The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-05-31
ENEMY POSITION
BADLY TORN BY
COMMANDMENT
ny FRED =. FERGUSON

WITH THE NMEkItNN~ IN
PICARDY, May Si.-tmcrscAn
troops showed their Furnishing
power at Cantigny.
From behind friendly pile OF
bccts. on a knoll In the great plain
which faces Cantigny. | witnessed
tho attack which resulted In capture
OF the village
Amidst tho detonatlons OF hun
drcds OF guns. which filled the valley
with smoke and dust and flame. tho
American troops went over the top.
with a spirit which would not be
denied. they followed the French
tanks. and with them penetrated
moro than a milo into the boche 20
sltions.
Guns Deafening
Overhead French and American
shells made a veritable ribbon of
sound as they hurtled across tho Ger
man. positions The crash OF guns
was dcafening. Round a sharp cor
ner came upon one battery which
had been wheeled into the open and
was whitening the enemy with direct
point blank fire.
Overhead French planes carrying
American observers darted In and
out amid the smoke OF battle. flying
low. signaling TO the batteries and
harassing tho enemy. ! saw an
American flag flutt.ring from one
plane which was headed for tho
front. after having dropped n mes
sage at headquarters. and a moment
later / knew the Stars and Stripes
were waving over new zone, direct
ing the fire OF our guns. whose shells
raked the ground.
Once past the heavy artillery. the
bark OF the light gums could be
heard These guns stood in the open.
their short. sharp reports breaking
into the constant ripping sound that
filled the air as heavy shells passed
overhead and the low rumble OF es.
blossoms beyond. Tho fire OF the
heavy artillery was 80 violent that
separate explosions behind the Ger
man lines could scarcely be distin-
gulshed. Tn. roar was more like
that OF gigantic blast furnace.
Prisoners File Hack
when / reached IN, beet pile OBJ
height. Returning across the fields.
German prisoners slipped along be-
tween lines OF Americans covered
with the dust and CRIME OF battle.
but srinuinE broadly.
When the American infan,rymen
entered Cantigny. they opened a
grenade attack on the enemy. and
quickly cleared the village. Within
Cantlgny Is q natural cave. capable
OF holding 400 persons Forty
Americans carrying flame throwers
were detailed TO take caro- OF that
spo, and places ilko H.
American machine Eunners fol-
lowed tho infantry closely. and the
newly won lines were quickly consoi'
dated. After the capture OF the VII.
iagc. carrier pigeons carried by men
In the first companies which went
over were released and carried back
to headquarters reports Of the bat.
ties progress
Men of the signal corps rapidly
strung wires TO all points OF the oc-
cupied territory. and soon all of II
was In touch with the commander.
Foe lines Battered
Meanwhile. the artillery fir~ con-
tinued In terrific volume. Bursting
shells from the big guns were seen
20 the rear Of the German lines. All
the German batteries were bathed In
a dcluge OF gas. and the roads be-
hind. over which the enemy might
send rclnforccments. were kept under
n constant rain OF high explosive
shells. German sausaxc balloons at.
tempting observation driftsd and
swung in -nidair. but the French
planes maintained supreme control
of the mir