Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-06-27
AMERICANS TAKE
ZIG PRISONERS
Troops Make u Dash Into the Hun
Trenches in Bell2au Wood
Sector

With the American Army in
France, June 26.-ln an attack upon
| the German lines on the Marine front
last night the American troops eX-
tended their line northwest of Bel
/ leau wood. Up TO ten O'Clock this
morning PIG prisoners had been
counted together with a pnmber Of
machine guns and other booty. Ad-
ditioual prisoners ave coming in.
The Americans made an irresist-
ible rush for the complete clearing
of the wood, in which it was GiscCv-
cred yesterday the Germans We're
still occupying a small strip in the
underbrush.
The attack was preceded by 49,
hour bombardment from the Ameri-
. can artillery.
German prisoners taken pay trib-
ute to the brilliant dash of the
Americans, declaring the men in the
assaulting party fought likI dem
ons.
The Germans were virtually clear
ed out of the Belleau wood several
days ago. hut the discovery was
made yesterday that under cover of
darkness they had planted machine
en- roadways, in shell holes and in
trees in narrow area on the edge of
the wood. 1t was most difficult to
get at them in these positions. and
some fierce hand TO hand fighting
occurred during the night while the
clearing process was being carried
out
The new sector held by the Amer
lean troops in Alsace is in the region
, northwest of Gebweiler. This sector
is not far from the famous Hart
mansweiierkopf. the scene of so
much hard fighting in the past
The Americans are now holding
a considerable front in three differ
'ent sectors in Alsace.
The Americans are now in pos
session of virtually all of the valu-
able tactical positions of the Belleau
wood sector. Most of the prisoners
taken belong TO the Satin German
division.
On Sunday the Germans placed the
crack 201st division opposite a por-
tion OF the American line. Despite
this the Americans went through in
steam roller fashion.
The Germans also had attempted
ON Saturday to fill the wood with
gas, but the determination and her
olsm of the Americans could not be
checked by this circumstance.
The American artillery again in
a brilliant manner carried out its
part in throwing the entire German
line into confusion. Prisoners said
that the same position from which
they had been taken was like an in
ferno under the American fire. They
were happy to get out alive.
The war department announced on
June is that the Thirty-second di-
vision. national guard. was fighting
I in Alsace on German territory.
Washington, d. c., June 26.-Be-
lated reports, giving for the first
time a descriptive story of what the
American troops have been doing
northwest OF Chateau Thierry since
June 20 are contained in General
| Pershings communique for yesterday
received today. The communique is
as follows:
For our troops in the Chateau
Thierry region the twenty-four hours
lloHl HooH juno =" W hooh JUNE >
were quiet aas compared with the
many days of great activity which
they have recently experienced. The
German artillery continued to shell
both our front lines and rear areas
distributing its fire rather impartial
ly over the sector. The .Clerembauth
and Maret woods, Lucy lie Bocab tri-
angle farm, Lethiolet and Boureches
all received their share. So did the
Paris road on our other principal
lines of communication. but the num-
Der of shells used was moderate for
this locality and most of them were
of small or medium calibre.
The fire was of various sorts.
some of the harassing sort directed
against our billets in rear areas at