The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-04
WAR REPORTS CONDENSED.
GERMANS CONTINUE HURRIED
RETREAT ON SOMA1E.
Allies Push Enemy Back by Sustained
egressive-Indication Are That
Huns VIII Not Be Able to Hold
IIindenburg Line.

The Germans continue in retreat
everywhere between. Arras and the
SoisSons sector under the violent at
tacks by the Allied troops. AS yet
there\ seems to be no slackenlng III
the offensive that is steadily reclaim
ing numerous French towns and VII
lages and territory that long has been
ir. the hands Of the erenly.
Indeed instead Of halting his men
for a breathing spell, Marshal Foch
seems to be pushing them forward
with great impetus and at present
the retiring enemy shows no lndlca-
tions of turning and offering more OF
o. resistance than he recently has been
giving with his machine gunners and
infantry units that are attacking as
rear guards to aid in covering the
eastward retrograde movement.
Already outfianking the old Hin
denburg line on the north, Field
Marshal Haig's forces gradually are
cutting their way eastward, both north
and south of the Somme, and putting
down strong counteroffensive actions
| although on several sectors they have
! had to cede ground temporarily.
! Unofficial reports assert that the
British have captured the important
town of Bapaume where for days
there has been bitter fighting, the Ger
mans exerting their utmost strength
to keep Hai.ys men from gaining con-
troll of railways and the high road
leading to Cambria. To the south
| he British also are reported to have
| penetrated to the outskirts Of Maure-
| Jas. another point OF strategic value.
Along both sides OF the Somn?e run
hing eastward ground has been gain
ed and south of Peronne, where the
river bends sharply southwark, the
stream has been crossed at several
?oints; and this important railroad
junction outhanled.
Since the cav;ng IN Of the German
line by the fall of Chaulnes and Roye
| the French literally have overrun the
| southern portion OF Picardy, having
reached the western bank of the Ca
| nal du Nord along almost its entire
! ene-th and captured Noyon, which
surrounded by hills has stood deflanoy
Tor days under o rain Of shells. East
| and southeast of Noyon other lnl-
nortant positions have been taken and
between the Disc and the Alsne the
| French have overcome the heavy re-
sistance of the enemy and crossed
| the Ailette River.
Northwest of scissors where the
Americans are in the line with the
! French in the general movement OF
clearing Picardy of the enemy, there
| nas been severe fighting but with
the Allied troops having the advan-
tage. The American sector is between
Chavigny and 'Juvigny and the enc
MY facing them includes the Prus-
sian Seventh infantry.
Along the Vesle River at Ra-
zoches and Fismette the situation is
rather less tense than it was Tues
day and Wednesday when heavy
lighting occurred between the Amerl-
cans and Germans. Thursday the
Americans heavily shelled the Ger
man positions but the Germans fail
e6 10 accept their challenge to duel
and replied only feebly. The claim Of
the German war Office that 250 Amer
leans were made prisoners during the
recent fighting is denied by the
Americans who assert that only few
Of their men are missing.
The situation in eastern Siberia
seems to be somewhat clarified
through the disarming by the Czecho-
slovaks of all the Russian volunteers
who revolted recently and took sides
with General Horvath. the antl--Bol-
shevik leader.
The first big battle in which all the
allied forces except the Americans
took part occurred last Saturday
when the enemy attacked but was
lccisive,y beaten. At last accounts
the Allied troops were steadily aG-
vancing against the enemy.