Evening star., 1918-07-30
Hold Apex Of Advance.

The American troops tonight still
held the apex OF their advance, won
after struggle with the Germans In
ward and backward time and again:
The Crown Prince of Germany and
his generals paid the Americans q
great compliment in bringing up
AGAINST them two Of their best diyi-
They had been held in reserve, pre-
sumably for the operation. They had
| been delayed and reached the army
north of the Marne Saturday night.
They moved through the retreating
main body yesterday and came into
action early today. They did not re-
place any Of the German troops al
ready in the line, but served as REIN
forcements.
The first efforts Of the guards and
Bavartans were partly successful, and
the Americans were forced to with
draw from Sergy and a few other po-
sitions, including the town of Serin-
ges-et-Nesles. But the Germans could
| not force the main body across the
river. The stream Is narrow and shall
low. and some detachments at times
were driven back, but always there
remained enough Americans on the
north bank to check the German rush
es. and In every instance the Ameri-
cans returned to the fray with great
spirit. 1t was a veteran American
division. and today's opposition to the
terrific onslaught made against it JUS
titled the confidence of the staff that
it was more than equal to anything
| the crown prince had to offer.
| The Germans were not content with
the stubborn resistance which has
characterized their fighting so much
| lately. Artillery supplemented the
machine guns and infantry, and the
trained guard and Bavarians began
| their work in a manner rejecting
their confidence
In the repeated changes in position
both sides employed all the tactics
| of modern warfare. After artillery
preparation direct advances some
veloping movements were tried. With
the Americans there operated a few
| light French armored motor cars,
which did brilliant work in rushing
the line, at times their guns reply
ing pointblank to those Of the Ger
| mans.
! Scores of times the khaki and gray
clad men met in the streets of the
little towns and on the slopes Of the
river bank in hand-to-hand encoun-
Americans effectively used their pis-
tolls as we'll.
| Much Fighting In Water.
There was much hghting actually
i III thC "atSA, ~hCES TIC ICEHdHS dl.
tempted to rush their antagonists to
the south bank of the stream. There
were times when the blood-tinted
and muddied stream gave evidence of
1.-THE violence of the conflict. There
were many deaths as result of
slightly wounded men being drowned.
1t was late this afternoon when
Sergy. for the sixth time. was in the
possession of the Americans. At the
same time it was reported that every
other position held by the Americans
Sunday night had been retaken.
| From other parts of the long line
reports of the allied lines everywhere
holding and at some points advancing.
| .On the American right the brill
liant cavalry support of the French
men has contributed materially to
the American success.
| Today was clear, but with light
clouds. There was little wind and the
weather generally was ideal for aerial
activity. Both sides took full advan-
tage of this.
Guns Roar With Fury.
The heavy guns of the allies, ig-
noring to a great extent the engage
ments in progress almost under their
muzzles, roared with redoubled fury
during the day. their charges falling
among the massed troops and the re-
serves and the long transports on the
road. The allied aircraft again as
sisted In harassing the troop move
ments and also carried out observa-
tions. The Germans also employed
observation and combat planes. but
the superiority of the allies in the air
was marked.
Although the German operations
have materially stiffened, there ap-
| parently is no good military reason
| to believe that the strength of the de-
fense is intended otherwise than in a
determined effort to check the great
pressure Of the allied troops while the
Germans are in retreat and also per-
haps to administer serious losses to
] the Americans.