The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-09
YANKEES PUSH
ENEMY NORTH
IN DESPERATE
ENGAGEMENT
American-French Forces at
Meuse Take 5000 Prison
ers in Days Operation
Enemy Uses Gas.
ACTION IN ARCoNNE
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
NORTHWEST OF VERDUN. Oct O.
American forces drove forward today
on the east side Of the Meuse and oc-
cupied Charny. In company with the
French they captured the villages of
Consenvoye, Brabant, Haumont and
Beaumont They drove the enemy
well beyond these towns and are push
ing the enemy northward in desper
ate fight
In today's operations more than
5000 prisoners were taken. Of whom
1000 were captured by the French
east of the Meuse During the last
few days over 1000 prisoners have
been captured by the French Eigh-
teen heavy mortars have been cap
tured.
In the operations today between ST.
Etienne and Orfeuil, American units
captured four hundred prisoners and
four Austrian field guns. There was
fierce fighting in this area today, the
Germans using machine guns and a
few light field pieces. The French
and Americans hold ST. Ettienne and
the Germans finally withdrew to the
northward.
The Germans attempted a counter
attack at noon today. The troops con-
centrated in the region of Machault in
great force, but were driven of by the
French and American heavy guns. The
Germans later attempted to reach the
ravines south Of Machault, but the al
lied artillery was again effective. OBJ
servers reported that this fire caused
disorder among the enemy forces,
which, at last accounts, were with
drawing, leaving rear guards to cover
their retirement.
Bombard Somme-Py.
There was an intermittent lombard
ment Of SOmme-Py, as well as cross
roads and areas back of the allied
lines today. Many of the projectiles
fired by the Germans were 'duds"
The absence Of much light sartillery
activity by the Germans is attributed
to a shortage of horses, according to
information reaching American Off
GERS.
Pressure against the German lines
on the western side of the Argonne
sector resulted in satisfactory pro-
gress today. The Americans were met
by very heavy machine gun fire. and
from the start of the days fight We're
subjected to an intense bombardment.
Along this line the enemy is offer
ing increasingly strong resistance and
is using large quantities of gas In the
center the day was quieter and artil-
lery activity remained at low ebb
American observation balloons arose
at will, while German aerial forces
were virtually inactive.
Improve Positions.
In a difficult operation the sAmeri-
cans Monday improved their position
on the eastern edge of the Argonne
forest, capturing Chatel Chehery and
the hills around it. At the beginning
of the attack the American front ex-
tended from Fleville a lmost due
south to the edge of the Argonne for
est, opposite Apremont, with the Aire
river cutting through at about the CEN
ter of the sector. First it was nee
essary to capture hill about Chatel
Chehery.
The division on the right flank ad-
vanced at o'clock in the morning
and crossed the river in a thick mist
that completely hid the operation
from the enemy. At this point the
narrow valley of the Aire widens west
ward into a bay, the center of which
is an island hill known as 18O, while
a promontory on the southern end OF
the bay called hill number 223 is con-
nected by long high ridge with hill
number PA, German artillery posi-
ton.
Under the ridge between the two
hills was the long struggling village
of Chatel Chehery. which had been
entered several miles by American
patrols but never had been out OF
enemy possession.
Instead of attacking hill number
$50 frontally, the division on the
American right filtered around to the
south of it and working into the woods,
began to ascend the height from that
direction. The Germans, finding that
their defenses had been turned, with
drew their artillery. Soon after the
Americans carried the hill and began
to dig themselves in on the crest.
The division in the center forded
the river at 6 o'clock, the mist being
still thick. 1t was appraised Of the
position of the enemy's trenches by a
shower of hand grenades. Undaunt-
ed. however, the Americans stormed
the position. The right wing Of this
division carried hill number 223 AMI
the center swept Chatel Chehery
clear with the bayonet at $40 O'clock
Hill Position Taken.
The key to the whole position, hill
pa at the farther end of the
still remained to be taken.
The storming of the hill led to some
heavy fighting.
Passing through the village. some
troops worked around the hill and be-
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