The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-12-05

salient and forming new line W'St "t
Thiaucourl to Nigncullcs, and pr!"hu
Frcsncs- en- Wocvrc.
IA tho @SH> -, Hnlr :.eSs rSTS1s' G.
mostly night. We mad taken l''Vuo prs
cners and 443 guns. a great quantity "E
material, released tho inhabitants OF
many villages from enemy domination
and established ouf lines in position
10 threaten Metz.
.-Thc signal success of the American
First army in ITS first offensive WAS
Of prime Importance. Tho Allies l"und
they had a formidable army 10 aid them.
and tho enemy learned finally that H.
had one TO reckon with.
Tho report shows for tho first time.
officially, that with this brilliantly exc
cutcd coup. General rcrshine's men had
cleared the way for the great effort OF
tho Allied and American forces 20 WIN
n conclusive victory. The American
army moved at once toward its crown
ing achievement, the battle OF the
Mcuse.
The general tells q dramatic story OF
this mighty battle in three distinct
phrases. beginning on tho night OF Sep
tcmbcr 81, when Americans quickly took
the places Of the French on the thin!y
held line of this long quiet sector. Tha
attack opened September &c. and The
Americans drove through rntanglcments.
across Northumberland To- take all the
cnemy's first line positions CLOSING;
the chapter. General l'crShing says:
"On November s Il division of The
First corrs reached Il point or tn"
Meusc opposite Sedan. % mics from
CT rr 81 if,.ll
zeal which was our highest hope was
gained. We had cut the cnonys main
line Of communications. and nothing
hut surrender ur IN armISttcc could
save his army from complete disaster
In all, 40 enemy divisions had been
used against US in the Mcusc-.trEornI
battle. Rctwccn September % and No.
vclnbcr we took 2G.n5? prisoners ana
46S guns on this front. our divisions
! engaged were the First. Second. Third
| Fourth. Fifth. Twrnty-siNth. Twenty
eighth, Twcnt y-ninlh, Thirty-S"rond
Thirty-ihird. Thirty-ffth. Thirty-sev-
cnth. Forty-sccund. Srrcnty-scvcnth
Srvcnty-righth. Scv"nty-rinth. EGht-
icth Eighty Second. Eighty-uinth. Nine
Iirth and Sm"ty-irSt. Many Of our di-
visions remained In line for length OF
time that required nerves Of steel. while
others were sent IN again after only &
few days Of rest. The First. Fifth.
Twenty-sixth. Forty-sccond. Seventy
seventh. Eighticth. Eighty-ninth and
Einetieth were In line twice. Although
some Of the divisions were fighting their
first battle, they soon became equal to
the best"
The conlmandcr-in-chief does not lose
sight of tho divisions operating with
French or British armies during this
time. He tells of tho work of the Sec
ond corps. comprising the 9th and 30th
divisions in the British assault on the
lIIndcnburg, line whnr" the st. QunctIn
canal passes through tunnel: of how
the End and Goth divisions got their
chance in October by being assigned 1"
aid the French in I'll" drive from EhcimS
and of the splendid fighting If tho at
and 91st divisions sent TO Join IN"
French army in Belgium.
OF the total strength Of the cEncdi-
tionary force, General I'crshing report
cd: "Thcrc are in Europe altogether,
includ linz Il rrgiInput and som" sanitary
units with the Italian army and the or
ganizal ions at MurmanSk. also inClud-
Ing these cnruutr from Ia" states. APP
pruximutcly ".0J%.3l7 men. less our
losses Df this total Their" are in France
l.23S.lG9 c"mbataut troops. Forty di-
visions hay" arrived. of which IN" In
fanlry personnel Of ton har" h""n used
Ms requirements. leaving thirty divisions
now in France organized int" three ar
mics Of three corps each.
OF their equipment. he says: our
entry into tn" war found us with few
of tn" uuxiliaricS necessary for it' con-
duct in the modern sens. Anon; our
most important deficiencies IN mntrrial
were artillery. aviation and tanks. In
| order t.. meet our requirements aS rapid
! Is rs possible. VIZ accepted IN" offer OF
! tn" French government In provide Us
| with tho necessary artillery equipment
| "f SCvCnty-!iv"&. one itfly-iiy" lUillimci"r
/ hnwitz"rs and one litt%-iiyc Il. +. F.
! guns from their own factories for thirty
| divisions. Tho wisdom Of this course is
| fully demonstrated 10y In" fact that. al