The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-11-16
YANKEES fire
HEAVY VOLLEY
BEFORE TRUCE
Thousands Of American Guns
Roar Before Armistice Goes
Into Effect.
NEWS BRINGS Joy TO men
Orders to Cease HostiIities Received
by Advanced Detachments of
Americans From Couriers--
Troops Celebrate on
Battlefield.

baItienelQ.
With the American Army Near
Sedan, Nov. 13.-Thousands Of Ameri-
can heavy guns fired the parting shot
to the Germans at exactly eleven
o'clock Monday morning.
The line reached by the American
forces at eleven o'clock was staked
out.
Yanks Told to Stop Firing.
4 With the American Army North of
Verdun, Nov. 13.-American troops at
tackled at $50 Monday morning north
Of Verdun, making sharp advance
Just before the armistice went into
effect
Notified by couriers.
Orders to cease hostilities were re-
ceived by the advanced detachments
of Americans from mud-smeared foot
couriers, who had made their way
through quagmires to the front.
The correspondent watched the clos
ing of the world tragedy from hollow
near the firing line, known as death
valley" on the outskirts Of Cots-de-
Pouvre, north of Verdun.
Yanks and French Cheer.
News of the signing Of the armistice
was received by the doughboys with
unbounded joy. The men who had
been fighting so valiantly for days in
rain and mud could hardly believe
the glad tidings.
French and American soldiers and
civilians in the rear zone gave vent
to their feelings with ringing cheers.
difficult to describe.
AS the final echoes from the last
salvo of guns died away the dough-
boys began to waltz the two-step, while
others threw their caps into the air.
Still others gave a Fourth of July
touch to the proceedings by firing rifles
and revolvers and setting off rockets.
Old Glory was unfurled on impro-
vised fagpoles made of the blackened
trunks of trees and there was much
cheering.
1.-THE gang sure let out one whoop,
said Sergeant Lamona. "And maybe
we didn't do some shooting. We had
been keeping the old guns busy for
nine months and ever since the fight
at Reicheprey."
The crew had been cited three times
for breaking up enemy machine gun
nests and had destroyed two German
tanks by point-blank firing.
All Help Fire Last Round.
"As the time drew near for the ces-
sation of firing" said Sergeant La
Mona, 'the fellows certainly gave them
hell for the sake of Old Glory"
Corp. L. B. Smith of South Hadley
Falls, Mass, in charge of one firing
squad, told his men:
"You had better shoot the ramrod,
for this is the last round. Come on,
fellows, all together
The lanyard was heightened to 20
feet with slothesline so that every
member of the crew could have hand
in firing the last round.
Captain Makes Address.
There were indescribable scenes in
villages just behind the front. Allied
flags covered the houses and there was
much good-natured revelry.
But there was also note of sol
emnity among both officers and men,
The big event had its serious touch
as well as its humorous side.
The ceremony took place on a hill
and Capt. Theodore Hascall of East
Providence made speech in which he
said:
"Old Glory's folds are unfurled to
the confusion of our enemies. We are
pledged to united peace"
Deafening cheers greeted the adj
dress.
Last Town Taken by Yanks.
With the American Forces on the
Neuse and Moselle, Nov. 13.-The last
French town to fall into American
hands before the armistice went into
effect was Stenay. Patrols reported
they had found 1t empty not more than
a quarter Of an hour before IL o'clock.
American troops rushed through the
town, and in few minutes allied
flags were beginning to appear from
the windows. AS the church bell toll
ed the hour of IL, troops from the
Nineteenth division were pouring into
the town.
100000 PARADE IN NEW YORK