The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-12
First American Offensive Started
At5OClock This Morning and Is
Under Direct Command Of Gen.
Pershing French Are Assisting
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES ON METZ FROM.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES ON METZ FRONT,
Sept 12(By Ferguson to the United Press THE first
American offensive started o'clock this morning be-
tween the Meuse and MoseIe rivers. The attack was
carried by the First army under the direct command
Of General Pershig.
The French are assisting toward the right, and also
toward the left this dispatch is fled St MheI the
Meuse directly in front Of Metz and the great fortress
German Lorraine.
The Americans have captured ten villages and have
advanced kilometers front of about ten miles.
The immediate objective of the attack limited to the
specified lne Tanks action and the greatest
Der Of American troops and artillery that have yet been
involved any single operation engaged in action
Metz has been the American objective, according to
most theories Of the plans Of the Allied command this
point 1t has been predicted that the Americans might
strike blow that would be aimed drive towards the
Rhine this being the shortest the great German
industrial valley.
The Americans and French also attacked on the west
side Of the St Mhe salient pushing the enemy back
the region of Fresnes. This action is on front of
twelve kiIometers. The French the peak Of the
salient, keeping pace with the Americans pinchng
the insides
More than 100 tanks all manned by Americans aided
in smashing the powerful concrete reinforced first lines
of the enemy in the region of ST. Bausant These
drove forward at sunrise behind dence smoke
The town of Montsec, seven miles of St. Mihel
kept shrouded in smoke all morning long
prevent effective German observation The weather
ideal for the offensive and the Allies have complete supre
macy in the air.
The American attack followed four hours Of the most
terrific artillery FIRE preparation starting The
rain during the night and the flashes from the hundreds
guns around the salient brilliantly lighted
up the clouds Everything within the salient of the
5Okiometer arch under FIRE. In addition to the ar
lery bombardment, arplanes dropped bombs all rail-
road centers bridges hangers and munon supply
ters the salient which Of the strongest fortified
points the entire western 'front.'
The American infantry attacked behind heavy roll
ing barrage timed go forward 100 meters every four
minutes
Artillery tanks smashed the powerful enemy first
line that but little infantry resistance encountered
Prisoners indicated that they had been expecting the
tack but did not know when where it would be- The
first village taken by the Americans within forty-6ve
minutes woods and other strong points were then
veloped.
The First army air working with the French
assumed the offensive with the infantry at a. They
reported single boche plane in the sky and the Amer
ican observers and bombers worked unmOested Under
the escort of chaser planes the Americandrven
guage railway and wagons rushed up with
nitOn This the first complete all-American attack.
The number of prisoners taken will probably be large
Indefinite reports the time Of cabling this dispatch say
that groups of fifty and 100 passing through the viii
lagos the front Many prisoners from the German
crack Tenth division which participated in the Marne off
fensive last July, among those being brought back
From the moment the first American went "over the
top reports flowed back steadily telling of their ncFeas
ing success,