The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-09-19
Dash OF U. S. Troops Executed So
Rapidly Enemy Is Left Power.
less 10 Offer Resistance.
THIRTY TOWNS CAPTURED.
yevoun- -commercy Railway Restored
After Four Years--Bellef That
Line viii Be Advanced Until
Metz 10 In Artillery Range.

Paris The great St Mlhiel salient,
which for four years threatened the
life of France like dagger pointed al
Paris has disappeared and the place
where IL was two days ago now Is
marked only by shallow depression
I'm the German line. In a little more
than - hours after the American IN
fantry left their trenches at pre-
arranged time this great task was ac-
compllshcd. aud the line runs past
Norroy, on the east, through Jaulny,
xammes. 81. Benoit. Hattonyille, Han
nonyllle and Herbeuville TO fresnes,
little southeast Of verdun. The total
penetration since the beginning OF the
drive is now II miles
Already more than 1900 prisoners
have been counted and they are stili
coming In In droyes There Is niue
doubt that the total for this stage IN
the drive Will exceed $4,000 or 1900,
This huge bag was due largely TO the
feeble resistance made by the Ger
mans except by one or two famous
divisions who were In the line, Or
these prisoners about $50 were Aus
trlans. who apparently had been EN-
ployed as rear guards TO enable the
bulk OF the German forces 10 get
away.
Although the German official re-
ports pretend. as usual, that the re-
treat was voluntary and had been pre-
yiously arranged, there Is no doubt
that the German troops were taken oy
surprise, which accounts largely Tor
the unprecedented feat of clearing
salient OF this size In practically one
day
French military experts are saying
today that In all probability the Ger
man resistance will increase from now
on; In this view the American officers
fully agree. The latter had In fact
expected desperate resistance from
the start, and they are very agreeably
surprised 10y the extremely low casu-
alties In the American force.
That the Germans were surprised
completely Is proved by the condition
of the villages recaptured, numbering
more than 80, all of which, Including
the famous 81. Mihiel, were found to
be practically undamaged. This Is not
the habit OF the Germans when CON
ducting an ordered retreat.
One OF the most important results
OF the American victory Is the release
of the verdun- Commercy railroad, o1e
OF the trunk lines across France which
has been out OF use in this section,
compelling a long detour 10 the south.
News OF the American success has
caused the greatest enthusiasm IN
Paris and IN London also, and, indeed,
has thrilled all France.
Metz. OF Course, is In no immediate
danger from the American advance
and IL sill Is too far away 10 come
under any but the heaviest guns, but
Il IS altogether likely that the line VIII
be pushed forward, AZ least III SOME
point suitable for gu1 emplacements
on large scale 10 reach Metz by di.
rect artillery fire In the meantime
the enormous and almost unprecedent.
ed concentration OF aerial strength will
no, be wasted. ald Metz IS In for some
troublous days. Already the American
and French airnen are vigorously al
work bombing the towns along the
Rhine and the Moseile, including Metz
II took the American about 30 hours
TO smash the great salient and half
dozen more for "mopplng up" France
maryeis anew AT the lightning speed
the doughboys displayed in this, their
own battle. as they did when they
fought breast to breast with the Poilus
on the Marne.