The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-15
AMERICANS CHOP
INTO HUN LINES
Deliver Swinging Blows at En-
emy From Early Morn y
Late Afternoon. 81
FIERCE HUN RES <fMCE
Savage Fighting /,f9k Place
Along the.S m
hid Line.
FIERCE HUN RES .SNC

With the American Army Northwest
| of Verdun, Monday. Oct. 14.-G PM
IA. P)-From east OF the Meuse to
the vicinity Of Grand Pre-, American
forces chopped a series of fresh notches
in the German line today. They kept
up their swinging blows at the enemy
from early this morning until late this
afternoon.
While the Germans resisted with
grim determination, their decision to
hold till the last the portion of the
line before the Americans may open
the way to swifter disaster.
Although the action extended to the
eastward bank of the Meuse, the most
savage fighting took place about Ro-
magne and to the westward, where the
enemy is striving to maintain that Sec
tion of the Kriemhilde line running
northwestward from Romagne. The
battle has been over the wire entangle-
ments before this defensive position
and the excellent natural Notifications
along which the present line of resist
ance is made. Hanging on the wire to
the right are the Germans whose
equipment bears evidence that another
fresh division has been brought up to
meet the steady pressure of the Ameri-
cans.
There was some artillery preparation
for the American attack, but 1t was
not much heavier than that offered by
the Germans in defense along their
wire defenses until late in the day,
when there was a slight falling off in
the volume Of fire. At that time there
the rear Of the German positions re-
ported by aerial observers.
Artillery Attack.
The qrfillpry ppyntar ocf;an q
somewhat different than usual. On the
least indication of movement in the
American lines the Germans laid down
barrage of such intensity as is ordi-
narily used only preliminary to an Of
fensiye. Not content with their artil-
lery defense, the Germans made an ex-
traordinary liberal use of gas. Thou
sands of gas shell. both mustard and
lethal, were hurled into the rains sat :
urated woods and ravines through
which the Americans crept forward.
Although the gas clouds clung tena-
ciously to the ground. the Americans
were not seriously hampered in their
general operations. Discipline and ex-
perience have taught them the value of
gas masks.
Heavy clouds. and rain prevented
alrmen from giving material assistance
during the battle. In spite of the driz-
zle, however, several flying craft flew
over the lines late in the day. They
attributed somewhat to the success OF
the advance, Notwithstanding the low
visibility. Flying low above the Ger
man lines. they launched heavy gusts
OF machine gun fire on the forces north
OF the tangled wire defenses. The
roads, woods and fields over which the
men fought were softened by the long
rains and progress was difficult. No
where, however was there any appar-
ent reduction in the spirits of the men.
Machine Gun Fire.
Inc greater part of the resistance
east or the Meuse was from machine
guns, but. in spite Of them and the re-
Inforced German lines, the Americans
Strengthened their .line between the
Sivrey and the Magenta farm.
To the west of Romagne. the Ger
mans fortified one bit of sunken road
with machine guns in such manner
hat 1t was regarded necessary to blast !
t away with big guns. The Germans
had tunneled openings for machine
guns through the banks on the sides
u the road. and every little tunnel was
lned with cement. All attempts to
AXE this position were fruitless, un-
ess the machine guns were silenced by
lirect hits.
Heavy Fighting.
Between Romagne and Landres-et
st. George Is small hill covered with
woods, and the fighting was extremely
lerce along its slopes, to which were
oined the barbed wire defenses that
tretched from Landres- et-St. George
o 81. George, mile and a half fur
her west. These positions were de-
uged with American shells, but were
tubbornly defended by the Germans.
Who rolled along their front clouds of
as and curtains of high explosive and
hrapnel shells.
Along the line from st. Juvin to st.
georges more rapid progress was made.
ut In general the operations were con-
ned almost entirely to the main de-
enses along the center of the line
'uring the battle the Germans directed
narrassing fire on numerous points
ack of the American lines.