Arizona republican., 1918-08-08
United States Troops, Aided
 By French, Straighten Out Line After Desperate
 Encounter With Enemy

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY ON THE AISNE MARINE FRONT. Aug. [. -fBy The Associated Press) )-Under an inferno of shrapnel and machine gun tire and waves of gas, the Amer jeans forced their way over the Nesle rIver last night and early this morning, while rain varying at times from d drizzle to a downpour drenched the battle field. French troops already have gained positions on the American left and the joint movement has strengthened out the line from a point west of Bazoches to Fishes.
 The Germans lost considerably in casualties. Prisoners stories tended 70 corroborate the opinion of those pre- viously taekn that the Germans expect to continue their retreat until the Aisne is reached.
 Artillery Still Fighting Duels The attack began between and 5 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. By mid night those on the right had reached their objectives, the main highway east and west extending along the foothills that rise north of the river and become a series of terraces to the Aisne.
 The left wing was delayed. but it also reached the line shortly before s o'clock this morning.
 The artillery on both sides is still fighting duels and the Germans con- tinue small arm resistance. But every hour the positions of the French and Americans are more secure.
 Counter Attack Failure Under cover of a barrage the en- gineers threw light bridges over the stream, while the officers placed their men in position, working them down ward toward the bridges. The chal- lenges were accepted by the German artillery and in few minutes the in- termittent reports of the guns which had been heard all day were merged into one great roar.
 The clouds, which had lifted slightly reappeared just before the attack was launched and the action was conducted without much advantage in observa- tions by aircraft.
 When the order for the advance wa: given the men, for the --ost part swep forward in open formation. The Ger mans launched a counter attack with. out success.
 Destroy German Detachment |.
 The men on the American right fought their way along the choser routes. Some of them flounderet across through the water, while other; used the bridges that still wer, standing.
 One detachment of Germans, some. what more than a company, moved forward into the open. Here the Amer. ican machine guns caught them, and sweeping them with bullets, destroyed them almost totally.
 The Germans attempted to strik the Americans a disconcerting counte blow with a considerable force b, plunging down ravine leading to tn river. Their path had been cleared b, their artillery and they might hay succeeded in reaching the Americans but the movement had been reported t the artillery stations south of the Vesl and, from them there swept into tn advancing columns such a mass o shells that the formation was quickl broken.
 Win Hand To Hand Fight
 At another point a detachment c Germans stood until the American were upon them. Then it became hand to hand conflict, the only one C the kind during the battle. In the mu and in darkness where the combatant were barely able to distinguish eac other they fought it out. The Amer jeans won
 The Americans on the left failed t reach their obJectives until they ha called for second barrage. Under it cover they rallied and struggled for ward to he chosen positions
 The Germans, in attempting to re pulse the attack, used guns of 77 an 105 calibre and minnenwerfers The had them on the higher ground, cor siderably to the rear of the battle lin The American guns did excellent wor not only in covering the advance but breaking up formations, especially or large assemblage of infantry.