Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE SUMTER WATCHMAN. Efitab Consolidated Aug. 2,1 FRENZIED ?Mjjj FAILS. HUNS FIND THAT THEY CANNOT HOLD FRENCH AND BRIT ISH. NX-" German Losses in Killed and Captur ed Have Been 'Heavy?Seizure of Munitions and War Stores is Rec ord Breaking. Frenzied counterattacks by the foe have failed to hold back the British and French armies who are hard af ter the Germans on the 75 mile bat tie front from the north of Arras to the region of Soissons. AH along the front the German line has given way before the pressure of the British and French troops at points where the falling back of the enemy or the capture of towns and roads running eastward adds great ly to his already serious predicament from the standpoint of victory. Numerous towns, villages and ham lets have fallen into the hands of the . British and French in the continua tion of the fighting, and scarcely any , where: along the battlefront have the Germans been able to do more than delay the allies when they knock for admittance to the German line. Rear guard actions in which innumerable machine guns are used also are ser?* ing merely to keep the Allied ad vance slowed down as far as possible while the main German bodies make their way eastward in retreat toward new positions. In the region around Arras, the British now are well astride the roads leading to Douai and Cambrai, and farther south* along the Somme they have pressed. forward until they are almost at the gates of Peronne. Between the Somme and the Oise the French have broken the back bone of the German resistance at Roye, capturing this pivotal point to an invasion eastward of the plains of Picardy and advancing their lines north and south of the town over a front of about 12 1-2 miles to a depth of more than 2 1-2 miles at certain points. North of Soissons, the French, al though the Germans are lighting them bitterly, again have advanced slight ly their line in the outflanking move ment, both against the Chemin des Dames region and the, Noyon sec tor. Everywhere the Germans have lost heavily in men killed or made pris oner and in addition the Allied troops again have - captured numerous guns, machine guns and war stores. The prisoners taken by the British from ' last' Wednesday to the present week aggregated 21,000. In fighting Tues day arour?, St Mard,,west of Roye, Tie Canadian troops are fighting in lively- fashion between the Sehsee and Scarpe Rivers, and to them have fallen numerous German held villages and many prisoners. Bapaume, one of the strongest points over which there has been much heavy fighting, is still held by the Germans, but the British are now so nearly around it that possibly few of the enemy remain inside the ?heil torn town. The British on the west are in the outskirts of . the place and doubtless it soon will be nipped out of the battle line in the pincer movement that is being employed against it. FIGHT TO FINISH. Huns are Whining for Peace Since They See Defeat is Certain. Copenhagen, Aug. 27.?The reply of Lord Robert Cecil, British under . secretary of foreign affairs; on Aug ust 23, on the address before the German society two days earlier of Dr. W. S. Solf, the German colonial secretary, and the speech of Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, Republican leader of the senate continue to be commented upon by the Berlin press along the same lines?that Germany now must stand or fall fighting. Theodore Wolff, writing in the Berlin Tageblatt, after referring tc Lord Robert Cecil's declaration that he himself is an advocate of peace, says: "We are confronted with the tragic inescapable necessity of holding out with quiet determination until Lord Robert Cecil's love of peace shall dis play itself more peacefully." The Vossiche Zeitung of Berlin, asks "where is that peaceful spirit of President Wilson, who once declared there must be neither conquerors nor conquered." Count Reventlow. writing in the Tages Zeitung, sees in the reception of Dr. Solf's speech by the entente countries justification of the Pan German view and he says it is a heavy blow for the German advocates of peace by understanding. "It is possibe that this reception of Dr. Solf's speech will form a whole some lesson for German cherishers or illusions." he adds. American Casualty List. Washington, Aug. 27.?The army casualty list contains 307 names as follows: Killed in action, 89; missing, 7: wounded severely. 171; died of wounds. 22: died of accident and oth er causes, 4; died of airplane accident. 1; died of disease. '?; wounded slight ly, 1; wounded, degree undetermin ed. 9. John T. Elders. Enoree. S. ('., Robert T. Gillian. Newberry, S. C. wounded severely. Marine Casualty List. Washington, Aug. 27.?The marine corps casualty list totals 34. Killed in action, 2; died of wounds. 