Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-02
STORY OF THE FIGHTING
British Inflicted Heavy Loss and Suf.
fered Small DAMAGE,

| fered Small Damage.
The great German effort. wrote an
Associated Press correspondent from
the French front last Friday, appears
to have exhausted itself. At many
places along the front OF attack the
others the French and British are Of
fcring firm resistance. Infantry fight
ing has begun to give place to artil-
lery battles and in the next few days
the guns may be expected to speak
loudly. In this respect the British and
French have the advantage, inasmuch
rs the Germans have been unable to
drag much artillery with them. They
are engaged in establishing themselves
in the positions to which they have
advanced, but have not had time thor
oughly 10 organize their defenses.
The main portion Of today's fight
ing was around the northern sector
OF the battlefield. where both the
French and the British had n success
ful day, counterattacking with great
vigor where the Germans threatened
to push most deeply into their lines.
At present the front Is almost uneven.
During the first rush the Germans
Succeeded NJ some places in indenting
the lines so that here and there were
formed pockets which sooner or later
must be Strengthened out.
Further details concerning the first
part Of the battle show that no fewer
than SO German divisions were thrown
simultaneously against a front held
by only eight British divisions. over
whelming them and forcing them
back. Behind these British divisions
were only three others in reserve, but
the troops fought valIantly and delay
ell the German advance for a con-
siderable time.
divisions have been hurled into tho
battle "a total of 81 divisions or. at
the present estimated strength Of the
German division. about 100000
men, Not only the army Of tho
Bavarian crown prince. but also that
of the German crown prince. Is now
engaged. The German generals i'm
mediately commanding the troops.
from the north to the south, Of the
front attacker. are Won Below, Won
Marwitz and Won Hutier. The army Of
Gen. Won Hutier faces the French
along the Disc. 1t Is very quiet today.
after the bloody defeat Of its attempt
to cross the river. Most Of the briggs
have now been blown up.
The fighting has been much more
severe in the sectors of Won Below
and Won MarwitZ. It is evident the
allies are gaining the upper hand and
mastering the enemy with artillery.
Owing to the terrible casualties
among his aviators, the enemy IL COM
pulled to feel almost blindly for weak
spots in the allied lines, which he has
been seeking constantly so as to throw
against them some Of his dense masses,
Wherk Il Is remenbnnAd-- that thd
| enemy had more than q division for
every thousand yards Of the front on
which he attacked. an idea may be
gained OF the difficulties with which
the allies have been beset.
At one point. on the Corzat Canal.
| where the Germans eventually gained
Il crossing. they made 16 different at
L EinnllNy n Rriftat
corps which was holding the position,
| fell back, absolutely exhausted, and
the Germans crossed over bridge OF
piled-up bodies Of their own COM
| rades.
The German advance has been more
rapid at some points and the allies
| have scarcely had time to get away
their cannon. AZ no horses werS near.
One French battery Of 75s was drag
ged five miles with ropes by the gun
ners. who succeeded in saving It.
One Of the German prisoners ex-
pressed surprise at the small number
of British dead found on the battle
field. They had been told the British
in front of them had been annihilated.
II was evident small groups had
fought gamely to the last. giving the
| Germans the impression that large
forces were facing them.
| The same prisoner said the Ger
mans had formed a special corps
whose duties were to advance behind
the fighting troops and strip all cloth
ing from the dead. The bodies. he
ID were buried without any cover
ing, and the clothing thus obtained
was served out again.
Reports from other parts Of the
front seem to indicate that elsewhere
the line IL being held by mediocre
divisions brought from the Russian
front. the best troops having been
withdrawn to participate in the battle.
Every one Of the divisions which has
been identified since the offensive be-
gan had been already classified as ef-
| fective. Among them are three Of the
famous guard divisions and some Of
Bavarians.
Whether the Germans will hurl
more divisions into the furnace. Is
of course, unknown. It is considered
possible that they still have approx
mately 40 divisions which may be
used to replace those that have suffer-
ed most heavily in the recent offen-
siva