Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-06-05
FIRST STAGES OF DRIVE.
early Reports Indicate Terrible Bat
tle--AIany Prisoners.

mans, striking south from the Che
min des Danes after carrying that
important ridge in the opening Of
their new offensive yesterday, have
pushed on rapidly and effected a
crossing Of the Aisne river between
Vailly and Bcrry-au-I}ac.
The Germans claim $1,000 prison.
ers have already been captured.
This represents front of nearly
20 miles, along which the armies Of
the crown prince engaged in this
great drive have crossed the Aisne
In addition they have apparently
pushed at points some distance south
OF the river and are striking for the
River Vesle, which parallels the Aisne
along the greater part OF this front
at an average distance Of about five
miles.
Battle Rages Along Aisne.
The Vesle, at It's most southerly
point in this sector, is approximately
ten miles from the German point Of
departure, but the German penetra-
tion Is apparently considerably short
Of this depth.
The battle Is continuing fercely
along the whole Aisne front to-day,
the brunt OF 1t being borne by the
French, before whose lines there was
seemingly the greatest concentration
for the enemy effort. The French
communications are excellent in this
sector, however, and the probability
is that reserves are speedily being
sent up to the threatened points to
place before tho Germans force that
can effectively stop them.
The British, when the battle start
ed, apparently were holding a line
approximately IL miles long, between
Bermicourt, seven miles northwest of
Rheims. and Craonelle, across tho
Aisne to the northwest, the line
straddling the Aisne at about mid
way this distance, near Berry-au-
Bac.
There is no indication that the Brit
ish right flank was materially affect
ed by the shock. The left flank, how
upon the French front further west,
where a crossing of the Atsne was
forced and the British left was OBJ
liged to fall back In conformity.
The British line to the west Of
Berry-au-Bac Is now wholly south of
the Aisne, according to the indica-
tions in to-day's official statement.
Attack In Flanders Subsidiary Affair.
The German attack in FLANDERS was
evidently subsidiary affair, not
even on the scale Of some Of the pre-
vious offensive movements there, al
though there was an extremely heavy
concentration Of troops for the linz
tied front attacked.
The French bore the brunt of this
blow and repulsed it with the loss OF
scarcely any ground, the Germans
succeeding only In pushing in some
thing like half mile south Of
Dickebusch Lake. about four miles
south of Ypres.
This morning the British and
French made counter attack in this
sector which was progressing we'll at
latest advices and promised to turn
the whole German effort on the nor
thern front into a complete failure
which had cost the enemy heavily.
Military opinion seems to be sway
ing between the view that the south
erly attack now being pressed by the
Germans between Soissons and
Rheims Is the main enemy effort in
the resumption Of his offensive, or
whether he is planning to deal an
even greater blow at the Amiens
front, where his first great stroke was
delivered this spring.
In view of the persistence with
which the Germans are now follow
ing up their early success in storm
Ing the Chemin des Danes and fore
ing the Aisne crossing It seems prob
able that the former opinion will
gain strength and that n determined
following up OF the enemy effort, in
the shape Of drive for Paris, will
he looked for.
Gen. Foch's strategy is counted
upon to employ the vast effective
forces at his command so as to coun-
ter the Germans effectively when
they have fully developed their pur-
pose, whichever way the attack may
trend.
(1GH (tAIhNISJ NsHuSc,