Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-12-15
GOTH INFANTRY,
REGULAR OUTFIT,
IS GIVEN PRAISE
Facing Immense Odds and
Surrounded at Times 1t
Kept Two German Divisions
from Crossing Marine.
BY Martin Green.
Copyright. 1918, by the Press Publish
ing Co
(Tha \


New York, Dec 14.--:n General
Pershins's report of the operations of
the American forces in France, made
public by the secretary of war. occurs
this paragraph, relating to the great
German offensive which was launched
on July IA with the object of crossing
The Marine and marching on Paris
astride of the river:
"A single regiment of the Third d.
vision wrote one of the most brilliant
pages in our military annals on, this
occasion. 1t prevented the crossing
at certain points on its front. while on
either flank the Germans, who had
gained a footing, pressed forward,
our men firing in three directions, met
the German attack with counter-at-
sack at critical points and succeeded in
throwing two German divisions into
complete confusion, capturing 600
prisoners.
The writer cabled an account of this
engagement, but was not permitted by
the censor 20 mention the names of
the division or Of the regiment. It is
now permissible to say that the only
resiment singled by General Pershing
for particular mention in his prelimi-
of the Third division of the regular
army. The writer takes the liberty of
adding that the Thirty eighth regi-
ment of the same division also distin-
guished itself in this battle, materially
riding the Th:rtieth in holding a posi-
ton which, by all the rules of warfare.
was untenable.
Regiment Cut Off
The Thirtipfh repr1au t.,bioh
only about $500 men in line of battle
with about LOO men in reserve, was
practically cut off from the American
TTmy for twenty hours. The Germans
broke through on both sides of their
position and the German force which
started to cross the Marine on the front
held by this $500 Americans was
composed of two divisions numbering
$4,000 men. One of the German divi-
sions was the Tenth, which was
ranked as one Of the German army's
hest divisions, The other was the
a9Sth. To the right of the position
held by the Thirtieth regiment and OPP
posing the Thirty eighth regiment,
which also had $500 men in the battle
line, was the Thirty-fifth German d.
vision, also crack fighting unit. So
these two American regiments stood
out, 5000 strong, against the $4,000 of
tho enemy.
True, at the start of the battle, at
u p. m, July II, our two regiments
Rad the tactical advantage of oppos-
inr foe which had to cross a river
But the two regiments had been Sc
lected to defend the entire divisional
front, which stretched for eleven XII
lometers, little less han seven miles.
along the south bank of the Marine
And between 6,000 and 1000 Germans
got across the river the first night
using pontoon bridges and small boats
carrying eighteen soldiers each. with
equipment On the front held by the
Thirtieth regiment, approximately
three miles from flank to flank. about
4,50e Germans crossed. Not ever 600
OF them recrossed the Marine. The rest
were killed or captured.
Didn't Understand "Retreat."
incidentally this battle brought to
light a lieutenant--my notebook says
his name is Jones-who antedated the
general credited by common report
with telling the French command that
the American army didn't know how
to retreat. Anticipating the story Of
the battle little, it is necessary to say
that French regiment on the left
flank of the Thirtieth retired early in
the fight. This movement left the
flank of the Thirtieth exposed, and, of
course, there was an investigation af-
ter the fight.
Inc American commanders of the
fighting unit said they did not know
of the French retirement until day
light, when II was discovered that a
large force of Germans was located in
the woods on the left flank and to the
rear. The French commander insisted
that he hai sent word that his position
could no. be maintained. Finally it
was established that a French mes
senger had communicated with said
Lieutenant Jones.
Questioned by his superiors, Lieu
tenant Jones, being a West Pointer and
truthful. admitted that he had been
approached by French messenger
some time during the night, but. he
added:
1 thought he said something about
retreatng, but | don't understand
French well enough to get that kind Of
language"
The writer heard the story of the
battle in the HEADQUARTERS of the Third
DIVISION on July II, after he had re-
turned from the battle front and seen
German dead piled up like cordwood
IN the forest. The story was told by
a member of the headquarters staff
IN the presence of General Dickman,
at that time commander of the Third
DIVISION. new, in recognition of the
work of his unit, the commander Of
one OF our armies of occupation.
Tells of the Rattle
We got little jump on the Ger
mans. said the officer I'VE got in
formation from across the river on
the night Of the ttth that the Ger
mans had concentrated three divis-
ions in front of US and were going to
try to cross. They were in formation
in dense wood on the north bank
of the river and we knew they were
calculating to start on us with their
artillery at midnight.
We started on them with our ar
tillery at II o'clock. Reports which
have reached US indicate that the ac-
c'irac5 of our fire completely demon
allied one of the German divisions
he 35th They left 5000 dead men
IN the woods when they left shelter
and started for the bank Of the river.
We'll. a lot of them got across. As
'oon as we opened up they came back
With counter fire. Smelling our front
md our back areas for a distance of
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