Evening star., 1918-08-05
ALLIES PREPARING TO FIGHT
GREAT BATTLE ON THE VESLE
Retreat of Germans Appears Nearing An
End-Huns Destroyed Everything Pos
sible, But Left Much Ammunition.

paper and sheet iron. Most OF these
were destroyed by dynamite or fire.
At places where they had the time
the Germ. ans felled large trees across
wire. They also exploded dynamite
under bridges and placed explosives
in houses in the villages. In Marsuil-
en-Dole there was not a single win
houses had been pillaged and vir-
tually nothing of value remained
when the Americans entered.
.. Scenes Of destruction faced the ad-
vancing armies everywhere. The ex-
railroads and highways and to
bridges over creeks and rivers was
| almost unlimited. The Germans
everywhere made strenuous efforts
to destroy their great ammunition
and forests enormous heaps of black
| ened shells showed how well they
| succeeded.
Torch Applied Everywhere.
In scores of villages from the ourcq
to the Vesle the French and Ameri-
can troops encountered scenes of
demolition. Everything that could be
| burned had been set afire. Even hum
dreds of acres of grain here and
| there had felt the effects Of the
torch. The grain crops, however.
were not extensively damaged owing
| to the rain having put out the fires.
At various points along the railroad
northward from Fere-en-Tardenois
| the Germans placed charges Of ex-
plosives under the railway line and
detonated them, leaving the rails in
twisted masses
On hill northwest of Dravegny the
American heavy guns upset two Ger
man armored cars northward bound.
Each car had q one-pounder and q
had been turned on its side along the
| road. The other was hundred yards
away in a ditch. It had been damaged
by fire. apparently due to an explo-
sion Of the large supply of ammuni-
tion which it was carrying. Infantry
this car. They had been burned to
death. The chauffeur and the gunners
of the other car apparently escaped.
The Americans had many narrow es-
capes from explosives attached to
doors IN villages and connected with
electric batteries. This was particu-
larly the case at magnificent chateau
\ where the Germans had been making
| their headquarters. At a house in
| Mareuil-en-Dole an American off1cer
had partly opened the door, when he
encountered the wires attached to a
| bomb. In chateau northwest of
Loupeigne the Americans encountered
| barrels filled with explosives with
| detonating wires attached to them.
Many Machine Guns Taken.
! The Americans have captured many
machine guns. These are being used
| against the Germans. Pieces of artil-
lery which were undamaged and left
behind by the Germans already have
been brought into action against their
| former owners
an American fell. the victim of a Ger
| man shell. On the canvas of his gas
4 mask was printed in ink, For God
| and Humanity" The gas mask was
tackled on the improvised cross over
! the soldiers grave. In the forests OF
| Nesles and Dole ammunition worth
about million dollars was found.
| the Germans having failed to explode
! it. The Germans made every effort
| possible to destroy the great supplies
| of ammunition in the vicinity of
| Fere-en-Tardenois. having that viii
| lage and its vicinity under long
| range fire for three days.
Little traps left here and there by
| the Germans served to annoy but not
| can officer lifted a wire which was
| lying in a roadway. He pulled the
| wire and a chain of three mines ex-
| ploded. Luckily no one was near
| enough to the mines to be injured.
| Among the score of villages re-
| deemed for France there is not one
| thas- is tenable. Deserted and in
| ruins they mark the sites to which
doubtless the people soon will return.
only to find themselves surrounded by
blackened heaps of rubbish and
| broken stone that once were houses.
| The few inhabitants of Viller Nov
| enne found friends in the enemy SOL
| diers from Lorraine. They say the
| Germans refused to feed them. but
that the men from Lorraine divided
rations with them. encouraged them
and professed delight at the news of
French successes.
From various villages come reports
that thousands of Germans are
marching northward in the great re-
| treat. chanting as they marched.
! Back. back to Germany"