The sun., 1918-08-22

, their morale certainly was lower than
he had ever seen Il.
On Saturday anc again on Sunday, he
said, he had sounded the German troops
and their commanders by two local OPP
creations. When the French lombard
ment began many OF the German troops
were distinctly cowed and did not relish
| the prospect of having to stand up
against another attack. But the most
interesting factor in the situation was
the attitude OF the German commanders
Seeing the success which had attended
Gen. Gouraud's tactics on July Is they
determined to take a leaf out OF his book
German Rules Not Followed.
When the attack came, added Gen.
Mangin, or what they thought was the
attack, although really 1t was only a
preliminary operation. they made up
their minds to retire as Gen. Gouraud
did from their front line or line Of out
posts 10 their real line of resistance.
They expected that the French having
easily demolished the front line. would
advance across the intermediate zone be-
hind. which was swept by the German
artillery and machine guns. and would
arrive at the line OF resistance shattered,
worn out and incapable of effective
action. exactly as had happened to them
selves In the Champagne attack.
But the plan did not work out as they
had hoped. Working on a small front
OF three miles between Moulin-sous-
Touvent and Hautbraye the French ad-
vanced to the line OF outposts. but not
step further They did not press on
as they might have done and should
have done according TO the Germans
Idea TO force the latter TO give battle on
their real battle front. The Germans,
therefore, were not able to infiict on the
French such crushing losses as they had
suffered at the hands OF Gouraud's men
because the French never came against
the fortified German positions.
The French on Sunday evening made
another short advance almost exactly
on the same front and again up to the
new German line of outposts but no
further. At the same time from the
extreme left between the Disc and the
canal in the corner south OF Ribecourt
to n point southwest Of Nampcel the
whole French wing moved forward into
alignment with the new positions gained
by the French right--the right. that Is
to say, of the French army between
Scissors and the Oise-and these troops
also stopped their advance when they
reached the line of German outposts.
from which once more the enemy had
retired.
AS n result of these two preliminary
actions. although there was hardly any
real infantry lighting. the Germans lost
In prisoners. killed and wounded about
one battalion TO regiment of their to-
tai force in that sector. The French.
on the other hand, had an extraordi-
narily small casualty list.
All Objectives Reached.
II will be seen, therefore, that the
French this morning already had made
respectable advance along the front
from which to-day's attack was made.
The two main points of Importance that
they had gained were the height OF Les
Rosettes. south of Carlepont, from
which there is a good view over the
nat land on the north up TO Noyon.
and the massif north and northeast OF
1t and further to the east the plateau
between the ravines OF Autreches and
Audignicourt. Later they pushed still
further forward.
The most striking feature of the ad-
vance is that the ravine OF Audigni-
court has been crossed along its whole
length, although II was formidable
position with steep slopes on the fur
Their side, where the enemy was strongly
intrenched. and that a good stride al
ready has been taken across the plateau
beyond toward Blerancourt
This was one of the positions Cen
Mangin pointed out. which was of spe-
cial importance because OF the view it
afforded from the plateau toward the
Disc
There was an exceedingly heavy bonn
bardment all yesterday and to a slightly
less degree last night the object OF
which was 10 cut lanes through the Ger
man wire. Apparently it was effective
This morning, although the battle now
is in progress, there is not as much ffr-
ing as there was yesterday. At s:45
O'Clock French tirailleurs were sweeping
across the ravine, followed by three bat
teries. which took position on the north
east side An hour later other infantry
crossed and got to the north side of lie
hesnil. Further east the French en-
tered Tarters at . o'clock and at the
same time columns of prisoners equipped
with large number Of anti-tank rifles
were marching back across the plateau
of Croatre.
The Germans made strong resistance
at some points, but at others they were
soon retreating, notably at Ourscamp,
north Of Picprez The battalions which
had been disposed OF on Saturday and
Sunday were replaced before the battle
oeBdn, ana !ast night particularly good
Baden division seems to have arrived
north OF Scissors There is no doubt
that the Germans have a large number
OF troops in this sector. as. according TO
German officer taken prisoner. they
had intended to attack the French to-
day only twenty minutes after the
French went over the top.
The general result OF the operations
to-day is that Gen. Margins army
reached all its detectives despite the
most stubborn German resistance with
machine guns. and the French are fast
approaching Noyon, which apparently
will soon pass again into their hands