Evening star., 1918-08-08
AMER|CANSFORCE
VESLE'S CROSSING
IN SHELL INFERNO
Hold Positions on Northern
Bank Despite Desperate
Hun Counter Attacks.
BATTLE ALL NIGHT LONG
IN RAIN AND DARKNESS
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
WITH THE AMERICANS ON THE
AISNE-MARNE FRONT. August L.
Under an inferno of shrapnel and ma
chine gun fire and waves Of gas the
Americans forced their way over the
vesle river last night and early this
morning. while rain, varying at times
from drizzle to downpour.
drenched the battlefield.
French troops already. have gained
positions on the American left and the
joint movement has Strengthened out
the line from a point west Of Ba-
zoches to Fismes.
The Germans lost considerable in
casualties and also a few prisoners.
whose stories tended to corroborate
the expressed opinion Of those pre-
viously taken that the Germans ex-
pect to continue their retreat until
the bank of the Aisne is reached.
Battle Throughout Night.
The attack began between and 8
o'clock Tuesday afternoon. By mid
night those men on the right had
reached their objectives. the main
aloisESse7f6otnff{s that rise north Of
the river and become series of ter
races to the Aisne.
The left wing was delayed, but it
also reached the line shortly before s
o'clock this morning.
The artilleries on both sides are
sun fighting duels over the captured
positions and the Germans also have
continued smal1-arm resistance. But
with every hour the positions of both
the French and Americans have been
rendered more secure.
The attack by the infantry was pre-
ceded by artillery preparation. Un-
der cover OF a barrage the engineers
completed the work of throwing light
bridges over the stream while the Of
f1cers chosen to lead the dash across
the river placed their men in position,
working them downward toward the
points where the bridges were known
to be. The challenges were accepted
Immediately by the German artillery,
and in few minutes the intermittent
reports of the guns which had been
heard all day were merged into one
great roar.
Aircraft Of Little Use.
The clouds. which had lifted slight
ly. reappeared just before the attack
was launched and therefore the &C.
tion was conducted without much ad-
vantage in observation by aircraft.
When the order for their advance
was given the men. for the most part,
swept forward in open formation, but
the Germans were ready with a de-
tense, and even more. They had pre-
pared. although apparently hastily, a
counter attack. which they launched
without success later in the engage
ment
The men on the American right
fought their way along the chosen
routes. Some of them f1oundered
across through the water. while others
used the bridges that still were stand
ing.
One detachment Of Germans, some
what more than a company, moved
forward into the open. Here the
American machine guns caught them.
stroyed them almost totally.
Counter Attack Breaks Down.
The Germans also attempted to
strike the Americans disconcerting
counter blow with a considerable
force by plunging down a ravine lead
ing to the river. Their path had been
might have succeeded in reaching the
Americans, but the movement had
been reported to the artillery stations
south Of the Vesle and from them
there swept into the advancing COL
umn such a mass bf shells that the
formation was quickly broken.
Al another point a detachment Of
Germans stood until the American
were upon them. Then 1t became a
hand-to-hand conflict, the only one OF
the kind during the battle. In the
mud and in darkness. where the COM
batants were barely able to distin-
guish each other they fought it out.
The Americans won.
The Americans on the left failed to
reach their objectives until they had
called for a second barrage. Under
its cover they rallied and struggled
forward to the chosen positisAs.
The Germans, In attempting to re-
pulse the attack. used guns Of " and
los caliber and minnenwerfers. They
had them on the higher ground. con-
siderably to the rear of the battle
line. The American guns did excel
lent work. not only in covering the
advance, but in breaking up forma-
tions, especially one large assemblage
Of infantry.
Americans Holding Ground.
b the Associated Press.
{ WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON
THE vESLE. Wednesday. August z.
10 p.m.-The River vesle was crossed
east and west Of Fismes late today
by additional American infantrymen.
west Of Fismes the Americans are
breaking up counter attacks by Ger
man Infantry and are holding their