Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-07-03
In Wake of Withefing Machine
Gun Fire They Go Over the
Top. Capture Vaux, Dig in
Beyond Hun DefenSeS.
FOUGHT LIKE WILD
Is GERMAN COMMENT
American and French Posi-
tions Are Improved in En-
gagement Which Melted 275
Prisoners for Our Troops.

With the American FGrces on the
Marne Front. July = Thy the Associat-
ed Press "A counter-attacll by the
Germans today against the new posi-
tions won last night by the American
forces 10 the wesii of Chateau Thier-
,ry was completely broken up. The
Americans did not give up foot of
ground which they had captured.
There was hot fighting today in
front Of Hill 2Gi, which is i'm the hands
OF the Germans. At ) o'clock this
evening the American artillery was
engaged in heavily shelIing the posi-
ton.
Repor,s from the advanced front
Drought hack through heavy enc
my barrage, confirmed the earlier
statemen' that the Americans have
reached their every objective and are
holding every point.
The total number OF Germans can.
tured by the Americans now is csti.
mated to number about 500, including
seven officers.
In brilliant operation ar.or
hard fighting, American troops on
this front last night captured the
village OF Vaux, together with a
large slice of the Paris highway west
OF Chateau Thierry and two patches
Of wooded land.
The Americans took 275 German
prisoners including five officers, and
captured a quantity of machine guns
and other equipment.
Enemy Is Surprised.
In the Vaux region the Americans
took the Germans completely by sur
prise. Most of the prisoners were
taken out of cellars and dugouts.
How many Germans were killed
OF course. is unknown, but from the
number of dead in plain view at
various places the total must have
been considerable.
While the artillery preparation was
going on many American airplanes
flew high overhead. Some were pro-
tecting the observation balloons while
others were combing the skies to
keep off enemy machines.
American Fliers Active.
Early this morning the American
pilots again appeared for similar
duty and were soon found contesting
with the enemy for supremacy in the
air. A number of the aerial battles
were observed but reports on the re-
suits are not yet available. 1t was ex-
actly o'clock last evening when the
Americans went over the top under
the protection of hail of machine
gun bullets from our machine gun
barrages. The infantry action was
preceded by short but terrific ar
tillery preparation. When the Ger-l
mans saw that a formidable attack
was developing many of those in
outposts yelled and ran toward the
rear to nests from which hot fire
began pouring.
Pause for Machine Gun Duel.
The Americans paused for mo-
ment while the automatic rifles and
machine guns with the advancing
troops fought a duel in front of
Vaux
Then the Americans, whose NUM-
ber was considerable, went on, most,
of them running in their eagerness
to get at close quarters with the
Germans. At the same time the
Boche began hurling gas shells to the
rear of the American lines.
Within a brief time the Americans
had wrested from the enemy the Bois
De La Roche and the woods adjoin-
ing 1t. Then came word that the
Americans were in Vaux, and finally,
after sharp fighting there in the
streets and houses, they overcame all
resistance and swept on beyond the
village.
Position Is Improved.
The Americans reached every one
of their detectives and by this opera
tion they have eliminated salient
and have Strengthened. out their line
Over an area of several miles the
Americans now have the enemy un-
der their guns.
Daylight this morning saw the
Americans digging in almost undis-
turbed far beyond the old German
defense line. To the rear patches
of prisoners and piles Of material
are going To the number Of pris-
0ners has steadily mounted until II l
has reached 275. The guns and ma
(Continued on Psge Twc.)