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Show GENERAL PERSHING REPORTS WORK OF AMERICANS WASHINGTON, July 27. The capture of Le Charmel by American forces in their advance between Ourcq and the Ma me is reported in General Pershing's communique for yesterday, received today at the war department. The statement follows; Headquarters American Expeditionary Forces, July 26, 191S: Section A Yesterday, between Ourcq and the Marne,- our troops captured Le Charmel. In the region of Verdille one of our aviators shot down a hostile machine. Section B Further reports have been received of the fighting1 which took place from July 21 to 23 in the region northeast of Chateau Thierry. American troops played an important part in the struggle, which ended in our lines being advanced to a point about five miles from the town. The enemy fought rear-guard actions ac-tions with great stubbornness, defending de-fending the ground foot by foot, and using large numbers of machine guns. His resistance retarded, but could not stop our advance, and on the- 22nd we captured Epieds and Trugny. The next day the struggle became moi-e bitter. The Germans counterattacked counter-attacked with violence. Epieds changed hands four times and remained re-mained German; Trugny changed hands three times and remained ours. One of oxir divisions, up to the evening eve-ning of July 23, had captured three .cannon, one trench mortar, fifteen machine guns and large quantities of ammunition and other material. On the 24th our troops returned to the attack with vigor and drove the ' enemy out of Epieds and back into the Forest de Fere, four miles beyond. |