Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1918 — YANKEES PIERCE HUN DEFENSES; HAIG DRIVES ON [ARTICLE]

YANKEES PIERCE HUN DEFENSES; HAIG DRIVES ON

Pershing Troops Push Away Into Meuse Positions; British Near Mons. SAMBRE CANAL IS CROSSED U. S. Fighters Penerate Deeply in Line North of Verdun, Wedging Drive Into Seemingly Impregnable Positions—Counter-Attacks Fail. London, OcL 25.—More than 7,000 prisoners and 100 guns have been captured by the British and Americans in their drive south of Valenciennes, begun Wednesday morning, according to Feld Marshal Haig's report. With the American Army Northwest of Verdun, Oct. 25.—American patrols penetrated deeply into the German lines in the region of Grand Pre and north of Verdun. The enemy has been using his artillery and machine guns freely along the entire front. There has been little change in the situation since last night. Advances have been made east of the Meuse in the Bois Etraves and the Bois de Wavhille. Aerial Activity Less. Aerial activity is less than on Wednesday, when conditions were almost ideal. The bright moonlight enabled American aviators to bomb a? large area behind the German lines. One of the American bombing squadrons dropped 3.077 kilograms of bombs on the Bois de Barricourt and the Bois de Folie. German aviators dropped bombs on towns behind American lines occupied only by civilians and without great military value. Pershing Tells of Gains. .

Washington, Oct. 25.—Continued progress by the Americans on the battle front north of Verdun was reported by General Pershing. Enemy positions east of the Meuse were penetrated and west of the Meuse Bantheville was completely occupied and the American line established on a ridge northwest of the village. Fifteen enemy airplanes and one observation balloon were shot down is the course of many combats, in which three American balloons were de strayed and six planes failed to return Yankees* Task Hardest. London, Oct. 25—A Times’ corre spondent with, the American forces says in a dispatch to his newspapet that it would be difficult to exaggerate the violence of the opposition which the First American army is meeting between the Meuse and the Argonne. “Indeed, slow as the progress is,’ he writes, "it is quite remarkable whet ail the circumstances are taken intc consideration. Little by little' tht American divisions are pushing for ward, and both at Grand Pre and east of Landres they can fairly be said tc have reached the Kriemhilde position Under Constant Shelling. “On the left of the American fronl around Grand Pre there is constant heavy artillery tiring and vicious ma chine gun resistance. More to the right, Romagne, Sous, Montfaucon, Cu nel, Cierges and Mantillois are kepi continually under heavy bombardment by the enemy, who is using a good deal of gas along the roads behind th< American lines. “On the east bank of the Meus< there is greater infantry activity and enemy patrols' are continually har asslng and counter-attacking. It it quite evident that Ludendorff and th< German general staff have ordered this part of the line to be held at all costs and that re-enfoncements are. continuu ally being thrown in against the Amer leans.”

French Cross Oise. Paris, Oct. 25.—French troops hav< crossed the Oise canal opposite Long champs, the war office announced. They have also made an importan! advance between the Oise and th< Serre rivers, the statement adds. British Drive Forward. London, Oct. 25. —The British of fensive on both sides of the belea guered city of Valenciennes drove for ward against fierce German opposi tion. On the southern flank of the attacl the British, aided by American dfvi sions, pushed forward against the strategic town of Maubeuge and Mons' At last reports they had pressed acrosi the Escaillon river and had takei Beaudignies, one and one-half milet from Le Quesnoy, the most importan’ stronghold defending Maubeuge on th< west. More than 6,000 prisoners ant many guns have -been captured to date Valenciennes Is Pocketed. On. the north another British arm) gained ground above Valenciennes thus pocketing the city. The Ger mans were reported to have evacuatet Valenciennes with the exception of i few outposts. The British thrust undoubtedly hai badly shaken the German defensei south of Valenciennes, which are so Im portant to the security of the Germa: line northward to the Dutch bordei and south and east to the Meuse.