The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-08-13
ALLIES CAPTURE
VAST QUANTITIES
OF WAR BOOTY
Ammunition and General
Supplies Valued at Many
Millions of Dollars Found
in Wake of Fleeing Huns.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY
ON THE AISNE MARINE FRONT
The cost and gain of the big drive
are being estimated. There is nj
doubt that the Germans lost a large
number of men, while the losses O.
the allies are considered negligible
especially in prisoners. Aside from
lied armies, the morale of the mer
has been wonderfully reinvigorated
At one depot near Percent ardenois
it Is estimated that more than 81.
100000 worth of ammunition and
general stores fell into the hands OF
the allies, while the volume of sup.
plies destroyed at this same depot
is believed to amount to several
times that value.
On a hill near one of the Ameri-
can positions stand two German
tanks only slightly out of order Re.
ports are coming in of the discovery
of tanks, automobiles, clothing and
food.
Huns Block Roads
North of Percent ardenois along
the railway the Germans had con-
structed acres of storage buildings
of wood, covered with tar paper and
sheet iron. Most of these were de-
stroyed by dynamite or fire. The
Germans felled large trees across
roadways and stretched some barbed
wire. They also exploded dynamite
under bridges and placed explosives
in houses in he villages. In Mar
eull-en-Dole there was not a single
window pane left. The houses were
pillaged. The damage was almost
unlimited. Everywhere they made
efforts to destroy ammunition depots
In scores of villages from the
Ourcq to the Vesle, the French and
American troops encountered scenes
Of demolition. Everything that
could be burned and been set afire.
The cOops were not extensively dam
aged owing to the rain which put out
the fires.
On a hill northwest of Dravengny
the American heavy guns upset two
German armOred cars. Each had a
one FOUNDER and machine gun in
it's turret. One car had been turned
on its side along the road. The other
was hundred yards away in q
ditch. 1t had been damaged by fire,
apparently due to an explosion of
the large upply of ammunition which
it was carrying. Infantrymen found
three dead Germans inside this car.
They had been burned to death. The
chauffeur and the gunners of he
other car apparently had escaped.
Germans Lay Traps
The Americans had many narrow
escapes from explosives attached to
doors in villages and connected with
electric batteries. This was par
ticularly the case at a magnificent
chateau where the Germans had been
making their headquarters. At a
house in Mareuil-en-Dole, an Ameri-
can officer had partly opened the
door, when he encountered the wires
attached to bomb. In chateau
northwest of Loupeigne the Ameri-
cans encountered barrels filled with
explosives with decorating wires at
tached to them.
The Americans have captured
many machine guns. These are be-
ing used against the Germans. Pieces
Of artillery which were unchanged
and left behind by the Germans al
ready have been brought into action
against their former owners.
On hill north of Mont. st. Martin
an American fell, the victim of a
German shell. On the canvas bag
of his gas mask was printed in ink
"for God and humanity" The gas
mask was tackled on the improvised
cross over the soldiers grave.
In the forests of Nesles and Dole,
ammunition worth about a million
dollars was found, the Germans hav-
ing failed to explode it. The Ger
mans made every effort possible to
destroy the great supplies of am
munition in the vicinity Of Fere-en-
Tardenois, having that village and
it's vicinity under long range fire for
three days.
Mines Do Little Damage
Little traps left here and there |
by the Germans served to annoy, but |
not to delay the Americans. An Of
ficer lifted wire which was lying in |
a roadway. He pulled the wire and |
a chain of three mines exploded. No
one was near enough to be injured.
Among the score of villages re-
deemed not one is tenable. Deserted
and in ruins they mark the sites to
which doubtless the people soon
will return, only to find themselves
surrounded by blackened heaps Of
rubbish and broken stone that once
were houses.
The few inhabitants of Viller
Moyenne found friends in the enemy
soldiers from Lorraine. They say
the Germans refused to feed them,
but that the men from Lorraine
divided rations with them, encour-
aged them and protested delight at
the news of French successes.
From various villages come re-
ports that thousands of Germans are
northward in the great re-
treat. chanting as thew marched