The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-02

HEADQUARTERS OF TIE FOURTH
FRENCH ARMY. Nov. I. tBy Tho AS
! sociatcd PrcsS.) e y. u.l-G"neral G"u'
raud's army attacking this n!"FhlnG' OF
front of five to six miles between th'
bAiSnc and the .Argunne in conJunctIor
with the first American army on his
! right Tho Immediate ohj"ctlv" Of tbs
| French commander i'll thIS region ls tc
/ clear the enemy out OF tn. thickly wood
e1l and much broken naSS!f Of III" Ar
gonnc, the last natural fortress which
! remains TO him uhtil he reaches the
| Ar6CnncS.
Euor since gsp<ember 81. tho Germans
have clung To the Argonne in spite OF
the unrcmittlng endeavOrS OF the french
army on the west and the Americans on
the east Of the forest. After series OF
extremely difficult and h"tly contested
operations. General Gouraud has sue
ceded in establishing himself or the iett
bank Of the Aisne between the villages
Of Terror and Falaise, distance OF
about tlve miles.
With the river at their backs and IT.
tie more than mile from the German
trenches between them and the forest
the operation was one or conslucIaptt
difficulty. The night was spent IN
throwing bridges across tho AiSnc III
preparation fer the passage Of an I'M
, portant force with its material. Inc
enemy knew that the attack WAS coming
! but seems to have been unaware that "
would extend AS far north as II did, anu
; he left the bridge makers almost un'
disturbed.
The attack was launched shortly be-
! fore six o'clock after \ whirlwind ar
tillery preparation "f thirty mtnu tes
| The Germans had not acted Wisely u
; leaving the bridging troops unmn!"Steo
The Aisue was crossed opposite Inc
! village of NunCq and this imp"rtan'
position was occupied soon after nlne
o'clock. The loop of the AiSne opposite
L. A,1I hNs
and formed n salient In the allied line
protected by tho winding cours. or the
river. was carried. Rilly-AuH-Oies then
was captured and tho French troops
pressed up the river bank opposite 80
Fv the middle Of the morning General
C;curand's men had largely, occupied
their first line Of OhjeCtlr"S In spite OF
an energetic resistance or the army
Scmuy was endangered. Noncq Is ST.
uatcd on 4 lofty spur 6rer!ookits tn':
river and was the most important posi-,
tton on the front of attack. was carri';c
with n considerable numhcr "t prison,
ers The possession of Voncd "nAEl"a
the Germans to hold Eouzicrs ana gaEr
tncn wide views up and down the river
Farther south Hill l93 on tn" left hanS
was captured. Falaisc has hrcn ocCu
nlnd and the lin. is making SATISFACTORY
progress eastward il the hHth "i Stli
teninr artillery fire. Th" "ncmE's omis
ell n
Tnrron which marks tn" limit or ''9'i'
lands holdings on the left bank "t th'
Acne, seems 10 have assured m" sue
CO.'S Of tho first day OF the now opera
tion. c.,,-,r5.. o-r,y
n,nst be taken in conjunction with tn'
American attack on a much larger Sc'lI'
which is progressing IN til" most "ncour-
aging fashion on the other sldc or llt
sryonnc. Last night. as has prcElonsi!
hnrn stated. Guuraud held narrow
otrin about five miles long on tho lcit
hent Of the Asine marked by the VII
1.ges Of Torrnn. Nandy and FRlaiSe
Soi,th Of Eala!so his line passed by
SI.zv through tn. Arg"nne to Grandpre
on ihe eastern edge of tho forest. ~
cr,ndDrc. Gnuraud is in touch Win
tbe Americans on his right.
North OF Grandrre III" "n"my's flank
"a protected ny an imprn"lr"hl" !ahE'
rinth OF wooded hills and rartn"s. the
ttoIs do Eas and the F"rct de bault
Ubich II Is in the interest of both the
Ercnch and American armies tn turn
cennra, t;ourauds front of attn"k Is
diractrd northeast: that OF tho Amcri-
Inns is directed straight north.
II is clear that MS Gourauds : army ad-
fcontinued on Page Nine.)