Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-09
Retake Hill 223 From
VCountering Germans, Kill.
ing More Than 1000
FOE DAMMINC THE ARE
Two Companies of Enemy
Troops Wiped Out in Three
Days Battling
By EDWIN l.. JAMES
Special Cable 10 Erening Public Ledger
Copyright. fsfs, bv Nctc York Times 30.
(. with the American Army In France.

with the American Army w frs"'e'
IN Oct 9.
: In cold. torrential rains. varied by
/ heavy. hail. the Americans Kept up the
4 fight to wrest from the Germans that
part OF the Argonne forest remaining
!. in their hands.
The severest fight OF the day was Tor
1.-THE possession of Hin 223, lying west OF
4 Chatei Chehery. We captured this po-
h sition Monday. Yesterday the Germans
attacked with strong forces, driving us
from the crest
" with re-enforcements the Americans
5swarmed up the hill again in blind
ing rainstorm. and after two and half
hours of bloody hghting ousted the
ItGermans. More than 1000 German dead
y were left on this position. The battle
was largely hand-to-hand. neither side
being able to use artillery effectively
because fthe closencss OF the opposing
ttroops.
4 Further south we made good progress
against bitter resistance toward lancon
s4on the Chatel CheheTy road. To the
northwest OF Fleville we occupied posi-
'ttions commanding the junction Of the
'only four roads running through the
northern end Of the Argoune forest.
Thus slowly but surely We are wearing
down the German determination 10 hold
F. 'pn In the north end OF the Argonne.
~ Reports have come in that the enemy
a Is damning the Aire River in the Vi
fcinty OF Marq. Because OF heavy
Grains. this would probably cause the
inundation Of a considerable area, which
would be hindrance to our troops ad-
vancng toward the Kriemhild line in
the vicinity.
I From the Are Valley 10 the Meuse is
Ia comparatively quiet sector Of the first
army The German artillery fire there
lis less than for days. Concentrations
f'of Germans have been observed in the
2 vicinities OF Romagne and Ciery. and
they are digging a new trench southeast
of Romagne.
No German balloons were up yester-
.;day and the foe airplane activity was at
ia minimum. our aerial activity was
Z hindered by bad weather.
II The German units facing our troops
have suffered very heavy casualties in
the last four days. information having
been obtained that four companies were
wiped out and many reduced 30 per
: cent The Germans appear not to be
throwing in so many fresh troops as last
week. although those in line are putting
mp a game struggle.
The fighting for the last three days has
ybeen very trying to the men on both
sides Almost constant rains. with cold.
have forced great suffering and tested
the limit OF the physical stamina Of
-thes men in the front lines. No houses
are standing in most Of the sector. and
the Americans bivouacked in the back
areas and the front line have small
chance for any rest This, of course
necessitates frequent reliefs.
- The spirit of the American fighting
men. despite all this remains tiptop
They believe that the foe is as sore
ON the weather as they are, and that
helps.
A detachment Of Prussians captured
Yesterday wore American overseas caps