The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-08-07
TRIES TO HOLD
YANKS ON vESLE.
Huns Are Using Big Guns to
Check Americans.
WEATHER HANDICAPS ENEMY
u. S. Patrols Force Their Way Over
the River in Face of Fire to Get
News

With the American Army on the
Vesle. Aug THE Germans along the
line opposite the Americans west of
Fismes used their guns freely i'll an
apparent attempt to discourage the
Americans and their French allies
from further aggressive efforts.
The Germans were handicapped in
this effort by the weather conditions.
1t was misty and al times rainy. and
although German balloons were up
they must have been unable to report
accurately. About midaftemoon the
Germans began. trying other methods
TO get the range for their heavy guns.
Many shells which threw out black
smoke upon exploding We're hurled to-
ward cross roads and other Objectives
to gauge the range from the smoking
clouds.
But the mist likewise hampered ac-
curacy in observation on these shells
and after wasting numbers of them
the attempt was abandoned.
Late in the afternoon the Germans
began using mustard gas, sneeze gas
and some chocolate gas-so named
from the odor These gas attacks
were ineffective, the American gas
drills having taught the troops all the
German tricks.
Nevertheless the Germans were per-
sistent. They comhed the hills bor-
dering the Vesle with gas shells, en-
deavoring to reach the roads leading
to FiSmeS and other points where they
thought the allies might be assem-
bling for q crossing Of the VeSle. AT
some places along the highways the
Germans would start planting shells
in zigzag line for a mile or so and
back again. often dropping them every
twenty or thirty feet, and then repeat
ing the process along the objective Tor
which they were aiming
Meanwhile the American and
French heavy guns to the south We're
sending in repeated salvoes and the
Germans were supplementing their
gas sheIling with mine throwers and
machine guns north of VeSe. These
smaller weapons were kept working
full time in the hope of keeping clear
the south banks Of the river. Dark
ness came. and with it more rain. The
Germans kept pounding away after
dark, but for every shell the enemy
sent in the Americans sent across a
half-dozen or more and never said
goodnight.
The Germans brought into action
guns of $50 millmeter against the
forces west Of Fismes During the
afternoon the Germans employed
flame projectors from the slopes north
Of the vesle, where they appeared to
be well organized. Machine gnns also
were used repeatedly.
The American soldiers which cap
tured Fisme. were members of the
same organization that occupied
Coulonges. Cohan and Dravisul dur
ing the advance north from the
Marne
At Cohan all the civilians left be-
hind in the French settlement last
spring were found in a village church.
They had been kept under guard there
by the GeFlHdnS WHO oINupieu 'iiN
village. All personal belongings OF
any value were taken from the civil
ians by the enemy. Most of the civil
ians were old men. women and chill
dren.
In the capture of Fismes, American
troops took seventeen guns. With
their crews these weapons had been
left south of the Vesle to fight an adj
vance into Fismes. Some of the Ger
man artillery men also were captured.
American troops held Cd to Fismes
and all other gains, Notwithstanding
terrific artillery action by the Ger
mans. and in the face of every popo-
sition threw patrols across the Vesle
Monday at several places.