2: wounded severely. 2: missing. 2*. Summary of casualties to date: Of ficers, killed 34; wounded. BO: min ing. 1. Enlisted men. Killed. n~2: wounded. 1.862; in hands of enemy. 6; missing, IIS. Total, 2,&33. ?tifced ApriL 1850. "B? Jnjrt au 881. & HiNOENB?RO LINE BROKEN. BRITISH GO THROUGH NEAR HENIEL AND PUSH ON WARD. Bapaume Entered by Patrols of Vic torious Ilaig Forces, Now Fighting Enemy in Streets?Lines Extended Toward Cambrai?Battle Rages Over Long .Front. With the British Army in France, Aug. 27 (By the Associated Press).? Having been still further extended by attacks launched north of the river Scarpe, the battle today was raging along a field almost 45 miles long, and the British, with renewed vigor, were rolling up the boche before them and sweeping constantly eastward. Nearly in the center of the battle field hard fighting has been in pro gress along the old Hindenburg line j in the neighborhood of Croisilles, j Fontaine les Croisilles and Bulle | court, and once through the Ger j xnan's strong defenses in this locality, ! open, fresh ground remains beyond. ! The Hindenburg line has actually j been pierced at once place, east of j Henineb and the weaker portion of f it: northwest of Fontaine les Croisil les has been captured and mopped up. I During today's fighting the British j captured high ground from which j j they can overlook the country occu i pied by the enemy for miles around' j and have 1 thus attained a great ad j vantage. The Bois-du-Sart, one of j these places, lies south of the Scarpe j and northeast of Monchy le Preux, j and it was feared that here the ene my might hold up the advance for a time. It was captured, however, af ter a short but fierce struggle in which the Germans lost heavily. Another similarly valuable point is j Moatauban, northwest of Mametz. I which fell this morning after the Germans had been given orders to hold at all cost. These orders were ! suddenly changed, and the enemy re tired in retreat. Still another is Dompierre, south east of Cappy-sur-Somme. Dora j pierre was reached ^in the forenoon. From this point there is low rolling country all the way back to Peronne. Incidentally the British at this place are now only six miles from Peronne, where the Somme bends to the south. Bapaume, having been almost sur rounded, has been entered by British patrols and they have been fighting in the streets. The town/ therefore, j is ? sort of no man's land for the moment, but its complete capture seems only a -matter of hourt. The Gerthans are exhibiting still .greater anxiety to get away, from the ? *fc^.^lu^ ale of the enemy machine ' gunners seems^to be diminishing as they are not holding to their posts with as much determination as early in the j battle. < Various sections of the front saw j fresh attacks launched today. North j of- the Scarpe where the operations ! taken in conjunction with those south \ of the river are gradually releasing j the pressure of Arras, the outskirts of Plouvain were reached, and the I line then ran at an angle slightly {.west and due north :rom this point, I with the British still going rapidly I and the enemy resistance decreasing, j Sou:h of the Scarpe the British j reached Pelves ' but the situation [there is uncertain. Almost directly j south of it, however, the Bois due ! Sart and surrounding ground have ; been captured, and thus Pelves can ; not possibly hold out for long. ; London troops approached close t i Croissilles, but a hot machine gun fire j from that town and other indication^: , that it was held by a large garrison. , well protected in prepared positions I caused them to pause for a moment. ? At the same time other troops at I tacked to the north against Fontaine j les Croissilles. Having reached the j outskirts of that place they then I swung southward to outflank Croi silles. They are meeting with stiff re sistance here, but the Germans are rapidly being overcome. To the south of this place the Brit ish have pushed well to the east of St Leger, and are now fighting ju northwest of Ecoust-St-Mein, be- j ? tween that town and Croisilles. Fight i ing likewise is in progress in the i outskirts of Vaulx-Vrancourt. ARTILLERY ACTIVE ON SOMME Noyon Occupied by French Troops Today. Paris, Aug. 29.?Violent artillery bombardments along the Somme front are reported in an official state .Tent to the war office. French troops occupied Noyon to day. THREATENED ( LASH AVERTED. Nicaurauga and Honduras Agree to Submit Dispute to United States fo: Aj bit ration. Washington, Aug. 29.?Nicaurauga and Honduras have averted th<-j threatened armed