The sun., 1918-09-16
stin Opposition Encountered.

In carrying out these two moves the
Allies encountered the stiffest opposi-
ton of the offensive. The Germans
cherished Les Eparges because they
knew il was the key to the Woevre
plain. They fought desperately TO hold
1t and counter attacked repeatedly after
they had been elected.
Similarly the Germans knew the dire
results they would suffer II they per-
mitted the Americans to meet at Wig
neulles and in come cases fought like
demons to prevent such calamity. The
Americans. nevertheless, marched stead
lily onward through the night with fixed
bayonets. killing or making prisoner all
the Teutons who opposed them. They
took the prisoners ahead with them, for
they were too busy to send them back.
The difficulties confronting the Ameri-
cans may be appreciated when 1t lis
realized that all along the western
salient the Germans held a series of
hills. almost the size OF mountains.
which dominate the Woevre plain as far
as the eye can see. 1t was to take these
natural Notifications, equipped with
every modern defensive device. that the
Americans were ordered to attack. All
previous efforts to capture Les Epargcs,
the highest and most dominating height.
had failed.
No stops TIL Heights Were Won.
At the conclusion of their artillery
preparation the Franco-Americans swept
forward in an irresistible rush which
never stopped until they had reached
every height In the long series which ex-
tend southwark nearly to st. Mihiel. Tn
counted thousands OF miles of barbed
wire had been stretched at intervals for
miles back OF the German front lines.
Every foot OF the way was through un-
derbrush thick with machine guns, while
a complicated trench system further
barred the way.
The American artillery preparation
must have lightened considerably the
task of the attackers for IL created ter
rible havoc. Shells had struck so close
together that the craters merged into
one another. In many cases the .Ameri-
can artillerymen evidently had the most
accurate possible knowledge of the roads.
for all lines of communication into the
heights at all points from north to south
were torn up by direct hits which must
have impeded the German retreat seri-
ously.
When the roads were not ploughed
I'D by the hurricane OF shells they were
piled high with branches torn from trees
and the trees themselves, which were
ripped to pieces. Nearly everywhere the
artillery played havoc with the barbed
wire, tearing open paths for the infan-
try. Only the solid. reinforced concrete
forts topping the heights seemed i'm
pervious to the fire from the heavy guns.
They stood in spite Of the shells that
hit them full or fell near by.
At Coal in Dead of Might.
Despite the b!tterest opposition the
Franco Americans swept upward and
onward onto Les Eparges Hill From
that point they stormed the villages of
Herbuville, Hannonville. Thillot, st. Maui
rice, Billy and Hattonchatel. and then in
the dead Of night into Vigneulles at the
southern end OF the line of heights
To reach these points they had to ad-
vance through veritable thickets OF ma
chine guns. In many cases these guns
we're abandoned intact when their crews
fed. In other instances they were
thrown away by the weary Germans who
had taken them from their carriages and
were Juggling them by hand. The vic
tors have not yet finished assembling
and counting their booty OF this nature,
Great ammunition dumps In the plains
just beyond the heights were abandoned
so hastily the Germans did not even
have time to explode them. The neids
boxes Of cartridges and shells OF every
calibre, as well as aerial torpedoes for
the Gothas which formerly operated
from the Woevre plains. Articles OF
clothing OF every description Uttered the