The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-07
HUNS EVACUATE
RHEIMS SALIENT
Americans Advance Four Miles
and Seize Series Of Champ
De Wagran Heights. .
CAPTURE 1000 PRISONERS
Only Two Lines Of Defense Now
Stand as Barriers to Amer
leans Advance to Meuse.
CAPTURE 1000 PRISONERS

VuAy 4WO AAuCo VI OSACAS0 A>o"
Stand as Barriers to Amer
leans Advance to Meuse.
with the American Army on the
Champagne Front, Oct. 6.--(Nighto--
American troops fighting with Gen.
Gouraud's army on the Champagne
front have advanced nearly four miles.
capturing nearly 1000 prisoners and
many guns, and taking the Champ de-
wagran series of heights between
Mont Blanc and Medeah farm.
(Americans have been attacking on
the Champagne front since Thursday
morning. the initial attack being de-
iivered astride the Somme and Py-
Attigny highway. After the initial
drive northward the Americans swung
to the west)
Big American Gains.
| The big gains of the Americans In
this sector has compelled the Germans
to withdraw from the Rheims salient.
(The Germans are now over eight
miles north of Rheims, and have been
driven back from the territory from
which they bombarded the city for four
lyears)
A detachment of American and
French volunteers today stormed Ger
Imam machine gun nests west of Mont
Blanc, capturing 800 Germans, half a
dozen officers, seventy-five machine
guns, numerous trench mortars. many
rounds of shells, motor trucks and an
am s,11initf0r d1iup atrf
The allied force did not sustain a
lsssax1e casualty. For their. exploit. tha
volunteers are all to be decorated with
the croix de guerre by Gen. Gouraud.
German resistance has been broken
on front of twenty eight miles north
Of Rheims and in Champagne. Ground,
which the Germans have been fortify-
ing since 1914. is falling into the
hands of the French and Americans.
Correspondents at Rheims.
Correspondents entered Rheims early
this morning, as soon as news was re-
ceived that the capture of the Champ
de Wagram hills had compelled Won
Mudram's German army to withdraw
from the forts of Brimont Witry and
Nogent- Formerly. German
batteries had been employed there to
cover the city.
The roads entering Rheims were still
clogged with entanglements, and there
was not a person to be seen in the
city, which the Germans had contin-
ually deluged with gas shells.
Amidst the ruins of schoolhouse
were found tiny gas masks. which had
been provided for the pupils before the
city was evacuated in May Up to
that time all the civilians had to carry
masks. The streets were still Uttered
with ud ho - !,
Among the dead were both soldiers and
civilians.
Sharpshooters' Nests.
Afterwards the correspondents went
to the eastern suburb of Cernay-les-
Rheims, which the enemy had occu-
pied for four years. Numerous sharp
shooters nests were found there. from
which German snipers picked off per-
sons walking In the streets of Rheims.
The German trenches were Uttered
with thousands of empty champagne
bottles. They had looted the vast wine
vaults of the surrounding countryside.
Mudra's Army Threatened.
The swift American advance of six
miles northwest of Somme Py to st.
Etienne, momentarily threatened with
development and capture, Gen. Mudra's
entire German arm. on the Champagne
front.
1t compelled the enemy to retreat
from the semi circle Of positions north
of Rheims.
The American French turning move
ment was hampered by the German
four-years- old trench systems and
miles of barbed wire stretched across
the fields.
An American lieutenant colonel and !
half dozen privates, who were mop
ping up the Mont Blanc sector, dis
covered two Krupp field guns and 5000
shells. The lieutenant colonel picked |
up range finder. swung round the |
guns and the Alen fred 1900 rounds
when the guns burst.
Drove Into BeIne.
Lieut.. w. T. Hubert, of Washing
ton. commanding an American am
bulance station, drove the first ambu
lance into Beine fter the Germans had
been compelled to retreat from that |
town, and the Moronvillers ridge by |
the pressure Of the American army
further east.
(Beine lies seven and one-half miles
east of Rheims.>
The American lieutenant had to
shell craters in the road and
cut barbed wire entanglements before
he could get through. In Beine some
wounded Germans were found who
were brought back for treatment.
Achieves Success.
Gen. Gouraud's Franco American
army on the Champagne front, has
achieved such a striking success that
there were Indications today that the
Germans will withdraw to a line on
the Aisne river, running through
Berry au- Bac, Rethel and Vouziers.
Retire Twenty Miles.
Uf such a retreat is carried out. It
would mean a retirement of total
depth of twenty miles from the old
German lines at some points.)
Air observers report enemy aero J.