Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1918-06-27
lAT|NS CAPTURE
$4,000 AUsTR|ANs
IN GREAT BATTLE
Diaz's Cavalry Crosses Pave in
Pursuit of Fleeing Enemy.
WEST BANK CLEARED OF FOE
italians Have Swept Back in One
Stroke All of the Gains for Which
the Enemy Paid Huge Price in
Lives-U. S. Aviators Take
Part in Fight.

London, June 25.-The Italian en-
bassy said that official reports received
from Rome placed the number Of Aus
Gians captured at $4,000.
It is reported that many other scat
tered forces Of the enemy are trapped
and it is expected that the number of
captives will be increased heavily as
full details of the battle are received.
Italians Cross River.
The Italians have crossed the Pave
In half score Of places in close pur-
suit Of the fleeing enemy. The Italian
cavalry is said to have many Of the
enemy surrounded on the east bank.
Great stores of rifles, machine guns
and foodstuffs were abandoned by the
enemy. The captures in cannon are
not thought to have been large, as the
Austrians had been prevented by the
flood from bringing many big guns to
their forward positions.
West Bank Cleared of Foe.
On the entire stretch Of the front
from the Montello to the sea the Aus
Erians have been cleared from the
West bank Of the Piave except at one
small point near San Dona di Piave.
Their only hold there is a small bridge
head.
The Italians, advancing from the old
channel of the Piave near the point
where it enters the sea, have pressed
forward until at last accounts they
nave reached the new channel.
Near the center of the front Italian
cavalry has crossed the river at many
places between Montello and Zenson.
Great Gain Made at Monticello.
Far to the north, in the vicinity of
the MontellO heights, the Italians have
swept back in one stroke all of the
gains for which the enemy paid huge
price in lives.
They first recaptured all of the
heights, penning in between the Mon
tello and the river 1000 of the enemy;
they then drove forward, smashing
back or capturing the foe, until they
reached the river.
Since that time they have gained
possession of two bridgeheads on the
opposite side of the river. These
bridgeheads are at NerveSa and FalZe.
Austrian Dead Cover Field.
Rome, June 25.-ENtremely heavy
losses in men and material have been
suffered by the AuStro-Hungarians in
the defeat which the Italians have adj
70 No
the war office announced.
The enemy has been driven from the
entire west bank of the Piave, except
at one point, and was able to cross the
river only under the deadly fire of the
italian artillery.
italian troops have crossed the old
channel of the piaVe river, west of the
main stream, and recaptured several
of their old positions there.
From CapO SiIe other detachmentS
are advancing toward the main stream
Of the river.
The Italians have thrown numerous
bombing detachmentS across the main
stream, where the artillery and aircraft
are hammering the enemy.
The Austrian dead cover the ground
Of the battle in extraordinary numbers.
Story of Foes Retreat.
italian Army Headquarters. June p.
The great retreat by the AuStrianS
along the piave front began under
cover of darkness Saturday night. The
retreating troops left their cannon be-
hind them. Italian detachments are
pursuing the enemy east Of the Pave.
When it was observed that the Aus
trians had begun a retrograde move
ment the Italians began 70 attack Wig
orously all along the Piave line from
Montello we'll toward the mouth of the
river. The attack was quickly pressed
and became more insistent, accompa-
MED by violent artillery fire. The num-
Der of guns left behind by the Austri-
ans as they retreated has not been
computed, but is said to be very great.
U. S. Flyers Aid Latins.
The work of the American aviators
who appeared on the front last week
Cor the first time, contributed notably
TO the Reorganization OF the Austrian
forces which had crossed the Piave,
according to Raffaele Carmel, CORE
spondent of the Milan Secolo.
The Italian attack began at dawn on
Sunday. With the Monticello on the left
flank, the attack was carried out all
along the line through Candelu to San
Dona di Piave.
Austrian troops left to cover the re-
treat used their machine, guns to set
mp barrage fire.
Cruelty harassed by steady and &C.
curate artillery fire, compelled to face
bayonet attacks by the Italians and be-
ing constantly bombed by allied avia-
tors, flying low in defiance of machine,
gun and artillery fire, the Austrians
nave been fighting recently with the
courage of despair. Local counter-at-
acks have been launched without re-
gard for losses, against the allied
trenches on the Montello plateau, but
have been everywhere broken by the