Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-13
AMERICAN ARMY NOW
IN THE WAR "ON IT'S OWN
Attack in St. Mihie Salient Is First Blow by United
States Forces Under Pershing as Independent
Unit
By CAMERON MACKENZIE

Special Cable to Euening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918. bv New York Times Co.
With the American Army in France,
Sept. IL Morning).
Early this morning the first Amer
lean army, assisted by certain French
units, but all under the direct COM
mand of General Pershing, launched
between the Moselle and the Meuse
an attack with limited objectives upon
a front of between thirty and thirty
seven miles.
The operation, which has for its
purpose the wiping out of the st.
Mihiel salient, eclipses in magnitude
and Importance all previous efforts
of Pershing's troops in France and
indubitably signalizes an entirely new
phase in Americas participation in the
war.
1t Is much too early to give any de-
tails of the fighting proper. However,
we have experienced a night of artil-
lery preparation on a grand scale. 1t
was precisely o'clock that the Amer.
lean guns unlimbered. and not since
Verdun has the valley of the Meuse
'known such a roar and rumble. Ex-
many flares against the sky, for the
autumn mists blanketed the flashes.
To one on the scene, however, the
great thought Is that the American
army has passed from its initial stage
and has become a distinct and
separate military entity, going forth
to do battle on It's own account, 1t
is a proud day for. the young new
army from overseas, and there was
not an American boy who went press
ing into the inferno Of shell fire who
did not accept his ordeal with a little
more gallantry and little more stole
ism for the knowledge that at last
his country was in the war "on. its
own"
NOON-In my dispatch sent earlier
today 1t was possible to do little more
than record the fact that the Ameri.
'can army was engaged upon its first
really large-sized independent opera
ton in the war, and that 1t had taken
upon itself the bv-no-means simple
task of pinching out the famous. we'll
fortified st. Mihiel salient. with its
doep dip-down between the Meuse anG
Moselle.
Although the details of the battle
still in progress unfold themselves
SLOWLY. IL is now possible despite tne
lack of a general vision of the course
Of the entire engagement to supply
some additional information concern
ing the fighting.
Along a line which may be roughly
described as running southwest from
Point-a .Mousson. the American troops
have made progress. More than half
dozen villages have passed into their
hands. The resistance encountered at
the first system OF German defenses,
without being tame, was not actually
stiff. and the doughboys were able to
sweep toward the second line Of
enemy positions ahead of their sched-
| ule.
There, however. the Germans inter-
posed a more definite negative to the
| advance. and encounters of the sharp
est sort began to develop. This de-
layed, but in no wise daunted the
Americans. who valorously pushed on
northward. ....
That these operations have proceeded
SO successfully augurs well for a gem
| eral success.
Southwark from st. Mihiel two
actions, which are described as
strong raids, have taken place. Also
at several points along the heights Of
| the Meuse the French troops have
been exerting heavy pressure.
At the moment nothing presents it.
| self with greater emphasis than the
skill with which the American artil-
lery fire was conducted. Not only did
1t achieve the most savage and
devastating intensity, but was al