Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-11-07
HUN FIGHTERS
GIVE WAY FOR
YANKEE GAINS
American Troops on Sedan
Front Advance Against
Enemy Machine Guns

With the American Army on the
Sedan Front, Nov. 1.-THE town of
Mouzon is on fire and part of Sedan
is burning, reports from the cen
ter of the American line stated last
night The American army had
forced its way along both sides of
the river until last night it was
within SIX miles of Sedan. Not
withstanding the fact that the Ger
mans have put in fresh divisions the
American and French troops have
continued their grim advance.
IN the west of the river the army
moved to the outskirts of Mouzon.
Further west it fought its way along
a four-mile front to GogneuX woods.
Pourron and Mont lie Bruno were
among the villages captured. Rau-
court was reached.
The advance on Raucourt and
Chemery was accomplished against
machine gun fire. The Germans had
entrenched themselves in every
available shell hole, supplemented
by trenches. but were driven out
hllilOul SANSSSlNG USE VI al ~ , = 4 I
a an infantry engagement, the
Germans giving way before the
steady rushes of the Americans.
The division fighting in the GEN.
ter yesterday captured twenty-three
IFS. Two hundred machine guns,
fifteen trench mortars, two hundred
thousand rounds of ammunition and
much other material.
In Gallant Eeut
The crossing OF the River Mouse
and the capture of the town of Dun
by the Americans, when Its full de-
tails are known. will rank as n of
the most gallant feats of the entire
operations northwest Of Verdun. The
troops who accomplished II will be
entitled to rank as heroes. for their
work in militarily crossing the stream
was a strategic move of unusual dar-
ing.
The crossing involved the forcing
of a way over the 160-foot river. a
half-mile- wide stretch of mud and
a siXty-foot canal in the face of a
frightful enemy fire. 1t also in
volved swimming by those who knew
how n the pulling OF others over
ropes. Graphing irons were used
to scale the sheer walls of the canal,
along which machine gunners had
been posted. under the fire of scores
of batteries from the hills adjoining.
Troops Did Not Hesitate
The order to cross the canal came
at mid-afternoon Monday. The troops
received their grim instructions I'M
der a sun which was shining for the
first time in days. The men knew al
most as we'll as their commanders
the difficulty of the task and realized
how well-nigh impossible its ac-
complishment would be. Yet they
did not doubt nor hesitate.
The orders were to send over one
brigade first. and, If it failed. to send
another and others, one after the
other, if it become necessary. 1t
was with dash that the Americans
tackled the problem. Theoretically,
they had the choice of crossings any
where for five miles. Actually, they
were limited to one point, where two
thirds of a mile of mud lay between
the river itself and the canal that
roughly parallels the river.
The Germans were too firmly en-
trenched at all other spots. They
had not protected themselves with
trenches here only because they never
dreamed that the Americans would
be so daring as to try to negotiate
the passage. This was a short dis
tance north of Brieulles.
Swimmers in Van
All the swimmers of the first bril-
gade were first singled out and put
in the van. 1t was intended to at
tack in this way on the theory that
the swimmers were less likely to be
hit by the Germans owing to the
fact hat they would be nearly sub
w.A,aa1 ~. Nha Afhag HAD Nk2.u
could carry with them ropes and
other paraphernalia for assisting nom
swimmers across. The building of
pontoon bridges was put off until at
least some American elements had
crossed the river.
Notwithstanding some losses and
the fact that the swimmers could not
defend themselves, many of them
reached the west bank Of the river
with lines which were drawn taut
across the stream. Others floated on
RATS and collapsible canvas boats.
These men a less success than the
swimmers, because they were better
marks for the enemy's rifles and the
boats could easily be sunk by bull
let's, even If their occupants were not
hit.
Close to where the swimmers cross
GU ~ 0hblAlbSA9 bt5oA ~ NAiON ONGi
pontoon boats and a tiny footbridge.
The pontoons were destroyed by the
enemy, but the bridge remained in
tact and added materially to the con-
stantly increasing numbers of men
arriving on the east bank of the river.
Soon after dark the first brigade was
across the first barrier and more
men were ready to max the journey.
The second phase of the perilous
undertaking then began-the cross
ing of the kilometer of mud stretch
ing between the river and the canal.
which. though 1t was under a tre-
mendous enemy fire. was not held by
I infantry. The Americans stumbled
| across the mud through the wither-
ing fire. Their feet sank into the
mud and soon the pace of the men
was slowed down to a 1aborIous work.
Nevertheless. they got through, even