The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-09-07
G CONDENSED VAR BULLETINS
OFFICIAL MD NEWSPAPER RE
PORTS SCMlfAEIZED.

The Germans are now giving /
ground over the entire 40 mile bat /
tie front from Yprcs to Rheims.
Seemingly the question whether
the Germans will be able to hold even
relatively their present line from
Flanders to Champagne is being an
Syered And the answer apparently
IS in the negative. The strategy OIL
Gen. Foch. which imposed upon the
Germans the necessity Of falling back
in Flanders, Artois and Picardy, now
likewise is compelling the enemy tol
withdraw from the Vesle River be-
t.ren SCISSORS and Rheims. north
ward toward the Aisne in order toI
avert disaster.
Outfanked on all defensive works
along the western part OF the battle
line and in great Danger OF turn
ing movement eastward from the re-
g;cns of Noyon and scissors, the Ger
n.an high command ct last has been
forced to begin the retroGrade move
racnt in the Soissons-RheimS sector
which military experts long had pre-
G:cted would be necessit&ted through
~"'-
American armies.
The climax Of the German maneu-
rcrs along the Nesle eliminated when
the French virtually swept away the
last remaining portion Of the old sa-
lient in the region OF Noyon and the
French and Americans north Of Sols-
sons and along the Nesle reached
portions dominating the Aisne ana
the Chemin -des-Damas and crossed
TO the north side of the Vesle on
front Of nearly 20 miles.
al behind the front toward the
A;sne huge fires are to be seen where
the enemy is making his way as fast
as possible northward, in all prob
ability harassed by outnosts OF
French and American troops and by
! artillery fire and the machine guns
anu bombs of the Allied aviators.
While the debacle' in the south
seems complete. IN tie north the Ger
mans also are facing Il crisis. Every
where from Peronne to Ypres. fjeid
Marshal Haig's men are keeping hard
after the enemy whose lines daily are
being bent back further eastward,
giving the British better poins OF van
.age from which to work in their
task of regain;ns as their first obJec-
,ives ST. Quentin. Cambria, Lille and
Armentieres.
From Ypres to Lens additional
towns have been recaptured and the
Old salient more nearly reclaimed
Lens. the famous coal city. is said to
have been entirely evacuated by the
Ce1mans and the British are only
awaiting the dissipation of the noXous
gases and the rendering Of the city
safe from the possibility Of the de-
tonation Of mines If subterranean
Goa. to enter it.
from Arras southwark to Peronne
English Scottish. Welsh. Canadian
and Australian troops everywhere are
harassing the enemy, meeting his
violent machine gun fire with such
irresistible pressure that the enemy
has been virtually nonpIussed and has
retired at some points almost pre-
'cipitately.
Eastward to the old Drocourt-
Queant line the enemy has beer
pushed across to the cast bank Of the
Canal Du Nord, where at last ac-
counts he was endeavoring to pre-
vent. by the use Of innumerable ma
chine guns British advance ovel
the ditch.
To the north Of Peronne, over an
eight mile front between Moislaine
ard Demicourt. the British at several
points have beaten their way across
the canal and Wednesday night
were pressing the enemy well to the
eastward.