The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-18
AMERICAN TROOPS
RESUME ADVANCE
TOWARD GERMANY
CONTINUED From First Page,i

Continued From First Page,h
to the south as s;v;z, the troops had
been stationed to await orders for the
advance and at $3.50 o'clock yesterday
morning the patrols marched out, not In
line OF battle, but in columns along the
highroads, which are only slightly i'm
paired.
The first steps of the Americans into
regions so lately controlled by Ger
many were not spectacular. The men
were keyed up and keen for the new
adventure, but like they were on the
day Of the signing Of the armlstice,
there were comparatively 10 demon
strattve manifestations of their enthu-
siasm.
Many of the men had been newly
uniformed, and all of them were pol
ished' as though for inspection. The
men appeared eager for the word TO go
forward.
The relatively small units that are
moving forward as advance guards,
were sent to the line before daylight.
The night had been cold and the mud
that yet marks the roads, notwith-
standing there have been two or three
days without rain, was slightly frozen.
The men shivere6 as they rested.
When the command finally was given
to advance, the elements who were to
push forward, in some cases miles
apart on the long line between the ex-
IRENE left and right, moved off into the
mists that appear always to shroud
this part of the country, and disap-
peared.
For the first time since the Ameri-
a had been ordered to advance into
enemy held territory, there was as
surances that they would encounter no
hostility. The intelligence department,
which has never ceased to function,
had accurately reported that the Ger
mans were carving mt THAR a pTna-
ment Of evacuation and there was evil
dence the belief by both officers and
men that there was no trap awaiting
them.
NO chances were taken, however.
The engineers We're the second unit to
press forward, and they carefully be-
gan their work Of looking out for mines
and tainted water. Every obstacle was
examined before 1t vas moved in order
to find out If it masked explosives, For
some tim the Germans have shown a
spirit Of cooperation in informing the
Americans where mines We're located
and IN themselves destroying them,
1t was some time after the engineers
moved forward before the heavier col
umns took the roads. The entire army
finally was moving, and moving along
the lines of peace days. But it was in
such order that it might quickly be
transformed into battle array. Every
brigade was covered by Il regiment of
IT'S, the heavier artillery following
close behind. The flanks of the adj
Nancing columns were well protected,
1t has been impressed on officers and
men alike that his Is an operation UNI
der an armistice; that war still exists
and that the possibility remains that
at any time It may be necessary for
them to play their part with the same
grimness of the past year.
FraterniSatIon, not only with the Ger
man soldiers who may be found either
as s~tragglers or voluntary prisoners,
but with the civilian population, has
been sternly forbidden. Looting and
even souvenir hunting also have been
forbidden. 1t has been plainly i'm
pressed upon the men that property Is
inviolate, and that those persons With
whom they come in contact must be re-
garded as enemies.