The sun., 1918-09-02
TRAP SET BY YANKS
. CAPTURES JUVIGNY
Boches Encircled Despite Hot
Fire and StOrmed on All
Sides in Final Attack.
NEW vALOR RECORD MADE
German Shell Falls Among
187 Prisoners, Kills Five
and Wounds Scores.

BY the Associated Press.
AMERICAN FORCES ON THE AIsNE
FRONT. Aug. 81 delayed -,Juvigny. the
ruins OF village north Of Scissors that
the Germans fought so desperately to
retain. ts now well within the American
lines 1t was taken late Friday. but not
until now has the publication OF details
OF Its capture been permitted.
The Americans consolidated their po-
sitions to the east Of Juvigny last night,
and tonight after making further prog
ress during the day they control the
zone considerably In advance OF the vii
lage. The American artillery dominates
the country for many miles to the east
and the Germans apparently have been
LETT with slight chance of effective re-
sistsnce until they reach the broken
terrain around Neuville.
The extension OF the line through
Juvigny was a dramatic ADDITION to the
already brilliant record of the division
that accomplished It, The German OFF,
GERS were outman9uvred and their men
were outfought.
Enemy machine guns proved ter
rible barrier to the progress OF the
Americans, but II was not enough. And
when all was over the Germans un-
Willingly added a final touch Of tragedy
when they dropped high explosive shell
into the midst Of 1877 prisoners that the
Americans had removed to the rear.
Five German captives were killed and
scores were terribly wounded.
/ When the objective of Gen Pershing's
men finally was attained the Germans
within the town were caught mapping
, The Americans had managed completely
to encircle them. German machine guns
and trench mortars all pointed to the
west and the northwest. but the assail-
ants appeared out OF an arc drawn about
their rear.
The hopping up of the town and posi-
lions Immediately adjacent to 1t netted
the Americans 225 prisoners. The Ger
man dead have not been counted. The
number Is big.
Two days ago American patrols were
IN Juvigny and a mile and half be-
yond II. The retention Of the town was
assumed, but the Germans were not ex-
hausted and their determination to con-
test the advance Of the new enemy who
had appeared resulted in the repetition
of the experiences of certain American
divisions north OF the River Marine. when
town after town passed back and forth
before the Germans were definitely
pushed back.
Thursday night. when an American
detachment, escorted by tanks, entered
Juvigny. the German line once more
was behind the railroad to the west of
the town. There tremendous struggle
began. the Germans employing every
faculty to hold their positions not only
in front OF the Americans, but in front
OF the French.
On Friday the Americans were in
structed to pound the German lines and
TO harass them in every manner while
the French were bringing up forces on
the tanks. but not to make any effort
to advance.
The French advanced rapidly. how
ever, and late in the day the Americans
were ordered to renew the attack: Again
German resistance of great intensity
was encountered.
For time 1t appeared as though the
Germans were not content to merely
resist. 1t was learned they were con.
centrating a force in Juvigny and the
Americans prepared TO resist a counter
attack.
Tons OF High Explosives Hurled.
The artillery was instructed to con-
centrate their fire on Juvigny and posi-
tions near by. and for an hour in the
afternoon the guns " the Americans.
and the French as we'll. hurled tons Of
high explosives and shrapnel into the
little town. already hardly more than a
mass OF ruins clinglng to one side of
deep ravine
No gas shells were sent over for tie
French and Americans were confident Of
Its occupation and they did not desire to
prepare for themselves pools of invisible
deathly gas.
About o'clock part of the American
line moved forward. Juvi9ny was be-
lieved to have been cleared. At least
four companies of Germans had been
observed to evacuate the place and an
aviator who flew over the position and
who was the first airman who was not
fired upon while engaged in reconnais-
sance operations reported that he had
seen no signs of the enemy.
The enemy. however, was there and
at other positions as well. The ruins
of villages and the hill to the north
proved to be big nests OF machine guns
with supporting machine guns in the
positions near by.
The Americans now settled down TO
heartbreaking struggle. The men dug
in, advancing one line after another
The soldiers were strung out in omen
order. Offering as slight a mark as pos
sible. but the machine guns had done
t"e' WI n they Hau slowed up the
attack
The men who had jumped their line
forward in a remarkable brief interval
Thursday were forced to accent tha
situation and to dig and crawl and fight
their way forward: but neither they.
their company commanders nor their
neld officers appeared to doubt the
result.
Advancing I'm Face of Fire.
From their hastily dug pits to shell
holes and to abandoned trenches some
OF them again dug in. Other men
scrambled over the ground while the
German artillery continued its ineffective
fire.
Two miles to the rear of the fighting
infantry was an American comma nding
officer and his staff, intent not only on
Wrestling valued positions from the en-
envy but on saving the maximum number
Of his own men. Fully realizing tho
probable efficacy of the German artillery
and machine guns II was planned to en-
circle the objective
An order was given TO the artillery To
cease firing on that region because OF
the adsanced positions which the infan-
try had been asked to take
The principal nearby support posi-
ton for the Germans in Juvigny was the
hill to the north. On II were concealed
numbers of'machlne guns. but the Amer
lean left wing succeeded In wormine a
line between II and the town, and from
the other side there had been sent for
ward to a line beyond the objective an
other lot OF troops. who came In con-
tact with the first detachments at
mint almost directly IN the aa,, 80 -