Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-12-12
MIssOURI VALLEY, IOWA TIIJlKsDAY,

IN lffeSlStlDle waves on schedule time,
breaking down all defense of an EN-
'emy demoralized by the great volume
of our artillery fire and our sudden
approach out Of the fog.
"Our First corps advanced to Thic,i-
court. while our Fourth corps curved
back to the southwest through Non
sard. The Second Colonial French
corps made the slight advance re-
quired of it on very difficult ground,
and tile Fifth corps took its three
ridges and repulsed counter.attack.
"A rapid march brought reserve reg
iments of division of the Fifth corps
into Vigneulles in the early morning,
where it linked up with patrols Of ouri
Fourth corps, closing the salient and
forming a new line west of Thiaucourt
< to Vigneulles and beyond Fresnes-en-
WOevre
5000 Prisoners Taken.
"At a cost of only 1000 casualties.
mostly light, we had taken 10000 pris-
oners and 443 guns, great quantity
of material, released the inhabitants
of many villages from enemy domina-
tion and established our lines in po-l
sition to threaten Metz.
This signal success of the Ameri-i
can First army in it's first offensive
was of prime Importance. The allies
found they had formidable army to
aid them, and the enemy learned final
ly that he had one to reckon with"
The report shows for the first tims.
officially that with this brilliantly exc
cuted coup. General Pershing's men
had cleared the way for the great eff
fort of the allies and American forces
to win conclusive victory. The;
American army moved at once toward
its crowning achievement, the battle
of the Meuse.
The general tells dramatic story!
of this mighty battle. in three distinct
phases, beginning on the night Of
September %, when Americans quick.
ly took the places of the French on
the thinly held line of this long, quiet
sector. The attack opened on Septenl-
ber 26, and the Americans drove.
through ,entanglements. across No
Mans Land, to take all the enemy's
first-line positions.
Battle OF tho Aeuse.
Closing the chapter, General Per
shing says: ~
"On November 6 division Of the
First corps reached point on the
Meuse opposite Sedan, 25 miles from
ou lines of departure. The strategi-
cal goal which was our highest hope
was gained. We had cut the enemy's
main line of communications, and
nothing could save his army from
complete. disaster.
I'm all forty enemy divisions had
been used against us in the Meuse-
Argonne battle. Between September
26 and November 6 we took 26,O5g
prisoners and 46S guns on this front.
Our divisions engaged were the
First, Second, Third. Fourth, Fifth,
Twenty-sixth. TweDty-efghth, Twenty
ninth. Thirty-second. Thirty-third,
Thirty-fifth. Thirty-seventh, Seventy
eighth. Seventy-ninth, Eightieth,
Eighty-second, Eighty-ninth, Ninetieth
and Ninety-first.
Many of our divisions remained in
line for a length of time that re-
quired nerves of steel, while others
We're sent in again after only few
days of rest. The First, Fifth, Twen-
ty-sixth. Forty-second, Seventy-sev-
enth, Eightieth. Eighty-ninth and
Ninetieth were in the line twice.
Although some of the divisions
were fighting their first battle, they
soon became equal to the best.
Other Corps Active.
The commander in chief does not
lose sight of the divisions operating
with French or British armies during
this time.
He tells of the work of the Second
corps, comprising the Twenty-seyenth
and Thirtieth divisions, in the British
assault on the Hindenburg line where
the ST. Quentin canal passes through
a tunnel.
OF the total strength of the expedi-
tionary force. General Pershing re
ports:
There are in Europe altogether, in
.cluding a regiment and some sanitary
units with the Italian army and the
organizations at Murmansk, also in
Guiding these en- route from the States,
approximately o,O53,347 men, less our
losses"
First U. 8. Planes in May.
1.-The first airplanes received from
home arrived in May, and together
we have received 1870. The first
American squadron completely
equipped by American production, in
Guiding airplanes. crossed the German
lines on August Z, 1913.
"As to tanks, we were compelled
to rely upon the French. Here,
however, we were less fortunate, for
the reason that the French produc-
ton could barely meet the require
ments Of their own armies.
1T should be fully realized that the
French government has always taken
Il most liberal attitude and has been
most anxious to give us every possi-
bic assistance in meeting our deficien-
cies in these as well as in other
respects. Our dependencies upon
France for artillery, aviation and
tanks was, of course, due to the fact
that our industries had not been ex-
clusNely devoted to military produc-
tion."
Small Thinoe Once proeioue