The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1918-07-31
Germans Have Powerfully
Strengthened Line.
ALLIES ARE PRESS.
ING ENEMY HARD
Retirement OF German Troops s.,
Remains Orderly, but Allied Troops
arc Pressing Them Hard. Allied
Armies Approach Fismcs, IN I'M
pOrtant German Base.

Notwithstanding the fact that the
Germans have powerfully strengthen
cd their battle line running across the
.Soissons-Rhc salient with addi-
tional fresh reserves and have stub
bornly disputed further passage moth
ward to the entente allied troops, the
enemy front has been compelled to
bond back apprcciably on all sides
Of the salient, except at the anchor
points resting Immediately on Sois-
sons end Rheims.
South of SCISSORS further wedges
have been driven eastward into the
enemy front down to tie Ourcq river;
eastward along the OurcQ, French and
American troops have Crossed the
stream at various points and advac-
ed their line well to the northward,
while southwest of Rheims the allies
have dcbouchcd from the wooded sec
tors and gained the plains, notwith-
standing the violence Of the cncmy's
counter mancuvcrS. AZ some points
the Germans succeeded somewhat in
checking the forward movement, but
nowhere were they able to bring ii to
standstill.
The retirement Of the Germans Still
remains orderly, but everywhere the
ALLIED troops, and especially the Amer
icais near Fore En- -Tardenois, arc
pressing them hard. Particularly bit
ter fighting has taken place around
Fere-E -Tardcnois and at Sergy, both
Of which towns are now we'll in the
hands Of the French and Americans.
At Scrgy the Germans paid the Amer
leans the compliment OF reinforcing
their battlelinc with two divisions Of
well-tried Bavarian troops. mon whose
courage previously had been tested.
when the tide OF battle was going
against the Germans 1T was an effort
either to destroy the Americans or to
hurl them back across the Ourcq. The
effort resulted in failure.
The battlcline shifted back and forth
and Scrgy changed hands four times,
but the Americans proved to be the
masters Of the picked enemy troops
and finally drove them out and re-
taincd the village. Heavy casualties
were inflicted on the Germans.
The fighting in Ncre-Eu Tardenois
also was Of sangunary character,
The opposing forces fighting in close
contact through the streets Of the
town. but with the Germans being
gradually driven back under he ma
chine gun and rife fire and from con-
tact with the cold steel of tho allied
bayonets.
Immediately south Of SoissOns on
the western edge of the salient the
Germans strove herocally to hold
back their enemies, in order to pre-
vent the further nanxing Of Soissons
and the possible cutting off Of large
forces of their men fighting along the
Ourcq south Of Oulchy-le- Chateau.
Scottish troops. however, captured
positions in the outskirts Of BuZancy
just to the west Of SOissons- Chateau
Thierry road, while further south the
French overcame the resistance i'm
posed against them, crossed the high
! road and took Grand Rozoy and Cugny
and the Butte Chalmont
Southeast Of Scissors, well inside
the salient and at present far outside
the immediate battle zone, various
towns and villages along the Soissons-
Fismes railroad are said to be in
flames. This seemingly would indi-
cate that the retirement OF the Ger
mans from the big pocket Is to proceed
still further northward before they
intend to halt 1t, face about and give
"atle to the allied troops along a
chosen line. II the retreat on the
west Is to be carried beyond the Sois-
sons.Fismes line 1t seems highly prob
able that 1t Is the intention Of the
Germans to make their stand from
SCISSORS eastward along the Aisnc to
the Vesle river and thence southeast
ward to Rheims.
British troops on various sectors in
France and Flanders continue their
harassing tactics against the German
front. Near Morlancourt in the Ami
eens sector the Australiang have tah-