The sun., 1918-07-20
U. 5. ARTILLERY, IN
DASH, AIDS VICTORY
Three Regiments Hurried to
Marine in Time to Hold
River Passage.
THEIR AIM REMARKABLE
Thousands Held Back by Bar
rage Keeping Foe From
Boats.
Special Gable Despatch to The srN and the
Public Ledger.

opettOf 'uOtc DespotCH 10 ihb SlS w" ''e
Public Ledger.
Copyright 1915: all rights reserred.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE
July 19.-Phii Sheridan's famous ride
has been rivalled. This time three full
regiments Of artillery did the going, and
won their niche in history. In "a dash
across France by train and by forced
marches they arrived in time to help de-
feat the Germans at the Marine, who
tried to cross and smother the American
infantry positions.
The last battery OF "heavies' wheeled
into position at 10 o'clock the night OF
July IA, only two hours before the Ger
mans. en- masse. started to cross the
river at Ru Chailly farm, Mont St
Pere and Mezy. positions our troops were
defending. The American artillery
threw the balance of gun power to the
Allies. as evidenced by a French report.
which says
THE American artillery fired beauti-
fully. Their\batteries dropped barraSe
within one hundred yards Of the. north
bank of the river. preventing many en-
envy units from reaching the boats and
uOlIS tntCtlNt udH1d6e III NhS
rear areas"
Held Thousands Back.
Official reports establish the fact tina,
our artillery, aided by machine gun
units. prevented thousands of Germans
from crossing the river. OF 5000 Ger
mans who did cross the river, the Ameri-
can commander reports: Our front line
holds the Germans who are here"
He meant that the five thousand who
got across would never go back. as
more than FIVE hundred had been taken
prisoner and the others killed OF
wounded.
Aside from the Germans who crossed
In boats. some walked across the bridge
at Mont st. Pere. The boats held
eighteen men each.
The units set apart for an attack on
the Americans along an eleven kilometer
front almost four miles) were com
mandei by a Colonel and comprised the
Sixth Grenadiers from the Tenth dvi-
sion: the 39Sth and Forty-seventh line
regiments; Grenadiers from the Fifth
division and The l75th and 12sth line
regiments, and the 10lst and 10Sth regi.
ments from the Twenty third division
Only part Of the Sixth Grenadiers and
the Forty-seventh Regiment got foot
ing on the south bank. The 39Sth Regi-
ment. mased on the north bank, and pre-
pared to cross. was cut to pieces by the
American artillery. losing two OF Its
| three battalions.
Could Not Esta blish Bridges.
The enemy intended to cross on pom.
toon bridges. but they were unable &c
establish these bridges in the face of our
fire. the American defenders comprising
four infantry regiments and machine
gan detachments
When the American artillery arrived
| they found maps already prepared, and
II was from these that their fire was d..
rected, all artillery data and corrections
having been made by the French before
the American guns arrived. From Ger
man prisoners 1t was learned that the
German commanders expected to find
only eighteen French guns in the Ameri-
can part Of the line. and against these
they had concentrated eighty-four OF
their own guns.
When the attack began, however. the
Germans found themselves looking into
the muzzles of--perhaps II would be just
as well not to give the number: sufficient
II is to say there were plenty. The Ger
mans, Of course, had a big advantage In
much better cover for their artillery.
However, their artillery bombardment
which was OF exceptional violence and
lasted ten hours. never was able 10
silence our guns.
Careful Plans UnsuccessfuI.
This fact, coupled with the further
fact that our artillery was able to reach
the German infantry formations even
before they reached the river bank. cost
them the success Of their carefully laid
plans.
The weight of the German attack upon
the Americans west OF Mezy fell upon
an infantry unit to the right Of our
centre, bending II back TO Fossoy on the
west and Crezancy on the east Only
small parties of Germans got as far
south as these points. and they were
subsequently captured or driven back.
Such typically German methods OF
warfare as putting their men in Ameri-
can uniform. which they took from small
parties OF American prisoners before the
attack began. and the use Of all kinds
OF gas shells. were part OF their futile
attempt to turn our TANKS.
The bold stand OF the Americans on
the extreme right has won the Croix de
Guerre for every member OF the defend
ing units In these units only one de-
tachment had seen previous service-a
machine gun detachment which went to
Chateau Thierry month ago In the
nick of time to enable the French to
aggregate some Germans north of that
town.
Barely acquainted with their own
guns these Americans fought like vet
Grams.
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