are in splendid po-
sition to act with their brothers in
arms on sectors eastward when the
time is ripe for drive into Ger
many direct. Also they now are
aligned on territory from which it is
possible to get behind both the Meuse
and the Moselle rivers and thus make
null the reported plans of the Ger
mans to stabilize their front along
the Meuse should they be unable to
hold the Allies in the west in check.
Bombing Metz.
Already Allied airmen are heavily
bombing the Moselle region around
Metz and the outlying Notifications,
having dropped many tons of bombs
on the strategic railways leading from
the great fortress and it seemingly is
not without reason to expect that
with apparent supremacy in the air
Metz and the surrounding country
henceforth is to be sadly harrassed
by the Allied flying squadrons.
Meanwhile the maneuverings on
the west front around Cambria and
st. Quentin should not be lost sight
I of by reason of the present American
offensive. Here the British and
French daily are enlarging their gains
in the process of outfanking and
capturing these two important towns
which are all but within their grasp.
Farther to the north in Flanders, the
British are keeping up their encroach-
ments in the region of La Bassee and
Armentieres, both of which places
are imperiled.
BeyOnd ObiectiyeS.