The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-07-24
FRENCH IN new drive
MANY PRISONERS TAKEN

ing only seven-mile strip through
troops can effect their retirement
nOrthward.
! The French attack was presumably
designed as a diversion aimed at keep
ing the enemy's mind occupied and
preventing him from sending large re-
endorsements to the southwark.
At the same time 1t also effected an
important local improvement in the
line at sector where every advance
means better protection for Amiens
and Paris. The French attacked on
four-mile front after an hours bonn
bardment, and captured all three Of
the villages within fifteen minutes.
About a thousand more prisoners
have been counted by the entente al
lies in the past "a hours. Of this num-
ber about half have been credited to
the Americans and British, but as a
matter OF fact the allies just now are
far too busy to devote much time to
the counting of prisoners
Battle Line Waivers.
Fighting of the fiercest character
continues, and the present to and fro
struggling all along the Soissons-
Reims loop is very close, strenuous
work. and probably not so many pris-
Oners are being taken as would be the
case in direct advance or q retreat
action.
There has been little change in the
last "a hours in the appearance of the
SOissons-Reims pocket as it appears
on the map. What changes have been
made there are all to the advantage of
the allies. The French and Americans
have gained further ground in the bot
tom Of the pocket. The French also
are pressing hard on the long line
south of scissors, and the map shows
advances of thousand yards or SO at
several points.
Foe Fighting Hard.
The expectations of those who
+! thought that the Germans were pre-
! pairing to give up Immediately the en-
tire Soissons-C Chateau Thierry-Re eims
| salient and retire to the Vesle river or
| the Aisne have not yet been fulfilled.
According to dispatches the Ger
man is fighting his hardest to hang on
to every foot Of ground he has, and is
constantly counter-attacking with sur
| prising momentum, both on the Marne
| and along the west side of the salient.
1t is true Of course that this is ex-
=, actly what the German would be likely
to do ii he were actually in the process
| of retreat, but the allies so far have
| had no definite indication. that the
German has made up his mind that a
| general retirement will be necessary.
The Germans are burning villages
and some small dumps, but presuma-
bly, further prodding will be needed
to push them back to the River Vesle
| Meanwhile the entente allies, not
only the infantry but also the artillery
and bomb dropping aviators, are work
| ing without rest at the business of
making either a stand or a withdrawal
difficult for the Germans.
Win Lost Ground.
Early advices brought word that at
tacks carried out by the French re-
stored all the ground lost on Monday
in the region Of Grisolles, seven miles
northwest of Chateau Thierry. The
French also are firmly holding Oulchy
lie Chateau.
General Foch's troops, the same ad-
vices assert, Stormed the heights north
Of Courcelles. They are also holding
the bend in the neighborhood of Chas-
ons, as far as TrelOup, towns just to
the north Of the Marne, and east OF
JaulgOnne. Treloup, at the last ad
vices, was still in the hands Of the
| enemy.
The French also G. ossed the Marine
at POnt-a-BinsOn further east, and just
to the east of Reuil. The enemy cOun
ter-attacked heavily form the direction
of Wanderers, but these onslaughts
\ were beaten off.
In their fighting along the Marne
however, the French are reported tc
be experiencing difficulty in making 6
passage Of the river at some points
being stubbornly opposed by the Ger
man infantry, supported by artillery
and machine guns.
American Artillery Active.
| With the Americans Near scissors
July 24.-American artillery laid {
devastating fire upon heavy masses Of
German infantry Immediately south Of
scissors. The bombardment preceded
an American attack which is reported
to be progressing satisfactorily despite
the German shelling and machine gur
| nest defense.