The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-09-11
THREE German
STRONCH0LDS
UNDER FIRE
F0Ch's Armies Are Closing In on
st. Quentin, st. Gobain
and La Fere.
GERMANS FLEE FROM DOUAI
French Drive Wins Six Towns While
British Halt CounterbIow-Huns
Are Afraid of the American
Negro Troops.

London, Sept. 11.-Douai, the great
German base position in northern
France, is being evacuated, and most
OF the population has already left, II
is reported by German war correspond
ents at the front, said Central News
dispatch from Amsterdam.
Advance Between Disc and Somme.
Paris, Sept. 11.-Between the Somme
and the Disc the French have ad-
vanced beyond Hainacourt, despite
strong enemy resistance, according to
the war office announcement.
Three stronghods Under Fire.
London, Sept. list. Quentin, La
Fere and the town of st. GObain, To-
Gated on the wooded massif of the
same name, three vital points in the
enemy's great defense system, all are
under intense shell fire and in peril of
capture.
Regardless of stormy weather, the
British, and particularly the French,
In the last "a hours have fought slow
Iy ahead under increasing German re-
sistance.
There have been repeated counter
attacks all along this region, but none
mas served to stop the advance Of the
allies. These reactions were especial
ly strong on the Nanteuil plateau, on
the western flank of the Chemin des
Danes,
British Einhfinn ~
The war office reports that there has
been local fighting around Epehy and
Gouzancourt in the direction of which
the British have been forging ahead.
Here the Germans have cOunter-as-
saulted repeatedly, but were unable to
shake the grip of the British on the
high ground they have won
Further south the French have con-
itlnued their progress, driving still near
cer to st. Quentin and to La Fere, a
key position on the north to the St
Gobain forest and south and west of
there.
French Three Miles From ST. Quentin.
General Humbert's troops are now
hardly more than three miles from
the outskirts of st. Quentin, having
taken Hill 103, a point to the south
west OF the city.
Troops of the same army have taken
La Rouge farm, less than two miles
from the edge of La Fere.
If the allies are able to reduce the
La Fere defenses and drive ahead, the
st. GObain maSSif, a great anchor poin:
in the Hindenburg line, may be turned
from the north and the way opened to
Laon.
French Now in Forest.
General Mangin's army meanwhile
has pushed into the forest itself from
the west side and now is only two
miles from the town of st. GObain, 8
nerve center of the forest defenses.
The enemy, with the Chemin des
Danes position menaced, has counter
attacked desperately but futilely in
the region of Nanteuil la FOsse, north.
eeast of scissors. Day by day the
French in this region have been con
.stantly pushing north and eastward
Improving their positions and crushing
GiiC oN1 iItiiI NoulitSio.
Huns Afraid of Negroes.
With the American Army in France
ept. 11.-The enemy heavily shelled
to, vns in the Woevre sector behind ou,
line Monday. One of his patrols at
tackt III the American Outposts, but was
easily driven off.
There was considerable patrol activ
itv in t, te Yosges district. One en-
counter tc Sk place, the enemy retiring
with one Nended man. Negro troops
have occupi - one Yosges village ir
which French civilians were held pris
oners. The ecenchmen, on coming
through to the American lines, de
clared that the [ vsmans were consid
erabIy excited at finding themselves
opposed by negroes. of whom they are
said to be afraid Itecah Sc of reports
that the American coIoret troops cu'
off the ears of their prisont 'rs.
Rain Falls Incessant ly.
With the British Army IL France
Sept. 11.-AlthOugh the II ASiStanct
from enemy rear guards has In creased
all along the line especially |, in the
center areas, where a much greater
volume of machine gun and arti- llery
fire is being encountered, the British
troops have made further progress
Rain has fallen necessarily and the
battlefield in many places now Us GOV.
cred with soft mud and thef shell
craters are filled with oOze, (which
makes rapid progress difficult.
Generally the armies are still at 8
pause. and what forward movements