clash of long stand ing on account of a boundary disput< by agreeing at the request of th United Stales t<> withdraw all troop from the border and submit the con troversy to the United States through their ministers in Washington. INCREASED WAGES RECOM- I M ENDED. Railroad Track Laborers and Clerks Recommended tor Higher Wages. j Washington. Aug. 29- Higher wages for railroad track laborers and certain classes of clerks was rec j ommended today '<> Director Me j Adoo by the hoard on railroad wage I working conditions. i ad Fear not?Det nil the eiriKf?on Ali iUMTER, S. C, ALLIES REGAIN LOST two-thirds of ground, lost I in spring ofit:nsive^/Now in hands of al Interest Now Centers on gin Fighting on the British on the Left. Paris, Aug. 29.?The now won back two-thir< ground lost since the bf the German offensive in was wrung from them bySj whelming effort of forced have regained it by brilliaa ship. The immediate intei great battle centers in oi wings, Mangin fighting right, in the region of vagir.y. On the" left the 3 of Arras are moving toi and Cambrai. BAPAUME FINALLY Ci The English Forces This Important Pc London. Aug. 29. 5 paumc was captured Haigs forces. BRITISH NEAR PI Most Important Place in gion Under Fire of With British Forces nV o'clock.?Ginchy, two mi west of Combles. is repoi been captured thy the morning. The British hay^ tured Belloy, Assevillers, 4 and Fourillers. All these>| in four miles of Peronne. | ish moved forward tod? large part of this battle Re lee, .12 tnorth havs ? this cap *court with .Brit >ng a IN FDLL RETRI GERMANS DRIVEN AFTER HARD FIG] French Outflank Forth and Pursue Retreating; With Unwearied Detei i^ROYE toons With the French France, Aug. 27, 4 p. m. sociated Press).?Roye this morning by the Frei course of a brilliant attacl an unsuccessful counterat enemy. The Germans treat over a seven mile and south of Roye. The first French army ^ng^h^ger^^Bs^n^r^i day and now are pursuing the Ger mans who are in retreat on a line extending from Hallu to the region south of Roy?!. At 4 o'clock this afternoon General Debeny's. men were in the region of Hattencourt from where the line passes just west of Cremery and Gruny. by Carpui and to the west or IcoigJise and west of Verpillieres. The French encircling tactics over came the new German system of de fense by the profuse use of machine guns. Strongly protected^ and heavi ly armed positions were turned one after the other until the enemy was obliged to abandon the first and then the second line of defenses of 1914, upon which he fell back after being driven out of Montdidier. The Germans are now relying on their aviation to protect their retreat. Their airplanes were out in great numbers today, attacking the pursu ing columns and engaging the French squadrons of observation and pursuit planes. The final break in the German sec ond line came this morning when af ter repulsing a counterattack upon S. Mard, the French infantry resum ed the offensive. They completely encircled Roye and threw the enemy back several miles east of the town. In spite of fatigue from the long hard campaign, General Debeny's men.are going ahead with the ardor and enthusiasm of fresh troops. french gain much ground. j Gen. Hulx*rt*s Army Takes Noyon, While ManghVs Men Take Morlin Court?German Attempts to Check ! French Fail. j With French Armies in Field, 10 A. M.?Noyon was occupied this morning by the troops of Gen. Hum bert. Gen. Mangin's men crossed the Oise and took Morlin-court. Tht French First army took Quesnoy wood just west of the Canal of Bur nord. The wood was strongly forti fied and from it the Germans endeav ored to check the French pursuit. GERMAN (H)UNTERATTACIvS RE PULSED. British Have Captured 20.000 Prison ers and 100 (inns Since August 21. London. Aug. 29.?German coun terattacks east and southeast of Vis en-Artois. east of Boiry and vicinity and at Gavelle village east of Arras have been repulsed. It is officially announced that south of the Somme' !he British are keeping up pressure! against the enemy, and advancing j eastward. Since August 21 they have taken 26.000 prisoners and 100 guns.] SHOOTING LAST NIGHT. Drunken Civilians Heid Responsible for Shooting Across the Border? One American Soldier Wounded. Xogales. Aug. 2:?. Drunken civil-j ians <m tho Mexican side of the bor der are held responsible for th shooting lat<- last night which result ed in wounding slightly an Ameri ran soldier. Q0t ac be thy Conncry'?. Tay God's s >AY, AUGUST 31, 1918 FRENCH OCCUPY NOYON. | CAPTURE OF THIS IMPORTANT POINT ANTICIPATED. - It is Believed That Germans Have Succeeded in Withdrawing Artil lery Behind Somme. 