Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-05
HUNS BRACE FOR LAST
STA. D ON FRENCH SOIL
Set Tank Traps to Check Onrush
of Americans in the Mouse
Drive.

With the American Army ON the
Sedan Front Nov. = , p. IN. Bitter
fighting is taking place today along the
Mouse river American patrols again have
succeeded IN crossing the river at Beriulles
on pontoon bridge constructed under fire
Al other points along the front the
Americans were accommodating other
crossings
The Germans have blown up the
bridges acroess the Meuse between lAneu-
vile, on the west bank and the important
town of st Enay, on the east bank.
With the American Army North
west Of perdun, Monday, Nov. | p M.
German forces are strengthening the
Meuse line north Of the American front.
There are Indications that thfs work
was resumed during the last few days an d
that soldiers are laboring on II day and
night. Reports agree that thus strengthen
ing operation extends along the line run
ming from Mezierea to Mont Mcdy, Lon
gIyon and Diedenhofen.
In various places IN front OF this line
where the Germans have expected to
make last stand IN France. tank traps
already ARE completed These traps ale one
hundred yards long, ten yards WIDE and
ten yards deep They arc covered with
boards hidden by earth aud sod.
Hidden away In AMIDST the exact
geornetrical center of the Argonne forest
far behind the present American lines
is q position called by the French at the
outset OF the war Donkey : head.
which because of the magnitude OF the
operations along the wide front, thus Tar
has escaped especial mention.
According to unofficial q spatches late
In 1914, it took the Germans months
to capture this veritabe fortress from the
French. II is one of the glorious though
heretofore unwritten. chapters III American
military history that the cough boys swept
over and past this place IN few days,
and wrested from the enemy without great
difficulty A position that might well be
considered invulnerable.
With the American Army III France,
Saturday, Nov. An AIeerlcan aeF1al
patrol Yesterday encountered seven Ger
man machines IN the region northwest
Of Verdun.
There were two brief battles, IN winch
Lieut.. Howard Smith, OF hudson Falls
Y. Y. and Richard Aldworth OF san An
tonic. Texas, each brought down an enemy
airpiane. The other German machines
escaped
Washington. Nov. 5-Nictorious at
tacks by the First American army on It's
entire frunt are reported by General
pershing in his evening comrnuniqus
for Monday On the extreme right
breaking down the last efforts of the enemy
to hold high ground the Americans drove
through the valley of the Meuse and the
forest of Dieulet, and occupied the i'm
portant river crossing at Sgtenay.
After the pontoon bridge st Rrleulles
has been constructed the Americans threw
a second bridge across the Meuse AT Clery-
Ie-Petit and bean developing new line
on the heavily wooded and very difficult
ground east of the nver, between Cler3
and Rrleulles. a two and one holt mile
front
The town Of Pouilly, III the Bend OF the
Meuse northwest of st. Enay, was cap
tured by the Americans operating west
of the Meuse The west bank OF the
river is now held in its Ell rety as far north
as Pouilly.
The troops which crossed TO the east
hank OF the Meuse found their advance
opposed lJy bitter machine gunandartilier,
FIRE This WAS overcome however, and
the Americans are making steady progress
The village of Beaumont, directly west
of Pouilly has been taken by the forces
which advanced from the heights which
they held below the town The I'M
portant town of Stenay across the Meust
to the southeast, is now half surrounded
The Americans early to-day began clear
ing oIt Jaunay wood, IN the bend OF tbs
Meuse southeast OF Poully, and thf
afternoon the wood was III their possession
German troops who had remained
west OF the Meuse began TO flee across tht
river early today along the line nortt
and south of Stenay. After destroying
the bridge from Stenay TO Laneuville
the enemy opened the locks of the cana
and flooded the river TO "a width OF about
two thirds of a mile