The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-08-14
ILLINOIS MEN AT
CHIPILLY SPUR
131st Infantry, 33d U. S. Di-
vision, Engaged in Fighting
North of Somme.
MARCH REVIEWS SITUATION
Picardy Salient Trimmed Away
on 53-Mile Front to 15-
Mile Depth.

washington. Aug. IA. = The 131st
infantry OF the Thirty-thlrd United
States division has been engaged In
the fighting north of the Somme and
particularly In the repulse of an enemy
counter attack at Chipilly, Gen. March
SAID today at his semi.weekly confer
ence with newspaper correspondents.
This regiment alone captured three Of.
hcers. $50 men and seven 105-milli.
| metre guns.
Gen. March briefly. reviewed the
situation In the Picerdy salient where
the lines have now reached the gen.
eral position OF the front in 1916 be-
fore the Hindenburg withdrawal. At
no point is the enemy now within fifty
miles of Paris.
The Picardy salient has been
trimmed away on front Of fifty.three
miles to a maximum depth of fifteen
miles, the chief OF staff said, and the
line on the Aisne- Marne front has re.
, mained stationary. American troops
have recaptured Fismette on the north
bank OF the Vesle from which they
were driven.
Trained In Texas.
Discussing the work OF the Twenty.
eighth division. comprising Pennsyl-
vania guardsmen. In the Aisne. Marne
salient. Gen. March said the only re-
port upon its casualties received was
that 400 men had been hit during four
hours on July 80 in the advance to the
Vesle.
The 131st regiment Is composed OF
Illinois national guardsmen and Is at
tached to the Sixty.sixth brigade Of
infantry in the Thirty-thiru division,
commanded by Maj.-Gen. George Bell.
The troops were trained at Camp Lo-
gan, Texas.
The Twenty-eighth division. Gen.
March said, was in positions near Dor
mans on July Is ant participated In
the 26th when the attack against the
German lines attained Its full momen-
tum and thrust the enemy back to the
Vesle. The Twenty-eighth was flanked
on one side by the Forty-second Grain
bowl and on the other by the Third
regular division. It's position In the
line was between Sergy and Ron.
cheres. M
The work of the American troops
both on the French and British fronts,
Gen. March said. continues TO win the
highest praise frpm the allied com,
F2sy No Complains ofAIterast. '
Gen. Pershings announcement Of
the formation of the First field army
shows It was organized on Aug. 10,
and In this connection, Gen. March de-
clared, there were then thirty-one
American divisions in France and the
field army included approximately
1,25o, 900 men. The organization Of
additional corps and subsequently of
additional armies will proceed without
delay. he added. and eventually Gen.
Pershing will take command Of all the
armies, leaving command of each to
general officer, whom he may select.
1t is assumed that Cen Pershing has
taken over his own staff as the staff of
the First field army. In that case Gen.
James w. McAndrew Is the chief OF
staff both Of the army and OF the
American expeditionary forces.
Gen. March was asked as to the
truth OF reports that the American
forces north Of the Marne lacked ade-
uuate air service. Gen. Pershing's
dispatches make no mention Of any
such condition, he replied. and added
that a specific report as to, the opera
tion Of airplanes in action and the con.
ditions in that regard had, beer, asked
of the American commander. the sub.
stance OF which will be made public
when received.
Frown On Name Sammy"
The chief of staff took occasion to
frown upon the name Sammy" for
American troops. No American soldier
In France approves the use of that
name. he said nor do either the Brit
ish or French understand why big.
strong men like the Americans sho"'d
be tagged with such a nickname. Tho
British soldiers call their American
comrades s"Yan g"
Gen. March said NO American troops
"'d been landed IN Siberia as yet. He
did not have available feures on the
total embarkaf,on for Francc which he
will K1axa nuhlin nm SATURDAY.