Norwich bulletin., 1918-08-08

With the American Army on the Alsne- -Marne Front, Aug. 7-(By The Associated Press Under an inferno of shrapnel and machine 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 a drizZle to downpour drenched the battle field.
 French troops already have gained positions on the American left, and the joint movement has strengthened out the line from point west of Ba- zoches to Fismes.
 The Germans lost considerab bly, in casualties and also few prisoners, whose stories tended to corrobora se the expressed opinion of those previ- 1 ously taken that the Germans expect to continue their retreat until the bank of the Aisne is reached. The Objectives Reached. The attack began between four and five o'clock Tuesday afternoon. By midnight those men on the right had reached their obiect1ves the main highway east and west extending | along the foothills that rise north of the river and becomes a series of ter | races to the Aisne.
 | The left wing was delayed. but it l also reached the line shcT<1y before $ o'clock this morning, The artiileries on both sides are still fighting duels over the captured positions, and the Germans also have continued small. arms resistance. But 1 with every hour the positions of both l the French and Americans have been rendered more secure
 Germans Open Fire.
 The attack by the infantry was pre- ceded by artillery preparation Under | cover of a barrage. the engineers completed the work of throwing ligh bridges over the stream, while the officers chosen to lead the dash acrog. the river placed their men in posi- tion, working them downward toward the points where the bridges wero known 10 be. The challenges were accepted immediately by the German artillery, and in a few. minutes tht intermittent reports Of the guns whici had been heard all day were merged into--aone great roar
 The clouds. which had lifted slight ly, reappeared just before the attacl was launched. and therefore the ac ton was conducted without much ad
 vantage in observa tioIi by aircraft
 When the order for their advanc
 was given the men. for the most part
 swept forward in open formation, hu
 the Germans were ready with de
 fence, and even more. They had pre-
 pared, although apparently hastily,
 counter attack which they launche
 without success later in the engage
 ment.
 Americans Destroy Company.
 The men on the American righ , fought their way along the chose routes. Some rof them fioundcre
 across through the water. while other
 used the bridges that still were stand F ing.
 : One detachment of Germans, some ] what more than a company, move l forward into the open. Here tn , American machine guns caught then l and, sweeping them with bullets. de . stroyed them almost totally. Counter Blow Checked.
 The Germans also attempted {
 strike the Americans a disconcertin
 counter blow with a considerabl
 force by plunging down a ravir : leading to the river Their path ha s been cleared by their artillery, an ! they might have succeeded in react
 ing the Americans; but the move ment had been reported to the arti lery stations south of the Vesle. an y from them there swept into the a6
 vancing column such mass of shel that the formation was quick broken, + e Americans Won. II At another point detachment ', Germans stood until the American were upon them. Then it became a hand to-hand conflict, the only or U of the kind during the battle. In, u mud and in darkness where the con
 hatants were barely able to distir '' euish each other. they fought it ou
 The Americans won