New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-08-16
FLEEING
P|CARDY SECTOR
ALLIES TAKE 10000 PRisoNERS,
INCLUDING 1000 OFFICERS
AND OVER 700 GUNS.
ALLIES GAIN ON s0MME
FRENCH TAKE MONTDIDiER, AND
FocH BLOWS UP BRIDGES
ON SOMME.


With the British Army in France,
Aug. 13.-The contrast between the
number of prisoners taken and the al
lied casualties is regarded as remark
able. For instance, the casualties OF
the entire allied forces were consider
ably fewer than the total prisoners
taken. With it is understood that this
battle has not been waged for the pur-
pose of taking prisoners, the casual
ties inflicted on the Germans must
have reached a large figure.
Although lie Germans are employ
ing fresh forces of reserves in efforts
to hold back the allied troops who are
pressing them from the region of the
Somme to the Disc, the American,
British and French armies continue to
make progress.
After an extremely bitter contest,
the British and Americans have
gained a foothOld in the important lit
tie town of Bray-sur-SOmme, on the
northern bank of the Somme. A short
distance across the river to the south
the British have taken PrOyart and
midway of the line have pressed on to
the east Of Fourquescourt in a a
euver which has resulted in the fur
Their ~outflanking of Chaulnes from the
south and of Roye from the north.
On their part, the French in the
rolling country Immediately north OF
the Disc river have captured Curry, a
position of great strategic value. ly-
ing southwest of Lassigny, and at sew
eral other points southwark to the re-
gion of the Disc have advanced their
line further toward Noyon.
In Mondays fighting hundreds of
additional Germans were made pris-
oner and the enemy also lost heavily
In men killed or wounded. Unofficial
reports give the number Of Germans
captured during the present offensive
as in the neighborhood of 10000, in.
Guiding 1000 officers, and 700 guns.
The Germans at last accounts were
throwing reinforcements to the east
of the road running through C%haulnes.
Roye and Noyon, the passage Of which
by the allies would seriously menace
all the German forces inside the peck
ct formed by the Somme on the north
and east and the Disc on the south.
With the American Army in France,
Aug. 12.-The first American field
army has been organized. 1t is under
the direct command of Gen. John j.
Pershing, commander in chief of the
American forces. The corps com
manders thus far announced are Maj.
Generals. Liggett, Billiard, Bundy,
Reed and Wright. The creation of the
first field army is the first step to-
ward the coordination Of all the
American forces in France.
London, Aug. 12.-Chaulnes, the i'm
portant railway town in the heart OF
the Somme battle front and the key to
the southern line of the German sa-
lent, has been captured by the allies.
The capture was effected by Austral-
ian and Canadian troops.
The French have driven the Ger
mans before them for an important
gain east of Montdidier, in Picardy.
That city, which was the apex of the
German salient that has now been
wiped out, fell to the French First
army at midday Saturday.
Tho Norunorc houo pnotorio11xy ctiff.
ened their defense against the British,
American and French troops on the
Picardy battle front, but they have
been unable to stem the tide.
The greater progress has been made
by the French from the region immedi.
ately southwest of Roye to the Disc
river. Here they have driven their
line we'll across the Roye-Compeigne
road, and at Cambronne have reached
the road leading from CoMpeigne to
Noyon. Since the capture Of Montdi-
der the French have penetrated east
ward to Tilloly, a distance of about
seven miles, and to Canny-Sur-Matz
more than eight and a half miles, and
through the billy region southwark to
the Disc have averaged gains exceed
ing six miles over a front Of twelve
miles.
Aviators have destroyed all the
bridges across the Somme from the re-
gion of Peronne southwark, and with
the enemy's communicating lines
either in the hands of the allies or
dominated by their guns, the retro
grade movement necessarily must be
slow.