The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-30

as menblOned In the open
ing Of this article) from
100000 to nearly 100000.
Remaining available for
reinforcement, from 10000
to $4,000.
It will be observed that the
uncertainties of this calculation
multiply toward the end, so that
no very definite idea can finally
be reached as to the exact
amount of reserves remaining,
but it is evident that they have
been exhausted very rapidly.
Details Of the
Great Offensive.
With these preliminaries we
may now take up the details of
the fighting, which are becoming
clearer after the confused re-
ports of the early days of the of
fensive. The great German at
tack opened an hour before
dawn on Thursday, March 81, in
the form of a cannonade more
violent than any previously de-
livered even in this war of big
guns. There was far greater
delivery of shell to each mile of
front and to each hour than had
been seen before even at Pass
chendael.
Though the artillery lombard
ment was intense, it was short.
The last hour was principally
filled with the use of gas shells,
especially aimed at the batteries
of the defence line, and at points
of concentration Immediately
behind it. At the same time ex-
ceptionally heavy work was done
against the defensive barbed
wire entanglements by trench
which were pushed up
to the extreme front trenches of.
the German lines.
After three and one-half to-
four and one-half hours Of this
preparation, the infantry was
launched, and the terrific pres
sure, which has at the moment
of writing continued almost UNI
interruptedly for four days, be-
gan to be exercised upon the
whole of the front which had
been chosen by the enemy for
his attack.
The first days fighting-that
of Thursday-resulted in far
less than the enemy had expect
ed, as we know by captured
documents. He attempted to cut
off the bulge or salient which
faced the town of Cambria, and
failed. He attempted at the
same time, with eight divisions,
to exercise a decisive pressure
upon the st. Quentin district.
He there compelled slow local
retirement, but achieved no def |
lite result. The Cambria salient
vas evacuated without any very |
serious loss. Immediately to the |
southeast Of Arras the enemy
gained a crescent-shaped piece
# territory, less than two miles
leep, and some twelve miles
Lcross the base. The total num-
Der of prisoners, both wounded |
md unwounded, that he obtained |
n these operations on the first
lay was not more than 10000, |
hat is to say, some 3 per cent of
he number of his attacking
orce Of infantry, and not 2 per
,ent of the total number Of
roops he had brought up for the
Engagement.
Jost of Taking
British Lines.
There was a considerable loss
n guns by the British, through
he use Of their field pieces upon
he extreme front, and this in
urn was due to feature Of the
ferman tactics which appeared
rom the very outset Of the bat
le, which was to characterize
he whole of it, and upon which,
doubt, the Prussians
or failure will ultimately
.epend in this great gamble.
his feature was the deliberate
acrifice of exceptionally large
umbers Of their men as a price
7orth paying for a rapid decis-
IN which should break the Brit
ii line before reinforcements
ould be brought up, or the de-
snce could be recognized to
leet the developments of the
arly part Of the engagement
The universal testimony Of
ye- witnesses is that no assault {