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3RILLIANT WORK OF AMERICAN TROOPS It was a brilliant operation in which the Ameri au troops ejected the enemy from the positions ui had gained temporarily on the southern side if the Marne says an Associated Press Dispatch rom American headquarters in France The Ameri ins counterattacked vigorously this evening with emarkable dash throwing the Germans back across he river near Fossoy FossoyEarlier Earlier in the day this part of the lino had been lie scene of the most desperate fighting when the Germans started to throw pontoons across the itream A few German elements at first succeeded n getting over in boats chasing the allies troops iway from the banks while the German engineers legiin to lay bridges Six of these bridges formed i lattice work and npldly joined the banks on ither side Two of the bridges were most sub ¬ stantial structures and between twenty and thirty eet in width widthFrench French airplanes played great havoc in the Ger nan ranks while the bridges were under construc ion One bombing squadron flying at a height of 100 meters dropped bombs on two of these bridges vliile enemy troops were crossing The bridges vere broken and the soldiers thrown in the river riverThe The aviators constantly bombed other bridges ind did great execution among the Germans on them as well as on the banks where the enemy vast concentrated in great masses massesWhen When the Germans had crossed the river the ighting which already was heavy became terrific The French and Americans holding the southern side fell back on to their principal combat posi ¬ tions Thej fought all the way and counterattacked rom time to time creating confusion in the ranks f the advancing foe foeThen Then late in the evening the Americans started i dashing counterblow which resulted in the Ger nans retiring pelhnell to the river
