Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-12-10

that We did not lack reserves. Element
of the Forty second Division were II
IN" line east of Rheims against thu
German offensive OF July -. ard hclc
their ground unflinchingly. On th'
right flank of this division four com
ranics Of IN. Twcnty eighth Division
wcr" in position in face Of the advanc'
ing waves Of the German infantry
The Third Division was holding the
bank of tn" M,tInc from the bend cas-
Of the mouth OF the Surmclin TO the
west OF Mczy. opposite Chateau -Thier'
rv. where a large force Of German in
fantry sought to force Il passage undo!
kupport OF powerful artillery concen'
tl.itionS and under cover OF smoke
screens. \ single regiment OF tn,
Third wrote one of the most brilliant
annals on this occasion. II prevented
TN" crossing at certain points on Its
front while, on either flank. the Ger
mans. who had gained Il footing. press
cd forward. our men, firing IN three di-
rrCtiunS. met the German attacks with
C0untcrattackS at critical points and
succeeded in throwing two German di-
visions into complete confusion. cap
turing 600 prisoners.
The great force Of the German
Chateau -Thicrry offensive established
the deep Marne salient, but the enemy
was taking charge. and the vulncra-
hility of this pocket TO attack might be
turned TO his disadvantage. SciZing
this opportunity to support my con-
viction. every division with any sort
Of training was made available for use
in a countcr-offcnsivc. The place ol
honor in the thrust toward Scissors
on July IL was given TO our First and
Second Divisions in company with
chosen French divisions. Without the
usual brief warning OF preliminary
the maSscd French and
American artillery. firing by the map
laid down their rolling barraGe at dawn
while the infantry began its charge
The tactical handling OF our troops un-
der these trying conditions was excel
lent throughout the action. The enemy
brought up a large number of reserves
and made u stubborn defense both with
machine guns and artillery. but through
five days lighting the First DIVISION
continued to advance until II had gain
ed the heights above scissors and cap
turcd the villaga of Bcrzy-le-scc. The
Second Division took Beau Rcpaire
farm and Vicrzy in Il very rapid adj
vance and reached position in front
of TiGny at the end of the second day
These two divisions captured 1000
prisoners and over 1000 pieces of ar
Success at St. Mihiel.
The report describes in detail the
work of completing the reduction ol
the salient. mentioning the operations
OF the Twenty sixth, Third. Fourth
Forty second. Thirty-second and Twcn-
tv-cishth Divisions. With the situa-
tion thus relieved. General PcrshinS
writes, he could turn to the organiza- :
tion of the First American army and
the reduction OF the st. Mihiel salient,
Tong planned IS the p,frefy initial
American enterprise.
4 troop concentration aided 10y gen.
crous contributions of artillery and air
unites by the French. began. involv-
ing the movements mostly at night OF
6OO, 900 men. \ sector reaching from
Fort sur Scillr, east of the Moscllc'
westward through -. Mihicl to Yer
DIM. and later enlarged to carry II to
tn, cdg, of Argonnc. was taken over
The Second Colonial French holding
the tip Of the salient opposite 81
Nihs.l and the French Seventeenth
Corps ON the heights above Ncrdun be-
ing transferred to General Pcrshing
command.
General Pcrshing gives the following
according to the reduction of the 81
Mihicl salient:
after four hours artillery prepara-
tion, the seven American divisions IN
the front line advanced at n. m. on
Scnt.mbcr II. assisted by limited
number of tanks manned partly hE
American and partly by French. Thcsc
divisions. accompanied by groups "'
wire cutters and others armed wi'h
hongalore torpedocs. went through the
successive bands of barhcd wire 'ha'
protcctcd the enemy's front line ana
s,,nnort trenches in irresistible waves
on schedule time. breaking down all
defense OF an enemy demoralized ID!
III. reot volume of our artillery fire
and orr sudden approach out OF the
fog. ,-,
Our First Corps advanced to Ihiau'
copr, while our Fourth Corps curfeu
hack 70 the southwest through Non
card Tho Second Colonial French
Corns made the slight advance requir-
od of il on very difficult ground ana
the Fifth Corps took its three ridges
and repulsed a counter-attack. a rap
id march brought reserve regiments VI
q division of the Fifth Corps into Nie'
neulles in the early morning, where II
linked up with patrols of our Fourth
Corps, closing the salient and forming
= new line west of Thiaucourt to Nig-
nculles and beyond Fresnes-en-Woe-
,rc At the cost Of 1000 casualties
mostly light, we had taken 5000 pris'
oners and 443 guns. great qlan'''H
Of material, released the inhabitants o'
many villages from enemy dommatior
and established our lines in position
TO threaten Metz. This signal success
of the American First Army in It's lirs'
offensive was of prime importance. inc
Allies found they had n formldaoi'
army TO aid them, and the enemy
learned finally that he had one to reck-
OH with"
Cleared Way for Victory.
The report shows for the first time
officially that with the brilliantly exc
cuted coup General Pershings mer
had cleared the way for the great ell
fort of the Allied and American 1orce'