Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-18
VALIANT SERVICES 0F AMERICAN BOYS
 UNDER GEN-HAIG
The Second American Army Opcrat- ing With British Win COmmcndatiOn From Field Marshal Haig.


 of the A. P.)-Operations of the Sec ond American Army Corps. with the British armies south of Valonciemes which won from Field Marshal Haig high commendation, are described in a semi-official statement now issued The Second Corps was composed of the 27th Division consisting of New York National Guard Troops; and the 30th Division consisting of troops from Tennessee, North Carolina, $. Carolina and the District of Colum- bia. The corps was commanded by Major General G. w. Read. In com plimenting the crops upon it's work in the fighting in the British sector near Le Cateau and Bohain, Marshal Haig said in a message to the corps: "I am proud to have had you ill my command, the deeds of the 27th and the Both American Divisions will rank with the highest achievements of the war"
 The Second American Corps was operating in conjunction with the British Third and Ninth Corps and had crossed the Hindenburg line at what is described as perhaps it's strongest point" near Bellicourt. The American Corps was called upon on October ) to take part in three-day advance against the line extending from Valenciennes through Solesmes and La Cateau to Guise. This line ran along in front of the Sambre Ca nal To the American division was given a task of pushing out salient south of La Cateau strongly armed position, and holding the line until! the flanking division moved up.
 On the night of October } the 30th Division took over from two Austra- lian divisions front of about three miles, The operation began on Octo- Der s in conjunction, with the Brit ish and French on either side of the Americans. The American attack was made ,behind a rolling barrage laid down by British and Australian artillery and using tanks. In spite of the enemy counter-barrage, little resistance was encountered and by noon the 3Oth Division had advanced three miles and the villages of Bran- court and Fremont were captured Consistently, it seems, in these opefations the American divisions was again at the apex of the advance says the statement.
 The attack was resumed on the following morning and met with only rearguard resistance. entering Busi- gny and Becquigny almost without op- position. The days advance repre- sented four miles. The movement was resumed on October 10. when a l gain of 150O yards was attained and 1 the village of EscaufOrt, St. Souplet and VauxAndigny were taken.
 In tho three days the Americans l and their Allies had advanced nine miles with the delivery of nine vil- 1 lages and the capture of 1900 prison- CTS and numerous machine guns. The Fourth Army of which the Second l Corps was a part then stood in front l of the Selle River. On a crest east l of this river the Germans seemed to l have prepared to mako a stand. A pause was necessary to bring up l supplies and ammunition and to strengthen the divisions. The front ] was shortened to 400 yards.
 l The enemy line west of the Selle 1 River was strongly held by five divi- l SlOuS duu Uy ClCluCulo Ol 0lA OIuCl S l The attack was renewed on October IT. Rain had turned the chalky ground into a slippery footing and q thick mist made all sense of loca- 1 tion impossible. Eleven tanks were 1 sent across the river and the infan- l try started over the top behind g 1 rolling barrage, the first wave wad
 ing the river while the engineers placed pontoons for the use of the second wave. Despite an enemy coun 1 ter barrage and machine gunners hi; | in shell holes under cover of the
 fog, the Americans drove over tht crest east of the river and advanced
 two miles.
 Il One American division, in conjunc
 tion with the. Thirteenth Britisl Corps delivered an attack on tn, following morning, but it was helt up by heavily organized machine gun
 posts and repeated counter-attack
 supported by artillery. Obstinate re
 sistance was encountered at the vii
 lage of Ribeauville and not until tn
 middle of the afternoon did the en
 cmy line suddenly weaken and tn
 American advance move on ,towar,
 the Sambre canal By October I
 the American and British forces oc
 cupied the last ridge before the can
 al and period of preparation ensued
 The advance had resulted in the cap
 ture of St. Martin, Rivere, MolaiI
 Arbre de Guise, Ribeauville and Ec
 aillon.s The total advance for the si
 days operations was 13 miles, result
 ing in the capture of 3,40O prisoners
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