Newspaper Page Text
FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 13, 1918
THE MILLEME VILLE NEWS.
WHEN THE YANKS
! STRUCK ON MEUSE
American Doughboys Faced
.Three Fortified Defense
Systems.
wm GOULD STOP THEM
Interesting Description of Ono of tho
Last Big Fights In Whleh
Pershing's Troops Were
Engaged. ~
With the First American Army.—
Three fortified defensive systems
guarded the German positions be
tween the Argonne and the Meuse
when the Americans burst through
them.
The advanced line, the enemy’s old
line, called the Hagen steiiung; his
Intermediate line rnn a kilometer or
two behind it, according to the config
uration of the terrain, hills, streams
and woods, and was called the Volker
steiiung. Behind that ran his main
reserve line of defense, the Kremhilde
steiiung, a continuation of the Brun-
hilde steiiung, which runs through
'Champngne.
At their first bound the attacking
waves of doughboys swept over the
first two fortified zones with their
barbed-wire entanglements cut to
pieces by the preliminary bombard
ment, nnd In several points they pen
etrated the Kremhilde steiiung, which
pivoted in the Aire-Meuse sector on
Montfuucon.
• The three-hour artillery preparation
between 2:30 and 5:30 o’clock In the
morning had driven the enemy to his
deepest dugouts and the advanced as
sault troops were In the trenches
throwing gas bombs and grenades
down the stairways Into the under
ground bombproof shelters before the
Boches could get upstairs.
Reducing Strongholds.
Between the three different lines ot
Intrenched positions the Boches had
installed series of strong points, mu-
i chine gun nests, sometimes emplaced
In concrete and steel pillboxes, or else
merely set In strong, natural, com
mandlng positions. The system for .re
ducing these strongholds wn% Identical
with that already practiced by tht
•enemy in his various offensive opera
tions.
The advanced waves of storming
troops going forward In open order,
: worked their way between the strong
points, often by worming along for con
siderable distances on their stomachs
6r~ by crawling on iiands and knees
through woods or along ravines. Ar
riving In the rear of these positions
they established contact with one an
other and proceeded forward, leaving
•snipers to work their way back in the
rear of the strong points and pick oil
the Boche machine gunners In many
cases.
It was the Job of the succeeding
waves of assault, with their light ma
chine guns nnd their little trench mor
tars mounted on light, two-wheeled
carts hauled by man power to reduce
these strong.points with or without the
aid of artillery, tanks, or airplanes.
The most advunced waves were en
tirely safe from -the machine gun po
sitions once they passed them, as the
Boches usually could not work theli
guns toward their own rear, the em
placement having been organized with
a view to firing ahead or on the flanks
only. Furthermore, If the German*
fired toward the rear, they would re
veal their presence to the succeeding
attacking waves which would pul
them out of action before they could
swing around again.
Why Casualties Are Light
It is because the attacking waves
went forward deployed In extended
formation and behind n curtain of fire
of bursting shells, a creeping barrage,
thnt casualties among attacking
troops were so much lighter than any
one unfamiliar with these tactic*
might Imagine.
The doughboys passed Montfuucon.
which was a hive of machine gun
nests In their advance toward Nan-
ttllols and Clerges, nnd It was not un
til the day after the town had been
practically surrounded that the last
enemy resistance was crushed there.
After penetrating- well beyond Mont-
faucon on either side, American pn-
trols of twos and threes began to
reconnoitre the town and the chateau
which stnnds on a tent-like ridge com
manding the plain in all directions.
Those patrols which entered from the
north, from behind, worked their way
through the ruins of shell-shattered
houses right up to the front of the
town, where they sniped the German
machine gunners in the backs, as they
were firing on American patrols ad
vancing from Cuisy. Prisoners were
taken from the deep dugouts 60 and
60 feet below the ruined town two
days after the Americans had estab
lished themselves In the town.
NO U. S. SOLDIER PUT
TO DEATH FOR PURELY
MILITARY OFFENSE
Washington, Dec. 9.—Not a single
member of the American army has
been put to death since the beginning
of the war ebcarse of the commission
of a purely military offense Major
General Crowder, judge advocate
general, declared In his annual report
today to Secretary Baker. General
Crowder sai dthls fact is the outstand-
in gfeature of his report.
