The Sentinel=record., 1918-09-15

Sept. 1A-(Reuters)- the s.. Mihiel operation began there were from 9O,GGO to 100000 Germans inside the salient. They escaped at the rate of 1000 hourly but the pincers closed and trapped hitherto unknown nun Der The 13,000 already taken pris- oner does not include the bulk of thoseI believed to be trapped in the salient.
 An entire German regiment with .ts, commander and all the staff were cap-l tured.
 Prisoners taken from seven diyi-I sions, namely the 13ith landwehr, the| 35th Austro lunea arian, the 10th, theI 192nd, the 77th the 255th and theI 307th, while there were also some from landurm units.
 With the American Army in Lor Taiiie, Sept fi.-t Associated Press ,--, The enemy counter attacked against par; of the American lines Friday eyc- ming and again during the night. butI met with an intense and accurate ar tillery fire and recoiled.
 The Americans took a few prisoners in these attacks.
 Hard fiehting has taken place in theI uuarries northeast of Fey-en Have, wheer the Germans had placed one bigl gun and many machine guns in well, defended position
 Additional Auutriop nvigOOpre, bava been taken; native civilians said that they came in only a few days ago.
 Artillery fire and gas shells were, sent against certain American posi-l tions during ,he night, but they did, little damage.
 The Americans are organizing their, newly taken positions rapidly and areI pushing forward exploitation parties.
 Prisoners and supplies are beingI collected and roads are being cOn-I strucled in No Mans Land
 Much booty and ammunition hagoI fallen into the Franco American allicsI hands.
 Prisoners and refugees alike arc, greatly impressed by the fact that thoI Americans are eating white bread, rel gardng it as particular ominous sisul for Germany.
 Throughout the night and early to- day General Pershing's men continnedl to advance and finished cleaning up| the St. MIhiel salient They cleared the forests of lurking Germans.
 lPrisoners make conflicting state ments respecting German prepared- ness for an attack in this sector SomoI say it was unexpected; others declare they had advance information of the hour anu plaee of the attack Still others expected it would take place on the 5th and say that the artillery had been ordered to withdraw on the night of the attack. The posts com mand was being moved when the at tack began and therefore was caught unaMares in the barrage. This ap- parently explains the light counter ar tillery fire Thursday morning
 A German officer is quoted as say ine
 The Hindenburg line in it's present state Is untenabie"
 Aside from the strategic value or the reduction of the s. Mihiel salient the operations by the Americans has netted vast numbers of prisoners and huge quantities of guns, ammunition and general stores.
 The desperate efforts of the enemy 10 escape through the forest near VIZ mules, partially succeeded but not SO well as to detract from the brilliant result Before the American inc stretched across the edge of the woods frightened, il is estimated that thou sands escaped from the trap. Those who did not escape were small units, rarely greater than companies, and never offered to fight unless eneoun- tered by some patrol and even thea their resistance was slight
 The spirit of retreat had entered that part of the GeNman army and there were secres of instances where the men, and even the officers. ex