3 Noyon, the southern anchor point of the German armies in the Somrnej battlefield, has been occupied by the j French. The capture of the city has! been expected for several days and | the effect of this on the great battle j of Picardy has therefore been large- j ly discounted. Morlincourt on the! north bank of the Oise has beenj taken by the French. The situation as it stands today closely resembles that in the Marne i sector after the Germans had made a determined stand along the Ourcq. It was found then that their resist ance there had permitted the with drawal of the main army and it is possible that Gen. von Boehm has succeeded in moving the greater por tion of his army and artillery behind the Somme river and along the Ham-Chauny line. AMERICAN TROOPS IN ACTION. Fighting Between Ameri<;an and Ger man Troops Continues With Vary ing Successes. "With American Army on Vesle. Wednesday, Aug. 2S.?American ami German troops engaged in spirited action today in the regions of Bazoches andV Fismette. According to the latest report the fighting con tinues. Tonight as the result of a local action the Americans made some gains at Bazoches, while the Germans recaptured Fismette. HUNS FLEE IM DISORDER. FALL OF CHAULNES CAUSES HASTE. 3Iustard Gas Shells Left Behind by Huns are Being Used to Good Ef fect. With French Armies in France. A.ug. 28 (By Associated Press) af ternoon?The German retreat north of the Avre river has been far more speeay since the fall of Chaulnes than previously. Vigorously pursu ed by French troops and harassed, by their own mustard gas shells which they left behind and which are being fired from German guns by French of Nesle and the Canal du iNord. General Debeny's men without great opposition advanced four and a half miles duririg the night and this mo'ning their cavalry was upon Nesle close on the heels of their re tiring enemy. The pursuit toward the Canal du Nord slackened this morning when the enemy artillery of all calibres maintained a heavy fire from strong positions west of the canal. After Chaulnes fell, Gommiecourt and Septfours was taken . by the French while later Cressy, Balatre Champien and Roiglese between Nesle and Roye, were captured and more than a score of other villiges occupied. The battlefield the Germans have abandoned presents a picture of de vastation and desolation that has not been surpassed during the war. Roye and the villages around about have been as thoroughly demolished as Montdidier and Moreuil. Even ceme teries have been blown up, tombstone torn down and graves opened. The names of towns in this region nf longer have any other significance than as a reminiscence and a geo Traphieal designation. They have ceased to exist as towns. Their sites are hardly recognizabl for the intense shelling has not only obliterated streets and defaced bound ary lines, but has rendered the topog raphy unrecognizable in many places The ruins abandoned by the Ger mans previously were carefully filleo with mustard gas. For this reasor Roye is still inaccessible for occupa tion. The Germans were not able :o use all the gas projectiles they brought to the present front and large dumps of them fell into Frenel hands. They are now being tired igainst the enemy from some of the aundreds of German guns the French First army has taken since August S The French Third army also attacked *his morning occupying Dives and ^ushir.s eastward to Vauchelle, less than half a mile from Noyon, the fad of which appears to be only a uestion of hours, if the Freuen s elect. ? With the French in possession o Noyon the Germans will have onl> 'heir positions to the northeast. in. the hills along the Oise and in tin lorthwest on the west bank of the 'anal flu Nord to protect their re peat to the forest of St. Gobain and he Rindenburg linr*. It is not considered possible that 'he German retreat will hold on the Oise so (.-lose are the French press ing' the enemy. French pat rob reached .the region of Bethancourl ibis afternoon. PAY FOR DRAFT BOARDS. Members Will Receive From $?"><> t< $2<t<> Per Month. According: to Number of Registrants on Roll. Washington^ A.u.ir. 2:'. Increased pay for local draft boards has been uithorized under an order issued to lay members will receive from .<."