The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-09

that the lines must hold, ana II pos
stbie those lines must attack. And
the lines obeyed.
| without water. without food, with
out rest they went forward-and ror-
ward every time to victory. Com
panies had been so torn and lacerated
by losses that they were hardly
platoons; but they held their lines and
advanced them. In more than one
case companies lost every officer
leaving sergeant and sometimes q
corporal to command, and the ad-
vance continued. After thirteen days
In this inferno Of fire a captured Ger
man officer told with his dying breath
OF q fresh division OF Germans that
was about to be thrown into the bat
tie TO attempt to wrest from the Ma
rines that part Of the wood they had
gained.
| The Marines, who for days had
been fighting only on their sheer
nerve, who had been worn out from
nights Of sleeplessness, from lack OF
rations, from terrific shell and ma
chine gun fire, Strengthened their lines
and prepared for the attack. 1t came
as the dying German officer had
predicted.
| German Crack Troops Beaten.
AT 2 o'clock on the morning oil
June 1S it was launched by the Ger
mans along the whole front Withou,
regard for men. the enemy hurled his
forces against Bouresches and the Bois
de Belleau, ana sought TO win back
what had been taken from Germany
! by the Americans. The orders were
that these positions must be taken al
all costs; that the utmost losses in
men must be endured that the Bots de
Belleau and Bouresches might fall
again into German hands. But the de-
pleted lines of the Marines held; the
| men who had fought on their nerve
alone for days once more showed the
mettle of which they were made with
their backs to the trees and boulders
Of the Bots de Belleau, with their sole
shelter the scattered ruins Of Bour-
esches, the thinning lines OF the Ma
rines repealed the attack and crashed
back the new division which had
sought to wrest the position from
them.
And so It went. Day after dav
night after night. while time after
time messages like the following trav-
elled to the post command:
Losses heavy. Difficult to get run
ners through. Some have never re-
turned. Morale excellent, but troops
about all in. Men exhausted.
|
they continued to hold on in spite OF
every difficulty. Advancing their lines
slowly day by day, the Marines finally
prepared their positions to such an ex-
tent that the last rush for the posses.
sion OF the wood could be made. Then
on June "a, following a tremendous
barrage, the struggle began.
Praise From French staff.
THE barrage literally tore the woods
to pieces, but even its immensely could
not wipe out all the nests that re-
manned; the emplacements that were
behind almost every clump OF bushes
every jagged, rough group Of boul-
ders. But those that remained were
wiped out by the American method OF
the rush and the bayonet. and in the
days that followed every foot OF Bel
leau Wood was cleared OF the enemy
and held by the frayed lines OF the
Americans.
1T was, therefore. with the feeling
OF work we'll done that the depleted
lines OF the Marines were relieved in
July, that they might be filled with
requirements and made ready for the
grand offensive in the vicinity Of Sois-
sons, July IS. And in recognition of
their sacrifice and bravery this praise
was forthcoming from the French:
ARMY HEADQUARTERS,
June 80, 1918.
In view Of the brilliant conduct OF
the Fourth Brigade of the Second
United States Division, which in a
spirited fight took Bouresches and
the important strong point of Bots
de Belleau. stubbornly defended by
large enemy force, the general COM
manding the Sixth Army orders that
henceforth. in all official papers. the
Bots de Beleau shall be named
"Bois de Ia Brigade de Marine"
DIVISION GENERAL DEGoCTTE,
Commanding Sixth Army.
Pershing Consratuiates Marines
Gen. Pershing's congratulations
also were contained in the following
order, issued by the brigade COM
mander, dated June Q, 1918, to the
units of his command:
The brigade commander takes
pride in announcing that. In addi-
ton to the commander in chiefs tel
egram Of congratulation to the
Fourth brigade. published in an in
dorsenent from the division COM
mander, dated June 8, Gen.
Pershing has to-day visited division
headquarters and sent his personal
greetings and congratulations to the
Marine Brigade. He also added that
Gen. Foch, commander in chief of
the allied armies In France.
especially charged him this morn
ing to give the Marine Brigade his
love and congratulations on their
fine work OF the past week.
BY command OF Brig Gen. Har-
bord. II. LAY, Major. Adjutant.
As Seen by Gen. Hartford.
ION July IS the Marines were again
called into action in the vicinity OF
Scissors, near Tigny and Very. In
the face Of a murderous fire from con-
centrated machine guns. which con-
tested every foot OF their advance, the
United States Marines moved forward
Until the severity OF their casualties
necessitated that they dig in and hold