The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-09-28
ALL POSITIONS
CONSOLIDATED
Americans Advance More Than
Seven Miles and Nine Thou.
sand Prisoners Bagged.
ENEMY BADLY HAMPERED
Ludendorff Missed His Calcula
tion and Massed Reinforce.
ments in Lorraine Sector.

4
With the American Army in France
Sept. (Night)-U. N. S)-All oi
the new American positions reached In
the mighty drive which began yester-
day. were consolidated today. All OBJ
jectives that the Americans set ou,
to take were attained.
lin addition to their advance OF more
than seven miles II was unofficially es-
timated Friday night that the Ameri-
cans had taken 5000 prisoners and
nfty guns)
There was desperate fighting today
along the American center In the Mont
Faucon sector.
Bitter Resistance.
German machine gunners made Bit
ter resistance while the enemy artil-
lery violently shelled the American po-
sitions.
While the Germans were bombarding
the Americans were inhltrating the
German positions In the upper reaches
Of the Argonne forest.
At the same time the batteries OF
heavy American guns got into action
and deluged the positions OF German
batteries with a deadly storm OF steel.
The drive northwest of Terdun was
followed up by n flare-up east OF the
Meuse river today. the American guns
enflading the German positions from
three sides.
This was by the advance on Thurs
day.
Supplies Brought Forward.
While the new line was being con-
solidated today. the men were busy
bringing up supplies and the artillery
men were active also, moving up the
big guns to positions Of advantage from
which the Germans could he more ef-
fcctively shelled. The weather was
unfavorable. There was both fog and
rain. While this assisted materially
the infantry in screening their move
ments, 1t hampered the tanks and air
men and made artillery observation
very difficult.
Fresh Troops.
Gen. Won Einem, who is commanding
the Germans Immediately in front OF
the Americans, has rushed up rein
forcements in an effort to stem the
American advance.
Fresh troops were concentrated In
the sectors of Bosmont and Bois de
Bouge, but their positions we're re-
ported to our artillery and the heavy
were badly hammered.
In spite of the mud, the tanks were
in the thick OF the fray. numbering
the swampy voads and fields
alongside of the infantry. The Ger
man resistance today was stronger
than that of yesterday, but this was
foreseen and the proper arrangements
were made to meet 1t.
At the same time the German artil-
Iery activity was lighter than has been
expected. This Is due principally to
he efficient work of the American gun
ners in counter battery work.
The allies have the advantage In the
iir in addition.
Nearly 1000 additional German pris-
,ners have been taken In the sector
IF Charpentry and adjacent territory
Ludendorff believed that Gen. PERISH
ng would attempt to exploit his st.
Mihiel success (east of the Meuse riv-
,r) and has been masslng reinforce
nents in Lorraine.
American Strategy.
Accordingly the Americans employed
he strategy of making demonstra'
ion with infantry ard artillery along
he whole line of their new positions
between Fresnoy and Norroy.
Two companies of American infantry
we're employed In raid east of Fresnes
md met with such success that new
,osts were established at Marcheville
md Riapille.
At the same time big demonstrations
we're made at st. Hilaire, Haumont,
and Preny.
The Germans, thinking this was
enewal of the American offensive west
# Metz. made heavy counter attacks
nut the Americans withdrew before
he Germans came over.
Long Range Artillery.
In the meanwhile American long
ange artillery northeast of Verdun !
vas slammng down heavy cnflading /,
ombardment, putting an indirect fire !
gainst the cross roads behind the
;erman lines east of the Meuse. ham |
ering the bringing up Of reserves.
It was not until afterwards that the !
,ermans really knew that the Ameri-
ans main blow was falling on the
wenty mile front between the Meuse
nd the Argonne forest.
The Americans "pinched' out GER
IAN strong points instead OF making
irect frontal attacks. These opera
ons were carried out simultaneously
'itn the frSnCn drive III SldiiBubhc'
etween Suippe and the Argonne for
st, which was really continuation OF
,e general plan of attack.
The ultimate effect Of the double
low was to mask the Argonne forest,
taking 1t unnecessary to fight over the
CODED ground where the Germans
ave the advantage of territory.
German Defensive.
Three organized German defensive
ositions had been established In the
rgonne sector. comprising Hinden-
urg line system known as the hagen
a continuation Of the power
II German defensive line lying on the
hemin- -des Danes north of the Aisne
yer.
Copies Gan. Gouraud's.
Copying Gen. Gouraud's tactics In
ha,npagne last July. Ludendorff
rdered Gen. Won Einem and Gen. Won
(holding positions on both
des Of the Argonne) to fall back from
hagen stellung line" to the inter-
ediate "volker stellung line" as soon