?! ?? $200 por month, the amount va ying with the number of regis lants on their rolls. THE TRUE FIGHTING WITH VIM. j VALUABLE GROUND CAPTURED! BY BRITISH. Forces in North Drive Steadily For ward in Spite of Storms Sweeping! Country. With the British Army in France, j Aug. 28 (By the Associated Press).? j On both sides of the Scarpe River j hard fighting continued today, ? the I British launching fresh attacks andj wresting from the desperately resist-1 ing enemy additional valuable' stretches of ground, many more ad- j vantageous positions and numerous! towns including Croisilles. . j "The center of the wide battle field on which three British armies? the First, Third and Fourth?are op erating there seems to be a slight) pause. South of the Somme, Fay and Ablaincourt were taken by the Brit ish without much diificilty, for the Germans, being hard pressed south I of these points before the- French were therefore ready to go with slight persuasion.' ' ! Since early this morning storm af ter storm has been sweeping across j this section of France, but despite ' the unfavorable weather the forces I in the north have driven deep into ! the hurriedly arranged enemy de-j fenses, smothering with their fire i hordes of the Huns. These Huns had been thrown into the fighting in this section in an ef fort to keep the British from pene trating the famous Queant on Dro court switch line which formed the northern continuation of the old Kindenburg line after the British last ? ear beat the Germans back from Ar ras. This line has been approached in several places and has reached it in at least one place in the neigh borhood of the Sensee River. The success of this drive here and j the breaking through of the old Ger man defense system may have far reaching effects both in the north and the south. South of the Scarpe the Canadians finally captured all of Pelves after brisk street fighting and pushing eastward their advanced patrols en tered Remy and Haucourt. The Brit ish are well east of Fontaine, and the main body of the Germans has re tired from Hendacourt eastward. Extremely heavy fighting is in pro gress from a point south of Lens southward across the Scarpe River to the Arras Cambrai road, but the British are making progress, every have just been identified Jn .this fight ing and more may appear ere long. Put while they are opposing the al lies and in most cases are battling hard, there have been some instances in which the enemy troops have shown themselves to be excessively nervous which is as it should be con sidering the pounding they have had and are still getting from the British cannon and the defeats they have suffered at the hands of the advancing infantry. A large' boche force was brought up to counterattack the British positions east of Monchy. Some of the com panies at the last moment, according to prisoners' statements refused to participate and the rest went on with out them, the British withdrawing 400 yards. Later, the British reattacked, pay ing particular attention to the flank? and drove the Germans out. Then i second time the enemy troops were called upon to counterattack. Thr time, it was reported, the whok "icdy refused and. only a few patrob were 'seen by the British. All sorts of troops have been hurled into the battle south of the ^carpe as well as north of that river but many formations have been fin ished off almost as soon as they ap peared. The ground over which the advance was made today is covered with large numbers of German dead Just south of the Scarpe one place was carpeted with bodies in field gray. There was also heavy fighting in the Croisilles region before and af ter that town was stormed and cap tured. Fierce fighting has been re ported from Croisilles ridge and the beaten Germans are said to be flee ing from Bullecourt and the coun try to the north and south. The cap ture of Croisilles eliminates a spot which had been holding the British advance on that part of the battle front. Stiff resistance has been of cred during the counterattacks and the British swung around on thr flanks driving especially down from he n^ith and following the srenera1 direction of the old Hindenburg line ind the town became too hot for the enemy to hold. Sanguinary losses have been in flicted or the Germans in all the lighting in this general region. Brit ish guns placed back of Croisille-? have had the retreating Germans at ?iany places, particularly in the teighborhood of Ibmdeconrt. under direct fire. The gunners have had the unusual experience of seeing w* re every shot fired fell and noting what damage each did. The enemy artil Vry. retiring from the rear of Flcnde eourt. offered a tine target and shells v i'i'c sent raining into the fleeing col iimns. cutting great gaps in them. Vis-en-Artois. which was captured resterday by the Canadians, was the <cene of more hard fighting. The town is completely levelled and many dead Germans arc mixed tip in tlv piles of debris. The enemy h-is even resorted to dowing groat craters in the roads ?ciiith <>i' the Somme in his efCorl to heck the advance. One ?.fl footi :rater was blown in the road between] 4r / SOUTHRON, EatahHsbed Job* 3 Vol. XLVII. No. 5. HIKOENBUHB LINE WEAKENIKfi. FATE