Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1918 — ALLIED ARMIES DRIVE 10 MILES; ENEMY ROUTED [ARTICLE]

ALLIED ARMIES DRIVE 10 MILES; ENEMY ROUTED

Foaces Race for Aix; Meuse River Line Is Being Broken Up. YANKEES ARE 111 SEDAN /Americans Take Part of the City on West Bank of River and Cut / Off Metz Fortress—Huns Destroy Great Bridge.

Washington, Nov. B.—General Pershing, in his communication tonight, reports that east of the Meuse National Guard troops from Wisconsin and Michigan took the heights of Biandevllle and other ground in severe tightIng. It was contingents of the noted Rainbow division and of the First division that made the final whirlwind dash Into Sedan. London, Nov. 8. —The allied armies are driving forward on the entire front at tfjiace faster than ever before made on the western Iwittle ground. The retreat of the Germans has become a rout and the operations are assuming the appearance of a ratje foi Alx-La-Chapelle, far behind the llns of the Meuse, which is being made untenable for the enemy because of ths break through by tiie Americans to the south. Gain Ten Miles. The official report issued in Paris says Hint with ever increasing speed the French troops are forcing the Germans back north of the Alsne and on all the rest of the front. An advance of ten miles has been made at certain points since yesterday. Tiie French are moving forward east of the forests of Nouylon and Itegnavol and north of tiie Serre and Alsne rivers. An indication of the speed of ths advance is given In the fact that the French have thrown cavalry into the action on their right, where the mounted troopfc are pushing in the direction of the Meuse. British Gaining Swiftly. Tiie British forces are continuing I their progress almost as swiftly. I Northeast of Valenciennes they have 'readied tiie outskirts of Qulevraln and ;Crespln, dose to the Belgian border, i Further south tiie town of Angre has been taken. Soßßieast of the Morfinal forest the British have captured j Monceau-St. Vaast and 'three miles northwest of the railway Junction of Avernes. Mud Cannot Halt Them. With Hie French Army in 'Nov. B—The persistent rain and deepening mud, although making communications more difficult, do not appear to have checked the pursuit of the Germans retreating toward ths Belgian frontier. , Tiie advance continued over ths greater part of the French front with such rapidity tiiat it was impossible to follow it with any precision. Latest reports are that the French cavalry is moving toward the Meuse, whiie ths infantry is advancing toward Mezieres. General Debeney’s - forces also wers dose upon tiie German rear guards, occupying numerous villages and carrying their advance toward Hirson. Tiie capture of this important railway center will bring about the final crumbling of tiie transportation or* ganization of the German armies in France. With the American Army on the Sedan Front, Nov. 8. —American troops entered that part of Sedan that lies on tiie west bank of tiie Meuse. (Sedan is seven miles from the French frontier and the fall of the town, which is mostly on the east bank of tiie Meuse, would mean the definite turning of the Meuflte line northward into Belgium and would force the (lermans back almost to the Rhine if hostilities should continue Germany’s troops west of the Meuse because of tin- great progress of the French and Americans, must now re> treat, if they can, through Belgium The task of moving this large force of soldiers through the narrow Liege gap is a formidable one.) Foe Destroys Bridge. The bridge over the Meuse at Se dan, over which the retreating enemy fled, has been destroyed and the rlvei valley flooded. The principal German lateral lines of communication between the fortress of Metz and northern France and Belgium now are either cut or unavail able for the enemy’s use. Yanks Prepare for Advance. __Wlth that part of Sedan resting oe the western bank of the river occu pied, the American army is consolldat

ing Its positions and preparing for t further advance. Vilosnes, Sivry and Haraumont, t< the south and east of Dun-sur-Meuse were among the places taken. The American- troops are In closi touch with the line between Inor ant Martincourt, where the roadbed ha: been destroyed, the material havln, been carried away to strengthen th< German positions on the heights be yond. To the south of this Remill? was captured. It Is evident the Germans are deter .mined not to yield Sedan unless ab soluteiy forced to do so. They hav< I made big concentrations on th< heights back of the city and in such places as can be defended both above and below on the river. Concrete entrenchments near the city are strongly held, while all the woods and bridges in the neighborhood have either been destroyed or mined. Yanks Take 6,000. Since November 1 the American* have taken 6,000 prisoners. They have freed all French territory within the zone of the army’s action west of the Meuse to a total of 700 square kilometers and have liberated 2,000 civilians. DO ring the afternoon American forces took Vlllemontry, Mont de Brune, Autrecourt and Connagt. To the west the French, in co-operation with the Americans, reached Omlcourt. During the day the Americans at one place advanced over four and a half miles. The villages taken include. Bulson, Haraucourt and Rancour t. Great quantities of commissary stores, many railroad cars and equipment and enormous amounts of war material have been captured. London, Nov. B—The British war office statement, telling of Thursday’s operations, says: “We reached the Tracapelle-Mau-beuge road and are in the western outskirts of Avesnes. “Baval was captured by the British. Hundreds of prisoners and guns were taken.