Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-13
Americans Push Ahead at
Every Point Except
One.
BIG GUN PRELUDE
LASTS FOUR HOURS
Niaht Made Brilliant by Exploding
Shells and Ammunition Dumps and
by Signal Rockets-Yankees go
Over the Top" at Time Fixed and
Are Still Going Believed
to Have Been Surprised at Attack.
lBy the Associated Press.]

[By the Associated Press.]
With the American Army in Lor-
raine, Sept 13.-General Pershing
troops continued their steady advance
against the st, Mfhiel salient thruou:
the night. They reached and even
passed the objectives set for them.
The Americans pushed ahead all
along the front except at one point
They met with less resistance than
they had expected. The Germans made
only one counter attack in an attempt
to stem the onrushing tide of Ameri-
cans.
The Germans, however, began their
protective barrage too early. They
gave the Americans warning OF what
was to come and the Americans were
prepared TO meet the attack.
American Fire Deadly.
Prisoners unanimously testify to the
accuracy and deadliness Of the Amer
lean preparatory artillery fire.
Observers had so completely located
German works in advance that the
enemy troops could only take to their
bardment.
The full effect of the terrific bonn
bardment could not be observed but
there is little doubt it had immense ef-
feet by interfering with the defensive
work Of the big German force in the
salient.
Night Made Brilliant.
The front over which the attack was
made was 50 extended that the bril-
liant bands of light soon stretched far
eastward and westward.
Soon there began to arise star shells,
signel rockets and flares thrown up by
the enemy to betray the Americans
should they leave their trenches sud
denly to begin an infantry attack.
To this general color scheme there
was soon added ruddy glow as am
munition dumps were fired. and am
munition giving off this color exploded
about 4 o'clock.
The character of the artillery fire
changed slightly, lessened little in in
tensity and German star shells burst
more frequently as. 5 o'clock ap-
preached, as tho..the enemy suspected
that was the hour set for the infantry
attack.
Yanks go ovsr."
More and more ammunition dumps
exploded before 5, and the artillery
bombardment resumed its original in
tensity, and as the day was beginning
to be tinged with dawn 1t again took
on a white look along the horizon.
Precisely at o'clock the guns ac-
companying the lights stopped and in
the sudden silence the Americans went
over the top
~. s!c.s the lire could he hoard tho
chattering OF German machine guns
and suddenly the roar began again
when barrage was laid down to pro.
tect the advancing soldiers.
Face Americans Everywhere.
The front under attack was about
foryt five miles in length. The French
were in the line at allotted points. Put
the distribution Of the forces was such
that wherever the Germans faced they
faced American troops.
Just how much the Germans we're
surprised by the offensive in a sector
50 long inactive is uncertain. It seems
not improbable, however; they had
noticed the Indications given for many
days past that some new plan was be-
Ing adopted.
The mobilization Of the force was ac-
complished, however, almost wholly in
night marched; the men slipping into
position in front OF the enemy, often
times without even the population Of
the districts thru which, they passed
being aware Of the movement.
!. The guns that opened the artillery
preparations Continued for four hours
to hammer the Germans, not alone
their near by positions but almost every
lcfossroad village and town within
range. The roads over which the sn.