Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-07
YANKEES SWING
INTO LINE FOR
VESLE ATTACK
Struggle to the Right of Amer
leans Places Them Before
Hun Artillery

With the American Army on tho
Vesle Front, Sept. 6.-Menaced by
salient increasing in danger, the
Germans to-day began a withdrawal
from the Vesle valley to the right
of the Americans. On the west
flank the Americans held firmly.
while the French exerted sharp pres
sure on the rear but there has de-
Veloped u situation considerably diff
ferent from that of the past few days
in the region westward towards Sois-
sons. The Germans fought more
nearly in the spirit of their tradi-
tions but slowly this continued to give
way, leaving little doubt that the
line from near Rheims to that now
along the Aisne would be quickly
Strengthened.
The struggle is being made to the
Americans right and has placed
them in a position where they are
subject to heavy enfilade, espe-
cially by the artillery. Despite
desperate resistance they swung
their line forward to its junction
with the French, where the most de-
termined resistance was encountered.
More broken country offers better
opportunities for defense and the
Germans have taken advantage of
every hillside and ravine in placing
their artillery and machine guns.
The Americans were forced to face
a deadly barrage, while barriers of
gas were raised in every ravine
down which they might advance. An
equally destructive artillery re-
sponse was made by the Americans,
however, and the men already tried
in previous engagements, advanced
steadily, driving out the machine gun
nests one after another.
The Germans held their position
along a machine gun line stubbornly.
many of them dying at their posts,
but the total mortality was not great,
since only machine gunners were
left in the rear line. 1t is probable,
however, that the German losses
were large as a result of the counter
artillery fire. Some thirty prisoners
were brought in to-day from that
part of the sector on the Americans
right. Because of the better terrain,
the Germans can afford to retreat
here more slowly and from their
positions they can exact a higher
price in return for their withdrawal
1t is inevitable at the same time that
they, too, must pay dearly. The re-
suit is "a foregone conclusion and
the only question is that of the cost
in men,. To-day the Germans en-
filaded the Americans who on their
part replied in kind and with inter-
est, while the French supplemented
their work with what must have
been frightful consequences for the
Germans The slowing down.
Supplies Brought Up
s-1s
retreat from the Aisne has enabled
the Americans and French to bring
up supplies and artillery and get in
TO the line the full strength desired
for forward positions. The Germans,
of course, have had the same oppor-
tunity to place their artillery in posi-
tion with the result that artillery
action to-day was enlivened and may
he expected to increase until a new
move towards the Chemin des Danes
is made. That the Germans will IS
tablish themselves on that line there
is virtually no doubt. This conclu-
sion is reached from statements made
by prisoners and substantiated by
circumstances incident to the opera
tions.
The Americans concluded to-daN
their movement across the plateau
and down the slopes towards the
river. They were constantly made
targets but the movement was ao-
complished with astonishing success.
Notwithstanding the Germans init
mate knowledge of the abandoned
territory and their excellent oppor-
tunity for observation. French air
planes assigned to this front were
remarkably daring and efficient lin
their operations, but the Germans
never firing in their aerial work at
tackled with guns and bombs and
were rarely out of sight of the Allied
observation positions.