The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-10-12
YANKS DRIVE IN
ARCONNE FOREST;
BAG 100 PLANES
Americans Push Forward Eight
Miles Beyond the Bat
tie Line.
NEGRO TROOPS TAKE TOWN
New Workers Capture Strong German
Position Which Had Been Hold
ing Up Advance Through
the Woods.


With the American Army In France,
Oct. g. American combat patrols
everywhere pushed forward in the
Argonne forest north of Cierges and
in the dirss-l of Gesnes, and foot
hold was gained in Brieulles-sur-
Meuse.
(Brieulles-sur-Meus is nearly eight
miles north of the battle line.)
Strong patrols were sent out to re-
connoiter in advance of our farthest
established lines. All day long they
kept in contact with the enemy, but
found that the stubborn defense which
had previously been put up by the
Boches was lacking.
Negro Troops Win Town.
With the American Army in the Re-
gion Of Verdun, Oct. 3.-It appears
that the. Germans are withdrawing
from their advanced positions facing
the left flank Of our offensive 'front.'.
(The American left wing rests in
the sector Of the Argonne forest.)
American negro troops, operating
under the direction of the French
bave captured Binarville in the sec
tor of the Argonne forest.
New Workers. Win Strong Point.
One of the finest feats performed by
the Americans was the capture of
d German strong point cSed sAhris
/ Sst Louis II which fell lA Va rush
| Of New York troops. 1t had been hold
ing up our advance on the edge of the
Argonne forest.
During the afternoon the German
batteries became active and Gesnes
| was vigorously shelled.
An amusing incident accompanied
the taking Of Binarville. The colored
troops explained that ut was the first
strange town they had been in."
Yanks Bag 100 AirpIanes.
With the American Army In France,
Oct. 3.-Over 100 German airplanes
were shot down by American airmen
In six days of the offensive west Of
I the Meuse river, the censor now per-
mits 1t to be stated.
Lieutenant Duke Bags Balloons.
Nearly all of the German observa-
tion balloons that were destroyed fell
victims to Lieutenant Duke of Phoe-
nix, AriZ.
American airmen have complete
mastery of the air on the front where
our men are fighting. American pur-
suit airplanes, flying in massed forma-
ton, and with frequently 30 or 40 in
a bunch, have swept the Germans from
the air and held complete control ever
since the offensive started.
This has permitted the artillery-reg-
ulating planes, the photoplanes, the OBJ
servers and bombers to perform their
duties practically undisturbed.
Remarkably few slow-type machines
are lost owing to the wonderful pro-
tection the single-seaters afford even
In daylight raids, which are usually
costly.
American airmen were extremely
active In the afternoon, but encounter
ed few German machines. American
flyers bombed Beutheville (six and
one-half miles north of Montaucon),
while our trench mortars "strafed"
German positions around Breulle-sur-
Meusel.
Americans Advance Lines.
Washington, Oct. 2.-The war de-
partment made public the follow
lowing communiQue covering Tues
days operations:
"No. 40: Section A. During the
day we advanced our lines in the for
est of Argonne. Farther to the east
our patrols have passed beyond
C,erges and are operating north of
.hat point on the road from Exerment
to Gensnes, maintaining contact with
the enemy. In the north our troops are
e6vancing with the French and Brit
ish and participating In their sue
cesses. Since September 28. our avi-
ators have shot down more than 100
hostile planes and 21 balloons.
"Section B-There Is nothing tn re-
port in this section"
lIllnoisans In Big Battle.
With the American Army Northwest
of verdun, Oct. 3.-Illinois troops tax
ing part in the, offensive between the
Meuse and the Argonne advanced
more than six miles on the first day of
the attack, the unit reaching Its OBJ
jective hours ahead of time.
The Illinois men pushed forward
just west of the Meuse. Starting from
the neighborhood of Dead Mans hill,
they headed directly north until half
way to their destination and then turn
ed to the northeast Their advance
vas 50 rapid that in the region of