OF CELEBRATED LINE OF DEFENSE PROBABLY DE TERMINED IN 18 HOURS. German Withdrawal so Swift That an Organized Resistance is Im possible?Total Number of Pris oners Taken by Allies Since July 1, 180,000 and 1,300 Heavy Guns? Twelve German Divisions Put Out of the lighting. Washington, Aug. 28.?Develop ments on the western battle front during the next 48 hours should de termine the fate of the much vaunt ed "Hindenburg Line" in the opinioii of some military officials here. With the strength of the line already ma terially impaired by the British wedge driven around its right flank and even more telling blows threatened by the steady advance of the French through Nesle towards the Somme and by the British east of Arras, observers here think that the scene" of defense popularly held in Germany to be the bulwark of the western front, is in fair way to become un tenable before the main Teuton forces, have been driven back to it. \ The impression prevailing in mili tary circles here is that Gen. Foch's tactics have forced upon the enemy the necessity of making every effort along the present front to stop the allied advance, without the option of withdrawing "unnoticed" to a pre viously selected line. For more than six weeks they pointed out, the main German armies have been 'under ceaseless pressure which, during the last ten days, has been so great as to necessitate a practically uncheck ed retreat on a 60 mile front The withdrawal on the part of the Germans, while not precipitate, has been swift enough to bring their main concentrations within the zone of al lied artillery fire with a consequent effect on the morale of the enemy's men and on his every attempt to or ganize an effective resistance. The longer the tactics of the past week ? are kept up, army officers declare, the more difficult will be attempts of the German general staff to stop. them. In view of these facts, the prevail ing opinion here is that German re sistance will stiffen within the next few hours and hard fought engage ments will ensue, on the results of which will rest momentous possibili ties. - Prisoners taken b^ the allied arm ies since July 1,'General March, chief" of staff, said today, totaled more than 112.000, while 1,300 guns of heavs?l figures included' only prisoners'"passes ing through detention camps up to % to the beginning of the present week. Captures reported by the British and French since then have averaged more than 3,000 a day, which would bring the total to date to more than 130,000. This would represent a loss to the enemy of four complete divis ions and, if the moderate estimate of one to two be estimated for other casualties, a total of 12 German di- . visions has been put out of the fight ing. Latest official dispatches reaching ' the war department did not cover the fighting today, apparently the most successful since the allied advance be gan. General March said, however, that the French activities reported ) in the Paris communique this morn* ing had made a new deep salient which was being put "between the pincers.'' Capture by these troops of the railroad junction at Roye and the high ground to the east was of great importance to the allied plans. Gen. March said. POSTMASTERS NOMINATED. Nearly 2,000 Nominations Made by President Wilson. Washington. Aug. 29.?Nomina tions of nearly two thousand post masters for cities, towns and villages were sent to senate today by the president. Most of the nominees are present postmasters continued for an other term. SPANISH STEAMER SUBMARINED May Bring German-Spanish Rela tions to a CWsis. Paris. Aug. 29 (Havas)?The Span ish steamer Crusa has been submarin ed, it is reported here. Newspapers consider that this event will bring to a crisis -.he relations between Spain and Germany. ! - i Germany to Have a Fourth Railroad 'to Vienna. Amsterdam, July 3G fOorrcspond J -nee of The Associated Press)?The j construction of a fourth direct rail I way line between Berlin and Vienna has been approve dby the German !,wav control board. Vrras and Cambrai just outside of Vis-en-A-rtois. A group said they arranged among themselves to yell "Kamrad" as soon as the Canadians launched their attack against them. They carried out this arrangement. Near Yis-en-Artois this morning when an attack was launched a host of Germans suddenly got up out of ;he ground and ran like so many rab aits leaving only a few machine gun ners behind them. It is impossible as yet to obtain any a ecu; ate figures regarding prisoners. One corps is reported to have taken 2.000 since yesterday. But the arm ies do not have time to count their ?h'isoncrs or booty while the fighting emtmues. The British are princi pe ily occupied with capturing more.