Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-06
MAIN ENEMY FORCE
IS ACROSS STREAM;
U. S. GUNS FOLLOW
Bridging Material Is Rushed
Forward to Be Used If Ger
mans Retreat to the Chem
in-deS-0ameS

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN
FRANCE. Sept 5.--CNoOn 1.-The main
German forces have retrsated across
the Aisne- American artillery, support
ing the pursuit. Is over the vesle.
bridging material is being rushed for
ward TO be used in crossing the Aisne
and the Oise-Aisne canal beyond it, if
the enemy withdrawal continues to the
Chemin des Danes.
american patrols are altering down
the draws on the slope of the plateau
north of the yesIe. This plateau is en-
tireIy in the American sector. There is
some German Smelling of this terrain
and bitter resistance is being made by
machine gun companies in the ravines
or the northern slope
Fires continue at various points where
the enemy is destroying his stores.
The pressure north Of scissors where
American and French are moving east
ward in their hanking movement was
steadily maintained today. American
artillery participated with the French
in sweeping plsteaus over which the
Germans are retreating.
The main forces of the American
troopS In this region have reached the
Top OF the plateau
AS the enemy troops fall back. toward
the Observation-Disclosures positions they
are being steadily followed up. Rear
guard actions continue, with pressure
from the Americans and French gradu-
ally increasing
The first crossing Of the Vesle by
patrols was followed last night by a
crossing in force when large bodies Of
allied fighters marched over the stream
at a number Of different points.
At last reports the Americans were
beyond Vauxcere. Blanzy and Baslieux.
Bazoches and Fismette fell into
American hands through a hanking
movement.
Cvauxcere is nearly three miles north
OF the VesIe. Blanzy is about two
miles north Of Fismes and Baslieux is
southeast of il, about a mile north of
the Vesle-)
No Prisoners Reported
No reports have come in Of prisoners
taken and il is quite possible that the
number of captures will be small The
Germans rarely leaves a large number
Of men when they carry out a pre-de-
termined retreat. depending upon the ef-
ficacy Of their automatic guns rather
than upon important forces of infantry
Neither Is II expected lndN any EHcaN
amount of booty will be taken since the
Germans have had plenty Of time in the
period from August 1 TO remove all they
wished to take
Fires seen at various points had given
rise to reports that the Germans were
burning villages and farm houses but
this has not been generally accepted as
a fact. the smoke clouds seen being at
tributed to the destruction of ammuni-
ton by the allied shells in some in
stances and N more numerous cases to
the destruction Of supplies which IL was
d.. impossible to remove and the burning
Of temporary buildings They have not
burned the French towns In this re-
gion perhaps because the buildings are
of stone construction and also because
most of them in the zone of lighting
are already nothing more than ruins
The German aviators contributed mate
rally TO the rear guard defense Every
ward the French and Americans advanc-
ed was noted by the enemy aviators who
also took an active part in the effort
10 stop the allied progress, but in the
long run their efforts were as Intellectual
as those OF the line of machine gun
nests. The airmen repeatedly bombed
the Americans and let loose with their
machine guns while flying low. The
light forces advancing, however, were
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