"Very few death sentences have
been imposed,” he said, "and none
of those imposed for purely military
offenses have been carried Into execu
tion.’’
Records of the judge advocate gen-
eralls office show that 12,357 officers
and men were brought before general
courts martial, of whom 10,873 or 88
per cent, were convicted. More than
half the charges against officers were
listed under three heads: Absent
without leave, drunkenness and con
duct -unbecoming an officer.
Convictions of enlisted men for de.
sertion, the general said, were ac
tually less than In the previous year
although the strength of the army had
Increased many fold.
The report showed that one enlisted
man was tried and convicted of "be
ing a spy" and that 773 men were
convicted of sleeping on post.
NOTICE!
Have you a pot plant you could
spare for the G. M. C. dining tables?
If so send to Mrs. Johnsor at the
Barracks. Any pot plant you send
will be greatly appreciated.
Committee G. M. C. tables.
All kind of hog feed, hay, horse
feed, bran and shorts and beet pulp
at EMMETT L. BARNES.
TO TEACH CITIES HOW
CONTROL INFLUENZA
Chicago, Dec. 9.—Four committees
of the American Health Association
were chosen today to organize the
work of teaching cities and communi
ties tc prevent or control outbreaks
of InfluenTa. The nominating commit
tee will announce the composition oi
these committees at the first general
session of the forty-sixth annual meet
ing tonight. *
One committee will compile statis
tics cn the recent influenza epidemic
an ^another will dtevise and circulate
the .best known measures of preven-
tion another will handle measures of
relief for convalescents, and the
fourth will investigate vaccines and
serums.
FEELING AGAINST HOL-
Abundance of
POTASH
%
FOR THE 1919 CROP
WE ARE PREPARED TO SUPPLY USERS OF
ROYSTER'S
FERTILIZER
WITH ANY GRADE OF POTASH GOODS DESIRED
Prof. B. W. KILGORE, director N. C. Agricultural Experiment Station Says:
“The lack of Potash with us has been shown especially In cotton tobacco and potatoes
coastal plain sections. This has been especially true Of cotton and potatoes, mere potash having bwi
used on tabocco, relatively, than on these two crops."
Dr. H. W. BARRE, director of S. C. Agricultural Experiment Station, Says:
“J will say that a survey recently made of the cotton situation in South Carolina leads us
believe that at least 25 per cent reduction in the cotton crop has resulted this year from lack
potash. In some cases ndF more than half a crop h as been produced on light land that is very deficien
in potash. The appearance of the plants Indicates that what Is known as potash hunger Is responsibli
for the decreased yield. We are therefore, recommending that liberal amounts 6f potash be used
fertilizers for cotton next year. At the usual rates of application I feel that it will pay to use as muc!
as 3 per cent of potash at the present prices.”
Enquire of Royster Dealers. Place orders early.
F. S. ROYSTER GUANO CO.
i NORFOLK, VA
1 ause of the attitude of the Dutch gov
ernment in permitting German soi-
- d'iera to paes through the Dutch prov-
- ince of Limburg with all their arms
and baggage according to a dispatch
from Brussels.
The Belgians are sal dto be indig
nant that eBlgian automobiles In-
terned in Holland were used
Dutch authorities in carrying t
mer crown prince and his suit*
he fled t<9 Holland.
Right Ideas About Clothes Buying
SUITS AND OVERCOATS FOR XMAS.
We’ve all had so many rapid readjustments to make, that
we are in danger of getting mixed upin our ideas.
The virtues of economy have been of late much praisec
-V I j
Never too much, perhaps, but sometimes false economv
has been confused with the real thing. Clothes, for ex
ample—character is essential to good clothes. Not onl)
in materials, but just as much in appearance, in fit, ip quali
ty of manufacture.
Good looking, well made clothes have their effect «
keeping up one’s spirits. We need that.
To serve you best, to insure you fullest satisfaction, and largest return on your money, we’ve brought '' ‘
FITFORM
Clothes for Young Men into our stocks again. You’ll like them. Let us show them early. Now is the time to do your Christmas shopping.
THE W. S. MY RICK COMPANY