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September 4, 1918: Don Martin reports that Vesle River is crossed

Don Martin diary entry for Wednesday, September 4, 1918: Arrived in Meaux at 2 p.m. Learned that Huns had begun retreat from the Vesle. [Fred] Ferguson of the U.P. was good enough to tell me the story which I wrote for Paris. Sent about 300 words to New York forecasting retirement to Aisne or Chemin des Dames. Got cable from office saying cable received Sunday night was repetition of message received before. Can’t understand it.
        Don Martin reported on the crossing of the Vesle by Allied forces in a dispatch of September 4, which was published in the Paris Herald on Thursday, September 5.
FRENCH AND AMERICANS 
CROSS VESLE, ADVANCE ON AISNE
General Mangin’s Progress on the East and French and American Pressure from South, Force Enemy to Abandon Vesle Line—Pursuing Troops Occupy Large Extent of Ground South of Aisne
By DON MARTIN
(SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE HERALD)
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES, Wednesday
           The steady pressure from the east of General Mangin’s army and the constant harassing fire from the Americans and French from the south have caused the Germans to move north from the Vesle.
           It is possible that they will go straight back to the Aisne and possibly to the Chemin des Dames. In the region between the Vesle and the Aisne, the Hun is apparently doing—or has done—what he sought to do in his retreat from the Marne to the Vesle—burn all the ammunition and supplies he could not take with him.
           Germans in large numbers, it is believed, began to trek northward on Tuesday night. This morning at daybreak American patrols opposite Fismes and Bazoches ascended the heights upon which the Germans had maintained a position, and met with no opposition. Further on the patrols came in contact with machine-gunners, who were left as a thin rearguard. Those machine-gunners were quickly disposed of.
           At many points French patrols crossed the Vesle and made excursions well to the north. The enemy may have decided to go back to the Aisne, where, it was believed some time ago, he had prepared a strong position. His heavy guns and, for that matter, his small ones, too, have been significantly quiet for several days, and the supposition is that he has been moving them well northward. Bridges have been thrown across the Vesle at many places.
       The distance from the Vesle to the Aisne is approximately seven kilomètres. The Germans have presumably had time to get a large part of their material out of the region. However, in view of the fact that they came south with the intention of returning as victors, it is likely that they will have to leave much behind. Fires were noted at a score of points north of the Vesle last night and the night before, and it is thought the Boche has burned his dumps, just as he burned those in the vicinity of Fère-en-Tardenois.
         As American and French divisions crossed the Vesle River on September 4, the initiative had passed into Allied hands. There appeared to be no good reason for longer delay in the determination of the US Commander-in-Chief to bring the American forces together. The A.E.F. had increased to the point where it became imperative to begin assembling them, as preparations began for the American-led St. Mihiel Offensive, with A.E.F. Divisions starting to shift from the Marne to the Verdun sector. Action continued, however, in the Marne region, giving Don Martin little time to visit Paris and relax.
Don Martin wrote a short daily dispatch for Paris on September 4, published in the Paris Herald on Thursday, September 5.
Gas Shells Rained on Frapelle; 
No Attack Follows
(SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE HERALD)
By DON MARTIN
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES, Wednesday
           From the east comes word that the Germans this morning hurled 5,000 shells on the village of Frapelle, which was recently wrested from them. Many of the shells contained gas. They attempted no infantry action. A Boche ambush patrol was discovered early this morning and was driven off. Later a single German was seen creeping toward the American trenches. He was shot and killed.
           Enemy aeroplanes have been dropping the latest issue of the Hun publication called “America in Europe.” It is intended to convince the American soldier that he is being misled by England and France and that the only real idealist in the world is Germany. The Americans get much amusement out of the awkward attempts to influence them.
In the Vosges last night an enemy patrol of fifty men appeared just outside the American wire. It was driven off with automatic rifle fire and grenades. 

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