Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-26
Hard, Costly Fight
Wins u. s. Advance

NOntinueu from rage Une
the fighting here the French com.
munique last night said: "Fierce com.
bats were fought in the sector of
Epieds and Trugny." These combats,
bloody and severe, were fought by
Americans, against whose indomita.
BILE energy the Germans fell back
Wednesday afternoon. giving US an
average advance of three kiiometers.
While the actual advance was not
marked by such bitter fighting. 1t was
the fierce combats up to Wednesday
morning which resulted in the ad-
vance and which the correspondents
are now permitted to discuss.
Fight for Epieds Costly
The fight for Epieds was one Of the
most severe and costly in which the
Americans have engaged. North Of
Epieds is a wooded hill and to the west
similar hills at the lower end of the
Bois de Chatelet and to the east other
hills up to the northern end of the
Bois de Trugny. Epieds is reached
by valley from the south, through
which runs the main road On Tuesday
afternoon the American infantry went
up the ravine by the side of the road
into the village. They were swept by
fire from more than a hundred machine
guns the Germans had placed on the
hills about the village. We got into the
village.
Soon the Germans got the range ana
began heavily shelling Epieds and we
withdrew to the hill, the Germans TAX.
ing possession Of the village under the
protection of artillery fire and bring
ing in more machine guns.
Yesterday morning we again faced
the task of retaking Epieds. In the
meanwhile our troops had taken pos
session of most of the Bois de Trugny,
and the French and Americans hao
taken all of Bois de Chatelet. While
small force stayed in front drawing
the fire of the Germans from the village
and hills, our troops moved against the
machine-gunners from the rear The
troops in front of the village and on botf
sides attacked together. forcing the Ger
mans to evacuate quickly.
Trugny, small village, was the scene
Of more bloody fighting between the
Germans and Americans. the result Of
which was shown by the fact that the
woods yesterday morning were clear Of
boches.
In nature Bois de Trugny is much like
| Bos de Belleau. rocky formation form
ing excellent nests for German machin,
guns. After hot fighting we held Trugn,
and started north through the woods
This was one of the nastiest jobs tbs
soldiers ever undertook. We sent attacl
after attack against those woods oi
Tuesday, and the success of the German!
In holding their line north of those woods
was responsible largely.for the delay il
our advance on Tuesday. Wedncsda!
fresh troops drove the Germans from
| their stronghold and more than thre,
kilometers back. The advance was no
difficult after their hold on the ridge
north Of the woods was brokeps Late,
we'll as Breezy. to the north, and the linz
| German Position Imperiled
Yesterday morning our troops wer'
pushing ahead less than seven mile'
from re-en-Tardenois. We are nov
fighting on the line of hills where tn
Germans expected to stop the Allied ad
vance. making necessary an alteration
in their plans The Allied drive canno
be stopped on this line. North of Jaul
gonne the Germans are holding on. bu
the salient Is getting narrower all thu
time. and our advance through the fores
de Ritz imperils their position there.
In the operations In this section tn,
Americans are being assisted by French
cavalry, who are doing yeoman work al
scouts. This work is very valuable be.
cause of the boche tactics Of retreatine
in pockets, leaving machine-gun nests OF
both sides to form traps for our men
Their success In this method is growing
less, as we are taking successful mean,
to meet IT,