Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-30
CAPTURE SO|SSONS,
. BUT FRENCH HOLD
LINES OF RAILWAY
Enemy Claims to Have TAX
Ell $4,000 Prisoners, In
cluding Two Generals.
RHEIMS APPARENTLY
Is DOOMED TO FALL
Germans Have Reached Point
Twelve Miles From Where
They Started.
BRINGING UP FRESH TROOPS
Americans Retain Possession of
Cantigny, Despite Numerous
COInterattoCkS nv Euo,nr
RHEIMS APPARENTLY
Is DOOMED TO FALL
BRINGING UP FRESH TROOPS
Americans Retain Possession Of
Cantigny, Despite Numerous
COunterattacks by Enemy.

In their violent attacks on the thirty
mile battle front running from scissors
eastward to the region northwest OF
Rheims, the German armies are contin-
uing TO force back the French and
British forces on nearly every sector
The fortified town of Soissons the
extreme left flank of the allies battle
line. has been occupied by the enemy
although the French are still holding
teuaciously to its western environs
! through which emerge the railway
lines leading to Paris and Compicsnc.
According TO the German official COM
munication. $4,000 prisoners among
them French and British general,
have been taken. and numerous addi-
tional towns and vantage points all
along the front have been captured.
Seemingly Rheims, like Soissons. also
is doomed to fall into the hands OF
the enemy, the French War Office
reports that the troops covering the
famous cathedral town, which daily for
several years has been the target for
shells of hate from the German guns,
have been withdrawn behind the, Aiene
Canal. northwest OF the town.
DRIVE FORWARD FIFTEEN
MILES IN SOME PLACES
On the sector directly southeast OF
Soissons the Germans now are lighting
relatively twelve miles from where
they started their drive Monday from
VauNaillon. while further east. near
Loupeigne. and in the center, in the.
vicinity of Savigny. wedges have been
driven in to a depth of approximately
hfteen miles.
The Germans continually are throw
n fire. iIisi ;,t-~
the British and French troops arc keep
ing up their tactics of giving ground
only when il is impossible to hold posi-
tions under the tremendous pressure
OF the enemy. Heavy casualties are
being suffered by the army of the Ger
man Crown Prince, while the losses OF
men to the allied forces are described
as relatively light
NO OFFICIAL WORD
ABOUT FOCH'S RESERVES
Although unofficial reports have men,
toned the rushing up OF re-enforce-
mentS from the South there has as
yet been no official statement that
General Foch is sending in his reserves.
OF almost as great interest as the
Aisne battle is the situation around
the little town of Cantigny. where the
Americans made a notable gain in
their first solo" attack against the
Germans Tuesday. Numerous counter
attacks have been launched against
the Americans holding Cantigny and
the outlying positions, but all of them
have met with the same result-failure
and the loss of many men killed or
wounded. Evidently the Americans
are prepared to dispute to the last de-
gree their occupancy OF the high
ground they "a
plateau east OF Cantigny
Unstintcd praise has been showered
upon the Americans by military Off.
GERS for the dash and daring they
showed when they left their trenches
and started out in quest OF their OBJ
jcctivcs.
MORE DEFEATS INFLICTED
BY AMERICAN TRoOPS
sui another defeat has been in.
H!cted on the enemy by the Americans
TINS time far TO the east. in the
Toul sector. Here the Germans let
loose large quantities OF gas near Bre-
menil and delivered an attack which
the Americans shot to pieces with ma
chine guns. Later on another sector,
under a heavy barrase fire, fourteen
Germans managed to invade an Ameri-
can trench. None OF them returned
In hand-to- hand fighting nine of the
Germans were killed outright and one
died later from his wounds. The other
Tour were made captives.
In Flanders and Picardy the Germans
are heavily bombarding French and
British positions on various sectors
and raidng operations are being car
ried out by both sides. No big battle
has been begun.
The British transport Lcasowe Cas-
tie has heen sunk by submarine in
the Mediterranean with the loss of 101
persons drowned.
In Italy, the .Austrians failed Sig
nally in two strong efforts TO retrieve
Tuesdays losses at Capo Silo
SITUATION PRECARIoUs.
but NOT DESPERATE
The situation on the southern from.
in France is precarious. but not Gcs-
perate. In almost every detail tho
initial phase or the present drive rc.
sembles that OF tpe Picardy offensive
last March. There. on the hrst day.
5000 prisoners were taken. The az.
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