The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-08-01
u. S. MEN STAND
LIKE STONE WALL
Meet German Crack Division in
Counter-BIO
HEAVY CASUAL TIES INFLICTED
Prussan Guards Brought to Standstlll
With Terrible Losses-Violent Bat
tie RACES over Two-Mile Front
Near Fere-En-T ardenois.

With the American Armies in
France, July 30,-The first counter
attack against the Americans in any
considerable force since the latest
German retirement began was made
between Nesle and Sergy, a front of
more than two miles, east of Fere-en-
Tardenois.
1t followed a severe bombardment
of the whole line, but was completely
repulsed.
The Americans met Germany's fin
est regiments in this battle.
The enemy threw in the whole
Fourth division of Prussian guards.
The Americans stood like a stone
wall, brought the Germans to clean
stop and inflicted the heaviest losses
upon them.
Machine Guns Effective.
The Prussians suffered heavy loss
es, particularly from the American
machine gunners.
The fact that the Germans picked
the Americans as opponents for the
choicest battalions in the German
army indicated that they have learned
TO respect the men from the United
States in the fighting of the last fort
night.
The heaviest fighting of the last "a
hours occurred in this sector against
the French and the Americans. Sergy,
after having been taken and lost four
times, is in allied hands.
Enemy artillery is heavily lombard
ing Seringes, mile and half east
of Fere-en-Tardenois Nesle, two miles
east of Seringes and Sergy. There
is also heavy enemy machine gun
fire from Nesle forest (north and
northeast of Fere-en-Tardenois).
May Fall Back on Aisne.
The crown prince is rapidly retreat
ing toward the Crise and Vesle rivers
and may fall back clear to the Aisne.
Some prospect exists that the
French-American line would be close
to the river Ardre, which is now only
few kilometers away.
From Reims the line now extends al
most straight southwest to Olizy-et-
Violaine. The forest of Ris is now be-
hind the allies, and they are holding
Champ Voisy to the northeast of the
forest. In this region the Germans
have the higher ground and have some
advantage in the artillery duel.
Two main points of resistance were
~ ID IN ha
the first at Croix Rouge farm, the sec
ond at the Ourcq. Both were thick
with machine gun defenses.
The gunners maintained their fire
as long as possible, then withdrew, set
up their guns again and resumed firing
until they were wiped out.
The Americans swung forward two
or three kilometers Ga mile and quar-
ter to a mile and threequarters) after
disposing of one line of machine gun
defenses before encountering the next.
Then the fight would be repeated.
Clear Fere-en-T ardenois.
French and American troops have
driven the Germans entirely out Of
tilt important Ntnll dilHtiibl NNllAtl VI
Fere-en-Tardenois and have pushed
short distance to the northeast,
crossing the Ourcq
The Franco-Americans also have
taken Boncheres Give and half miles
southeast of Fere-en-Tardenois and
Villers-Agron (nine miles east and
south of Fere-en-Tardenois).
Both artilleries are engaging in n
terrific artillery duel along the south
ern end of the salient. In addition,
the Germans are dropping huge guam
titles of gas shells into the Marine and
Ardre valleys.
Fere-en-Tardenois was captured
only after a desperate struggle last
ing many hours. The French and the
Americans cooperating with them
found many machine guns cleverly
concealed in houses and cellars. These
nests were wiped out in bitter hand-to-
hand struggles in which no quarter