The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-10
Consolidated Aug. 2, 1873.
FIERCE BATTLE GAINED.
AMERICANS AND FRENCH FORCE
VESLE PASSAGE.
Pershins's Men Fight Way Across
Stream Under Waves OF Gas and
Heavy Gun Fire, Winning and Hold
ing New Positions.

ing New Positions.
With the American Army on the
Aisne- -Marne Front, August (By the
Associated Press).-Under an inferno
Of shrapnel and machine gun fire and
waves of gas the Americans forced
their way over the Vesle River last
night and early this morning, While
rain varying at times from q drlZZlc
to a downpour drenched the battle
field.
French troops already have gained
positions on the American left ana
the joint movement has Strengthened
out the line from a point west or
Bazoches to Fismes.
The Germans lost considerably in
casualties and also a few prisoners,
whose stories tended to corroborate
the expressed opinion of those pre-
v;ously taken that the Germans eX-
pect to continue their retreat until the
banks OF the Aisne are reached.
The attack began between and .
o'clock Tuesday afternoon. By mid
night those men on the right had
reached their objectives, the main
highway east and west extending
along the foothills which rise north
of tie river and become a series OF
terraces to the Alsne.
The left wing was delayed but 1t
also reached the line shortly before
o'clock this morning.
The artilleries ON both sides are still
fighting duels over the captured posi-
tions and the Germans also have con-
tinued small arms resistance. But
with every hour the positions of botn
the French and Americans have been
rendered more secure.
The attack by the infantry was pre-
ceded by artillery preparations. Under
cover of barrage the engineers COM
pleted the work of throwing light
bridges over the stream while the otil-
GERS chosen to lead the dash across
the river placed their men in position,
working them downward toward the
points where the bridges were Known
to be. The challenges were accepted
Immediately by the German artillery,
and IN q few minutes the intermittent
reports of the guns which had been
heard all day were merged into one
great roar.
The clouds, which had lifted slight
". reappeared just before the attack
was launched and therefore the ac-
ton was conducted without much adj
ID oAserva atlenS
When the order for their advance
was given the men, for the most part
swept forward in open formation, but
the Germans were ready with a de-
fense and even more. they had pre-
pared, although apparently hastily,
counterattack which they launched
without success later in the engage
ment.
The men en- the American right
fought their way along the chosen
routes. Some of them foundered
across through the water, while 9TH
ers used the bridges which still were
sanding.
One detachment e Germans, some
what more than company, moved
forward into the open, here the Amer
lean machine guns caught them, and
sweeping them with bullets, destroyed
them almost totally.
The Germans also attempted to
strike the Americans a disconcertlns
counterblow with considerable force
by plunging down a ravine leading to
the river. Their path had been cleared
by their artillery and they might have
succeeded in reaching the Americans,
tn6
to the artillery stations south of the
Vesle and from them there swept into
the advancing column such a mass of
shells that the formation was quickly
broken. At another point, a detach-
ment of Germans stood until the
Americans were upon them. Then It
became a hand to hand conflict, the
only one Of the kind, during the bat
tie. In the mud and in darkness
where the combatants were barely
able to distinguish each other they
fought it out and the Americans won.
The Americans on the left failed to
reach their detectives until they had
called for second barrage. Under
its cover they rallied and struggled
forward to the chosen positions.
The Germans, in attempting to re-
pulse the attack, used guns Of II and
JOS calibre and minnenwerfers. They
had them on the higher ground. con-
to the rear of the battle line
The American guns did excellent work
not only in covering the advance. but
in breaking up formations. especially
one large assemblage Of infantry.
DEATH LIST GROWS.