Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-08-14
ALLIED TROOPS CROSS AISNE
Gen. Pershing Reports Great Victory
for Americans-Yanks Captured
8,4oo Prisoners and 133 Cannon
and Drove Enemy Beyond the
VesIe River British
Force Huns to Retreat
on FiVe-Mile Front.

ence rivers, according to a British
communication issued.
Counter-attacks by the Germans
along the Braye-COrbie road have been
repulsed.
Franco-U. S. Troops Cross Vesle.
Paris, Aug. S.-Fochs nibbling pro-
cess along the north bank of the
Vesle continues. 1t resulted in local
gains which the Germans failed to re-
cover despite heavy counter-attacks.
Wherever the allies took a foothold
they stood their ground.
Additional crossings of the Vesle
were made. Americans forced the
stream together with French east of
Braisne
They captured and held the Cry
SaIsOgne railroad station. Braisne it.
self seems doomed to fall shortly.
In their success near. Braisne the
French and Americans took 100 pris-
oners. The enemy appears to have
strong forces in this neighborhood
A German local attack in Cham
pagn, south of Auberive, was thrown
back.
North of Reims the French have
pushed back the German line more
than 400 yards.
Shells Fail to Halt Yanks.
With the American Army on the
Aisne- Marine Front, Aug. S.-Under an
inferno of shrapnel and machine gun
fire and waves of gas the Americans
forced their way over the Vesle river,
while rain, varying at times from a
drizzle to a downpour, drenched the
battlefield.
French troops already have gained
positions on the American left, and
the joint movement has Strengthened
out the line from a point west of
Bazoches to Fismes.
The Germans lost considerably in
casualties and also a few prisoners,
whose stories tended to cOrrOborate
the expressed opinion Of those previ
Ously taken that the Germans expect
to continue their retreat until the bank
of the Aisne is reached.
The attack began between four and
five o'clock Tuesday afternoon. By
midnight those men on the right had
reached their detectives, the main
highway east and west extending
along the foothills that rise north of
the river and become a series of ter
Faces to the Aisne.
Left Wing Delayed.
The left wing was delayed, but it
also reached the line shortly before
eight O'Clock Wednesday morning.
The artflleries on both sides are
still fighting duels over the captured
positions, and the Germans also have
continued small arm resistance. But
with every hour the positions of both
the French and Americans have been
rendered more secure.
Guns Prepare the Way.
The attack by the infantry was pre-
ceded by artillery preparation. Under
cover of a barrage the engineers COM
pleted the work of throwing light
bridges over the stream, while the Of
ficers 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 imme-
diately by the German artillery, and in
a few minutes the intermittent re-
ports of the guns which had been
heard all day were merged into one
great roar.
Counter-Attack Fails.
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 d de-
tense, and even more. They had pre-
pared, although apparently hastily, a
counter-attack which they launched
without success later in the engage
ment
The men on the American right
fought their way along the chosen
routes. Some of them floundered
across through the water, while others
used the bridges that still were stand
ing.
one detachment of Germans, some
what more than a company, moved for
ward into the open. Here the Ameri-
can machine guns caught them. and
sweepiug them with bullets, destroyed
them almost totally.
Shells Destroy Column.
The Germans also attempted to
strike the Americans a disconcerting
counter-blow with considerable force
by pIunging down a ravine leading TO
the river. Their path had been cleared
by their artillery, and they might have
succeeded in reaching the. Americans,
but the movement had been reported
to the artillery stations south OF the
Vesle and from them there swept into