The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-10-11
GERMANS BURN
BASEAT CRANPRE
Enemy Retreats and Allies
Draw Closer to Impor.
tant Position. "A
RESISTANCE BROKEN DOWN
Desperate Efforts to Check Ad-
vance on Cornay Che eckmated
by American Units.
(By Newton C. Parke.)

With the American Army Northwest
of Verdun, Oct. l0.-(Night.-U. N. 81
American troops that attacked in
the Argonne forest today. breaking
down the last elements OF German re-
sistance In that region. are reported to
have captured Marco and Chevleres.
between two and three miles north Of
Cornay. which has been the scene of
tremendous struggle.
The Americans duplicated their sue
cess on the st. Mihie salient this
evening when they cut west and north
west OF Fleville and Cornay. The Ar
gonne pocket" was completely closed.
1t is reported that the Germans are
burning their base OF Grand Pre-, Il
mile and quarter northwestward of
the fighting zone.
The Germans had been withdrawing
from the northern part of the Argonne
forest for two days. Our lines have
now been drawn up closer to Grand
Pre-.
German opposition In that quarter
had been very bitter but today the
boches reacted less violently after the
Americans had captured. a dominating
height near Chatel Chehery. The Ger
mans had been using this higher
ground as an artillery observation post.
DSoPtid'o tiloit 10 WcIG ny tUt
Germans to hold up our advance by
taking Cornay, but gave up the at
tempt when American units drove
through the town a few hours after
the place had been captured.
When the American advance was
renewed in westerly and northwest
erly direction. across the Argonne
pocket. only half hearted resistance
was encountered.
The weather Vas favorable for land
and air fighting as the sky was calm
and the sunshine bright.
During the day. the Americans took
La Besogne, practically without oppo-
sition. German machine gunners
poured out OF their nests In droves
to surrender to the doughboys. At
that time 1t was reported that Che
viercs was in flames. but during the
evening. the town was reported In
American hands. Sommerance forest
was reported captured at that time.
The Americans rapidly advanced
upon Bots Negremont. the last wooded
area Of the Argonne region held by
the boches. ..et
German engineers had been trying
to dam the Aire river in the region
of Marcq TO food the lowlands. but
the American advance was SO rapid
that the task had to be abandoned
before 1t was half completed.
1t was reported that the Americans
captured a number of light pieces Of
artillery. We took many prisoners but
the exact number Is not yet known.
The Americans have now advanced
about eleven miles in northwesterly
direction since their offensive was be-
gun between the Argonne forest and
the Meuse river on Sept. 20. The main
advance was up the Aire river valley
in the direction Of Grand Pre-. All OF
the Argonno forest is now In Ameri-
can hands and adjacent territory that
the Germans had held since the first
weeks of the war has been liberated.
Grandpre is between nine and ten
miles north of the old German front in
the Argonne area and lies on the Aire
river 1t is town Of considerable
strategic importance owing to the
which converge there. II is
on the railway line running through
Vouziers. A calblegram from that front
last night reported Grandpre in flames.