Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1918-06-07
Capture of Cantigny Grows in
Importance With Detailed
Account.
FOUGHT HAND TO HAND.
Our Troops Routed Enemy From Gel
lars With Grenades-AIl Gains Are
HeId-ToII of Prisoners is
Increased to PAP.

With the American Army in France.
From the prisoners taken in the
American capture of Cantigny it has
been established that our advance was
opposed by two German regiments,
which puts the superiority in numbers
on the side Of the troops under cover.
The enemy was amazed at the sight
of tanks operating In conjunction with
the American troops. -
The capture Of the town and 242
German prisoners was about as dash
ing and complete @ coup de main as
the war has seen. 1t was an all Amer
lean affair, too, but under the watch
full eye Of the French high command.
Cantigny lies upon the lower slope OF
the plateau northwest of Montdidier.
It all began at 4 :45 o'clock In the
morning with q terrific naturalization
fire along the American front upon the
hostile artillery. The roar Of our cam
non was heard for miles behind the
lines and lasted one hour.
The first phase Of the attack ended
after one additional hour of artillery
preparation, diversion and destructive
fire had knocked the German positions
into a shambles. The artillery fire
passed into a rolling barrage. Then
came the second phase. Promptly at
G:45 o'clock the American infantry
went to it. It's advance was preceded
by u tanks acting as pacemakers. The
ground was very level, with a slope
eastward A thrilling spectacle was
the advancing American forces on a
width of two and one-half kilometers
and over green plateau wet with dew.
Fought With Grenades.
On the extreme right unit Of in
fantry attacked simultaneously from
Bois Cantigny, popping suddenly out
of the woods and advancing to the
north. Summed up, 1t took exactly 40
minutes for our troops to reach their
objective, the distance covered being
about one and one-half kilometers.
Within the town of Cantigny occurred
fierce grenade fights and many acts Of
valor.
The Germans had honeycombed the
village with tunnels and into these re-
treats and also into old wine cellars
rushed our men. Here took place the
third phase Of the fight and the cap
ture of a majority Of the prisoners.
The infantry on the left had been de-
tailed to mop up the town." 1t went
through on the run, driving The Ger
mans out Of their holes and from be-
hind buildings and charred tree trunks.
Protected From Flank Attacks.
The Americans went beyond the for
mer German first lines to a depth of
one kilometeG- and Immediately dug in,
being protected by their splendid ar
tillery barrage. The ravineS upon the
right and left Of the troops making
the charge have prevented flank at
ta"ks so far. No German. reaction yet
has developed. Our new lines now are
well beyond Cantigny, running through
Bots ,Framicourt, from which woods
extend for some distance beyond, there
being no other village ahead Of our
present lines for seven kilometcrs.
The whole operation was conducted
from headquarters located in Il sec
ond cellar, itself directly under the
fire of German artillery. Here our
generals Of artillery and infantry staff
Officers and French liaiSon officers rub
bed elbows with telephone operators.
In the intelligence section a major
gave the news OF their progress to
newspaper correspondents.