The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-09-19


4 ern front.
London. American troops attacked
the st. Mihiel salient on both sides ana
have reduced 1t TO gap OF six or
seven miles. The enemy Is falling
back on both fronts, as he has every
reason TO do If he is to get out OF the
sack.
Late dispatches say 5000 prisoners
have been counted.
The American First Army, under
command of General Pershing, Is In
action against the Germans on ~
mile front on the famous st, Mihlel
salient In Lorraine, which had stood a
sharp wedge in the French line south
east of Verdun since the commence
ment of the war.
In the preliminary thrust ground
was gained on both sides Of the trian-
gle and also at its apex at st. Mihiel,
and at last accounts the Americans,
with whom some French troops are
brigaded were fast sweeping across
the salient in an effort to close the
mouth of the big pocket before the
Germans can extricate themselves
from the perilous position they are in
as result of the suddenness of the
blow and the element of surprise 1t
carried with 1t.
Although the advance of the Ameri-
cans was swift and sure and gains In
excess Of four miles on the southern
side Of the battle area were made, the
cavalry far outstripped the tanks and
footmen and was later reported oper-
ating along the railroad near Wig
neulles, almost n the center Of the
salient and some ten miles northeast
Of st. Mihiel and also northwest Of
Pont-a- -Mousson, through the forests
and along the railway line running
northward TO Metz, the great German
fortress, the southern outer fortifica-
tions of which are less than ten miles
distant
Thiaucourt, Bouillouvllle, Pannes
and several other towns In the south
were captured In the initial DASH
while on the west at the northern edge
Of the pocket the village of Combres
was captured and the environs Of Dom
martin la Montague were reached To
the south everywhere the Americans
penetrated into the heights Of the
Meuse, and the French fought their
way into the outskirts Of st. Mihiel
Unofficial reports are to the effect that
the town has been recaptured by the
French.
The fighting front at the commence
ment of the battle aggregated 20 miles,
eight miles on the western side and u
on the southern side. The fighting
was preceded by an extremely heavy
artillery bombardment, and the troops
and tanks advanced under barrage,
which was carried out with mathemat-
ical precision. From the war maps II
would seem almost impossible for the
Germans TO evacuate the salient, as
they apparently are trying to do, with
out huge losses In men and material
The first reports show that the Amer
leans took 700 prisoners In the first
stages OF the battle and had suffered
remarkably small casualties.
The strategy OF Marshal Foch In the
present maneuver cannot be foreseen,
except that It has as the first objective
the leveling Of the st. Mihlel sector
and the strengthening of the allied line
from the region of Verdun eastward
The obliteration of the salient would
be necessary before a direct thrust to-
ward German territory from this re-
gion would be possible. Whether Mar
shal Foch has In view a campaign up
the Meuse valley or Metz and the Mo
selle valley in mind remains to be
seen.