Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-14
I3 MILES GAINED
BY AMERICANS IN
VICTORIOUS PUSH
By the United Press

BY the United Press
With the Americans on the Mcty
Front. Sept. 14.-HavinE defeated and
routed the Germans at all points in
what once was the famous st Mihiel
salient. Americas victorious First Army
today faced the enemy along a new line
IN some places thirteen miles north OF
their old one
Americans driving across the heights
Of the Meusc from the west cut through
the pocket seven miles to Nigneulles
whore they met other American forces
smashing in from the south, thus conr-
nleting tho closing Of the sack: our
front now runs through Norroy Jauiny
Nammes,. St. Benoit, Hattonville. Han
nonville and Herbeuville. All the ter
ritory behind that line is under control
of the Americans.
The number of prisoners and guns
taken as Pershings troops swept on
increased with great rapidity. All our
ohiectiveS were obtained according 70
schedule.
Stream of Prisoners
We're going strong" was the report
from a certain already famous division
regarding the progress of its attack
shortly after the offensive opened. From
the start OF the drive it was evident
the prisoners would number thousands.
When 5000 to 1000 had already been
counted, reports came into headquar-
ters from all directions telling of groups
the rear.
Pershing's latest official report gave
the number of prisoners counted as
$4,000
Eighteen prisoners, including eight Of
fiCerS, were taken when Thaucourt fell.
Eighteen officers were included in an
other bag: Numerous machine guns
have been seized. One infantry detaCh-
ment charged and captured an entire
battery Cf field guns which were firing
also taken. indicating that the gun haul
is undoubtedly heavy.
One tank captured battery of field
pieces, five machine guns and seventy
five men. Sergeant Graham sat on top of
the tank during this operation Some
German batteries when they fell into
the hands of the Americans were still
in their camoufaged positions. The Ger
mans had not had enough time to at
tempt to remove them.
Civilians Liberated
Refugees are being sent back from
several towns after remaining in them
during the four-year German occupation.
SO fast did the Americans travel when
they hit the German line that all OBJ
jectives designated for the first day
were reached early in the afternoon In
that short time the salient was pushed
| in four or five miles along its whole
front.
The effect of Pershings victory Is to
| free Nancy, the Little Paris of France.
! from the menace of German guns for
the first time since 1914.
Prisoners reported they had been or
dered to permanently hold a line north
of Pannes, If possible otherwise to
withdraw to the Hindenburg line posi-
tions, Shortly after they received this
command the Americans captured
/ PanneS.
L. :. Tank Crews ValorOus
| Despite the mud the American tank
crews made an excellent showing on
their first appearance. They preceded
the infantry attacks at several differ
ent points. They went smashing
through heavy belts of barbed wire and
crawled over German trenches that had
stood for four years. Afterward they
aided in mopping up the numerous cap
tured towns. The colonel of the tank
! feet was so anxious to fight aboard
one of his land battleships that his
! superior detailed two other officers TO
keep him from so doing .,o a,r o.
quickly won and remained ours: a
heavy rain. poured. but In spite OF this
the French and American airplanes
attempted to send up two observation
balloons they were quickly shot down.
As the German lines began giving
I way. explosions were heard in the rear.
They continued all during the first day.
Most of them were due to the accurate
firing Of our artillery. All night our
batteries kept up their incessant she'll
ing of the enemy's back areas
on the western side of the salient,
where a sharp wedge was driven in to
meet the main assault coming up from
the south and east, steady progress was
made through the most difficult fighting
country and against strong resistance.
Occupy Abandoned Trenches
The effect of the German defeat was
felt even on the eastern side of the Mo-
selle River, where enemy troops were
forced to evacuate the bend in the
stream. American patrols occupied tn,
abandoned trenches.
By the strategy of the American at
tack the Germans were obliged to- evacu
ate Montsec without a fight to keel
!. from being cut off. Montsec is a hug,
. peak dominating the entire territory
French patrols climbed to its summit
after the enemy fed. 1t was reported
, that great quantities of supplies wer,
found intact and II was expected man!
guns would be discovered there.
| As they fell back the Germans starte,
big fires in Pannes and In Vigneulle
wood, where they had supplies the,
| couldn't move,
Difficult Fighting Country
Fighting in the pocket was far dif
ferent from that which the American
encountered in the rolling Marne regioI
Cold. pelting rain rendered the Difficult
ties created by the trench lines eve
were tangled with barbed wire barriers
The country itself y most difficult 10
fighting. having heavy peaks, lake,
marshes and the roaghest kind OF ter
stopped the Americans.
when q certain American bStg4as5ra
eneuIfa t1 silsnoe " devsls- o{ot
z V6r a ~ ~