The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-31
US. MENIREPULSE
ANOTHER ATTACK
NEAR,CANT|GNY
German Waves Broken in Heav-
lest of Many Assaults to
Regain Town.
AIR BATTLES ON TOUL FRONT
Americans Engage in Four Fights In
Fifteen Minute-One Hun Air.
plane Shot Down-NeW
Attack Near.

With the American Army in France,
May 31.-Aided by a squadron OF
heavy tanks which scarcely showed
themselves, the Germans attempted
fifth cOunter-attack in an effort to re-
! take the village of Cantigny, west Of
Montdtdier, in Picardy.
The attempt was prefaced by bonn
bardment that circled the newly won
American salient. For full hour the
Germans bathed our lines with high
explosives and gas shells.
Behind this terrific barrage fire
rolled the enemy's infantry, which
| was however, promptly driven back
| by our artillery which placed such an
accurate curtain of fire that 1T demon
allied the Germans method of attack.
Our infantry briskly finished the job.
Make Sixth Attempt.
Early in the morning the Germans
made sixth attempt. 1t was only
feeble and quickly defeated. Owing
to their sheltered position, our troops
Germans.
Twenty-fOur hours after the Ameri
can capture of Cantigny our troops
found more Germans hidden in caves
in and around the village.
They brought the total Of prisoners
| up to 242. Quite a few of them are
wounded. All are BavarianS.
Clear the Streets.
Our men cleared the streets and by
| ways Of the ruined village of enemy
dead, and found that our artillery had
killed scores in the heart of the city.
Many bodies also lay in No Mans
| Land. 1t is estimated several hundred
Germans were killed and many wound
ed.
The work done by our doe RS and
nurses and 'Orderlies during and after
the attack IS amazing and deserves the
gratitude Of the folks at home. The
first aid work under fire was particu-
larly skillful.
The wounded in the field hospitals
expressed one wish-tO get back into
the fight. All are smiling.
Pershings Report.
Washington, May 31.-The following
cOmmunique from Gen. Pershing was
made public by the war del artment:
1.-THE enemy has been again COM
pletely repulsed by artillery fire and
infantry action in attacks against our
new positions near Cantigny.
ARTILLERY fighting continues actively
there and in Lorraine, where it in
cludes the use of gas shells"
"There is nothing else of Importance
to report"
With the British Army in France,
May 31.-Another strong counterattack
against the American troops in the
Cantigny sector, west of Montdidier
met with q complete repulse, accord
Ing to brief report from the south.
The Americans evidently have been
subjected to almost continuous attacks
since they stormed their way into Can
tigny. In every case the enemy's waves
have been broken against the stone
wall resistance Of the Americans. The
latest German assault appears to have
been the heaviest the TeutOnS have yet
essayed in their attempt to evict the
overseas men from the village Of Can
tigny.
Hospital Attack Premeditated.
The German air attack on Tuesday
night on American hospitals in a town
many miles behind the front was car
ried out with the utmost apparent de-
liberation. The German airmen used
umbrella flares to aid them in picking
out their targets. Their bombs also
started a fire in a garage, which lighted
up the neighbOrhood, in which is one
Of the four finest cathedrals in France,
built in the twelfth century. The air.
men turned their machine guns on the
firemen engaged in fighting the flames
and ON ambulance drivers.
Many Aerial Battles.
With the American Army in France,
May 31.-FrOm daybreak there has
been q continuous series of aerial bat
ties on the front northwest of Toul
One plane is reported to have fallen
in mo mans land" There are uncon-
f1rmed reports that some German
planes have been shot down, but at the
moment Of filing this dispatch nearly
all the American aviatOrs are either
answering alarms or fighting and ac-
curate details are unavailable. The
sun had hardly reached the horizon on
this cloudless, MINDLESS day when large
numbers Of enemy planes made their
appearance. The American aviators
took the air one after another as the
Germans came in sight Within fifteen