The north Mississippi herald., 1918-09-20
NUMBER Al
AMERICAN ARMY
PIERCE GERMAN
LINES NEAR METZ
First American Army In Big
gest Battle of War-St. Mi
hiel Salient Captured With
10000 German Prisoners
And 200 Guns.


IN FRANCE.-The first American
army, under the immediate direction
of Gen. Pershing, launched a Wig
orous offensive in the region of st.
Mihiel salient, south of Verdun, at
daylight last Thursday. By noon
all its first detectives were reached,
all along the line from Pont-aMous-
son, on the Moselle River, to point
north of Maranville, about 10 miles
southeast of Verdun. The attack
was along a front of about so kilo-
meters (nearly 40 miles).
The American attack followed a
heavy bombardment by our artillery,
then the American troops went over
the top.
The Germans, who had been ex-
pecting an attack by the Americans.
but who did not know when and
where it would be launched, were
simply paralyzed by the great force
of our artillery preparation; indeed,
our guns simply pulverized the
enemy's front line and tore great
holes in the earth many miles back
of their lines.
The attack was the greatest mill
tary undertaking the American army
has ever attempted, and our forces
carried it through splendidly.
American infantrymen swept
through many villages, which they
cleaned up swiftly. French tanks,
manned by Americans, preceded our
infantry at several places along the
line of attack, and they completed
the terror of the Germans, who were
compelled to retreat.
French soldiers cooperating with
the Americans are fighting under
command of Gen. Pershing. They
are fighting with the same brilliance
and dash as are the Americans.
Our forces early took Mont Sec,
east of st. Mihiel, a position which
commands miles of surrounding ter
rain. Its possession by US releases
important railroad lines.
Report Claims $4,000 Captives, zoo
Guns.
WASHINGTON, Sept. I6.-In
wiping out the st. Mihiel salient in
27 hours, American troops, support
ed by French divisions, captured 49,
900 prisoners, more than 200 guns of
all calibers, hundreds of machine
guns and trench mortars. This was
disclosed by Gen. Pershing's COM
muniques for Saturday and Sunday,
received last night at the war de-
partment.
The enemy was pressed so hard.
Gen Pershing said that he was forced
to abandon great quantities of am
munition, telegraph and railroad ma
terials, rolling stock. clothing and
equipment. Iii addition he burned
large stores.
That the Americans still are press
ing on at least in part of the sector
was shown by the communique for
Sunday, which said that on the left
bank of the Moselle the American
lines had been extended to from one
to two miles, during which operation
~ guns were brought in.
The enemy reacted near st. Hilaire,
but his counter-attack was easily re-
pulsed and additional prisoners TAX
en-, the American commander report
ed.
Gen. Pershing's announcement that
the Americans advancing on the two
sides of the st. Mihiel salient had
been able to form juncture in 27
hours after they went over the top
occasioned no surprise here. Despite
references in press dispatches to two
days of fighting, these officers felt
confident that the Americans had at
tanned the immediate detectives Of
their first independent offensive in
about "a hours.
Magnitude of Victory Grows With
Reports.
PARIS, Sept. 16.-The magnitude
of the American success continues to
grow as reports come from the front.
What most appeals to the French i'm
agination is the approach of the
American line to within few miles
of the great fortress of Metz, which
heretofore has been considered Inn
pregnable, and such vast reservoir
of men and material as to forbid
any approach.
The French look hopefully to the
release from the hands of the enemy
of the great metallurgical basins, on
which Germany relies for iron and
J steel