The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-04-05
THROUGH SEAS OF MUD AND IN
HEAVY RAIN U. S. TROOPS GO
TO THE FRONT.
FIGHTING GROWS FlERCER
lHtrenehed Positions Being Abandoned
as Enemy Brings Up Reserves.
Colossal Conflict surses
Around Amiens.

Washington.-While the battle in
Pfcardy has halted in a lull that may
only foreshadow the breaking of q
new and more terrible storm, Ameri-
can troops are fastening to join in
the fray with their French and British
comrades. Formal announcement from
London that these units will be merged
with the allied war machines indicate
to officials that losses of the allies
will be Immediately made good with
vigorous young Americans, keen for
the battle, and the stage set without
delay not only for a counter offensive,
but for aggressive warfare without
pause until the German invader shall
not only be checked, but hurled back
to ultimate military defeat.
President Wilson has predicted that
this will be the decisive year of the
war. In the opinion of military Of
ficers here, both American and French
and British, he has taken the decisive
step toward making his words good.
The power of American manhood is
to be brought to bear without delay,
not only in the American expedition
airy army itself; but also in the fight
ing ranks of the allied armies. By
this means the effect of American in
tervention in the war, it is said, will
be doubled or aver trebled, and in
coming days of the battle which may
last for. months, Americans by the
hundreds of thousands will play their
part.
The colossal conflict is like a pow
erful maelstrom sucking INTO its vortex
troops Of both %belligerents from all
sectors of the front, expanding bigger
and bigger all the time. The whole
weight of the world war is centering
gradually on the 40-mile front between
Amiens and Compeigne, where indica-
lions point to a decision being reached.
The enemy continues to mask his
main operations which aim at Amiens,
by thanking thrusts against the French
toward Paris and against the British
in the north. Meanwhile Hindenburg
is slowly and gradually melting his re-
serves in the furnace. Austrian and
Bulgarian troops are appearing in the
battle, and the enemy has even thrown
a naval INSTRUMENTATION always en-
trusted with guarding the extreme
northwest sector on the Belgian coast
into the Picardy combat, indicating
how pressed he is for reliable troops
and how determined to stake all on one
final throw.
An American army corps consists of
from two to six divisions. For mill
tary reasons it is improper to give the
exact strength OF the first corps. AS q
division consists Of approximately U.s.
600 men, II is no secret that General
Pershing has assigned more than two
divisions TO the corPs. The corps is
under the command of a widely-known
general, who formerly commanded one
of the divisions Of which the corps is
made up. It is understood that the
American forces are being sent into
action in two colunns. Although IN
der the direction of General Foch, or
ders to the columns will be sent
through General Pershing, who is IN
close touch with the new general head
quarters established by the French
generalissimo. General Bliss is aiding
IN the formation OF the allies defen-
sive and offensive programs.