The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-08-07
YANKEES REFUSE
T0BEST0PpEDBY
HUN 0NSLAUCHTS
Progress Toward Heights Beyond
the Ves|e Despite Heavy
Attacks.
FOE BATTALION WIPED OUT
Germans Use Big Cannon and Flame
Projectors and Rake the HiItops
With Gas Shells-Alles Keep
Their Hold on Fismes.

With the American Army on the
Marne-VesIe Front, Aug. 7.-North of
the VesIe river the Germans are re-
sistng the onsIaughts of the Ameri-
cans in order to gain time, but the
doughboys are slowly progressing to-
ward the heights beyond the river.
Sunshine permitted air observations,
and numerous airpIanes were in the
air accommodating.
With the American Army in France,
Aug. 7.-American machine gunners
protecting location on the Vesle west
OF Reims wiped out an entire bat
TALON of German infantrymen. The
Germans were getting into position to
attack group of American bridge
builders.
Americans Hold Fismes.
With the American Army on the
Vesle, Aug. 7.-American troops are
holding to F1smes and all other gains
Notwithstanding terrific artillery ac-
tion by the Germans, and in the face
OF every opposition threw patrols
across the Vesle at several places.
French troops to their right and left
also calmly went about the compile
ton of their plans and also moved pa
trolls across the river, the German ar
tillery failing to stop them.
In the capture of Fismes.. American.
troops took II guns. With their crews
these weapons had been left south of
the Vesle to enfilade an advance into
FiSmes. Some of the artillerymen all
so were captured
The Germans facing the Americans
along the Vesle increased the inten-
sity of the artillery fire late in the
day, bringing into action guns Of $50
millimeter against the forces west of
Fismes. During the afternoon the
Germans employed flame projectors
from the slopes north of the Vesle,
where they appeared to be well organ
lied. Machine guns also were used
repeatedly.
The American lines also were sub
jected to a heavy fire from German
1O5s and late in the afternoon the en-
emy raked the hilltops with various
kinds of gas shell. The big gun duel
soon became so violent that obserVa-
ton was difficult and maps had to be
used, the Americans picking out Ger
man positions observed during the day.
Yanks Given More Praise.
Washington, Aug. 1.-THE most
striking fact is the taking of Fismes
by the Americans" says La Liberte of
Paris commenting on the operations
Of the victorious American troops in
France. A copy of La Liberte was
cabled here to the French embassy
"For the second time in less than a
week." La Liberte continues, "our al
lies have beaten the Prussian guards.
It is to one Of those regiments that file
past us at Paris on the Fourth of July
that the honor of this brilliant exploit
belongs. Fismes was, on the evening
before, outfanked on the east, and
American detachments had even been
able to penetrate into the southern
suburbs.
Launch Big Assaults.
Sunday morning at ten O'Clock the
Americans launched an assault against
the town itself, which was being de-
Tended by the Prussian guards and
gave proof of that superior and ire
sistible class which characterizes
them The Americans followed close
ly the Fismette, which is situated
north of the Vesle. Soldiers of the
guard, in spite of their tenacity, had
to fall back and their pursuers again
engaged them in battle.
There were furious hand-to-hand
struggles. AS at Sergy and Seringes,
our allies excelled In combat with the
bayonet, making real massacre of
the enemy.
"At four o'clock they were masters
of the town and its suburbs, the great
er part of which is IN ruins