Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-07-24
SWEEPING VICTORY.
American and French Armies
Drive Huns Back Five
Miles. Take %
Towns.

tonight. It marched and fought proud
liyaiWith the boys who went over the
EtoEp this morning and still were gal
tlantly smashing their way ahead be-
side their French comrades late in the
was a tale of splendid victory
aBd daring that news reports and ev-
Ell the terse official statements told.
ISar by hour the extent of the VIC
tory grew. What the full effect of the
blow; will be cannot be estimated un-
TIL details of the action along the
Iwnsle twenty-fve-mile front from
Chateau Thierry to Scissors, from
which the surprise attack was launch
led, are available.
It was clear beyond mistake, how
lever, that in the rush of the first day
ofSthis answer of General Foch to the
German attack east and west of
Rheims, the enemy had been placed
ina position from which he may have
great difficulty in extricating himself.
Not only may the German effort west
Eof Rheims and south of the Marne be
wholly nullifed, but all they have ac-
|comphshed since the battle of the
Aisne, begun months ago, may be
overturned.
Attack Developed Swiftly.
There was little effort here today
Ito osmeasure the scope of the Franco
American stroke. Officers were too vi
tally interested in the swift develop
nent of the attack asSit was unfold
led, bulletin by bulletin, to devote
much time to cold calculations such
as form the basis for military predic-
lions. It was the instant news that
held them, from General March to the
Junior staff officers, and the war de-
lie, anent was a place of smiles and
d. ~ gil a. sail ~ boys cssersea wrote
new and glorious pages in American
history.
Secretary Baker had difficulty in
holding himself to cool, unhurried
expressions, as he dictated to the
newspaper men late in the day a
statement summarizing General Per-
shing's brief reports Supplemented
with the news dispatches, the official
account revealed, however, the full
thrilling story of the dash against the
enemy delivered with such gallantry
and as such complete surprise that
it swept over the first German lines
apparently without wavering and
rushed on to objectives deep in the
territory the Germans have held for
months.
During the day Secretary Baker,
General March and war department
officials generally spent much time
over the war maps. They read every
detail of the accounts brought in ov-
er press wires and time after time
all other business halted while the
swiftly changing battle front was
traced out. Until late in the night
officials were eagerly receiving every
report that came in.
Dash and Gallantry.
Mr.. Bakers statement paid homage
to the dash and gallantry of the Am
erican forces and his elation as well
as that of the officers who surround
him, was clearly written between the
lines.
The most promising consideration
of the counter-attack, the officers be-
lieve, aside from renewed proof of
the fighting qualities of the new Am
erican armies, is the fact that Gener-
al Foch has now sufficient force to
unloose a major counter-stroke, for
the blow today is nothing less than
that, however limited its fixed object
ives for today may have been. The
supreme commander now has shown
clearly that a definite turning point
has been reached, where his resourc-
es in men and munitions are great
enough for him to assume at least
an aggressive defense.
General. Offensive?
Whether the present counter stroke
will enlarge into an allied offensive
cannot be known until the events of
the next few days are known, If the
present Franco-American thrust
should realize all the possibilities seen
in it by observers abroad land force
the Germans out of the whole Aisne-
Marne salient, it seems highly prob
able to officials here that General
Foch might feel warranted in ex-
panding that success through otfen-
sive operations on other fronts.