Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-07-10
Yanks Capture Village and Re-
pulse Counter-kttacks.
SEQ PRISONERS ARE CAPTURED
Americans Hold All Ground Won and
Inflict Heavy Losses on Enemy
in Hot Fight in Front of Hill
2OHGermans Flee to
Rear When Yanks
Advance.

tack made by the Germans against
the new positions won by the Ameri-
can forces to the west of Chateau
Therry was completely broken up.
The Americans did not give up foot
Of ground which they had captured.
There was hot fighting all day in
front of Hill 204, which is in the hands
of the Germans. At five o'clock in the
evening the American artillery was
engaged in heavily Smelling the posi-
ton.
Reports FROM the advanced front
brought back through heavy enemy
barrage, confirm the earliest state
ments that the Americans have
reached their every objective and are
holding every point.
The total number of Germans cap
tUred by the Americans is now esti-
mated to number about 500, includ-
Ing seven officers. Many machine
guns were taken.
In a brilliant operation after hard
fighting the American troops on this
front captured tie village of VauX,
together with a large slice of the Par
is highway west of Chateau Thierry
and two patches of wooded land.
Huns Taken by Surprise.
In the VauX region, the Americans
took the Germans completely by sur
prise. Most of the prisoners were
taken out of cellars and dugouts.
How many Germans were killed of
course is unknown to the Americans,
but from the number of dead in plain
view at various places the total must
have been considerable.
While the artillery preparation was
going on many American airplanes
flew high overhead. Some were pro-
tecting the observation balloons while
others were combing the skies to keep
off enemy machines.
Early in the morning the American
pilots again appeared for similar
duty and were soon found contesting
with the enemy for supremacy in the
air. 4 number of the aerial battles
were observed, but reports on the re-
suits are not yet obtainable.
Germans Flee to Rear.
1t was exactly six o'clock in the eve
ming when the Americans went over
the top under the protection of hail
of machine gun bullets from our ma
chine gun barrageS. The infantry ac-
ton was preceded by Snort but ter
rife artillery preparation. When the
Germans saw that a formidable at
tack was developing many of those in
outposts yelled and ran toward the
rear TO nests from which q hot fire
began pouring.
The Americans paused for a mo-
ment while the automatic rifles and
machine guns with the advancing
troops fought a duel in front of Vaux
briefly, but effectively, with the en-
envy.
Then the Americans. whose number
was considerable, went on, most of
them running in their eagerness to
get at close quarters with the Ger
mans. At the same time the BocheS
began hurting gas shells to the rear
of the American lines.
Fight for Village Streets.
Within a brief time the Americans
had wreSted from the enemy the
BoiS dc Ia Roche and the woods adj
joining it. Then came word that thA
Americans were ia Vaux and finally,
after sharp fighting there in the
streets and houses, they Overcame all
resistance and swept on beyond the
village
The Americans reached every one
of their detectives and by this opera
ton they have eliminated salient
and have Strengthened out their line.
Over an area of several miles the
Americans now have the enemy under
their guns.
Daylight saw the Americans dig
ging in almost undisturbed far beyond
the old German defense line. To the
rear patches of prisoners and piles of
material were going. The guns and
material have not vet been tabulated.
The fighting qualities of the Ameri-
cans were certified to by virtually all
the prisoners taken. They said the
Americans fought like wild men,
sweeping everything before them as
they plunged over the ground.
So fierce was the attack that many
Germans who were in the zone as
saulted made their escape by running
when the fight got too hot for them
and they saw it was impossible TO slow
down or halt the American plunge
Negro Troops Good Fighters.
With the American Armies in
France, July 2-American negro troops
proved their value as fighters Is the
line east of Verdun on June II, it is
now permissible to state. The Ger
mans attempted raid in that sector.
but were completely repulsed by the
negroes.
The Americans had only two
wounded.