The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-12-12

|
of our artillery fire and our sudden
approach out of the fog.
"Our First corps advanced to Thlau-
| court, while our Fourth corps curved
back to the southwest through Non
sard. The Second Colonial French
corps made the slight advance re-
! CURED of IL on very difficult ground,
and the Fifth corps took It's three
! ridges and repulsed counter-uttack.
"A rapid march brought reserve reg
iments Of "A division of the Fifth corps
into Vigneules I'm the early morning
where IL linked up with patrols Of our
| Fourth corps, closing the salient and
forming new line west of Thiaucourt
to VigneuIles and beyond Fresnes-en.
Woevre
10000 Prisoners Taken.
AT cost of only 1000 casualties
mostly light, we had taken 10000 rris-
oners and 443 guns, a great quantity
of material, released the inhabitants
of many villages from enemy dominn'
tion and established our lines in po-
siti0n TO threaten Metz.
"This signal success of the Ameri-
can First army In its first offensive
was of prime importance. The allies
found they had a formidable army TO
aid them. and the enemy learned final-
ly TINT he had one to reckon with"
The report shows for the frst time
81. 81,
cuted coup. General Pershing's men
had ceared the way for the great If
fort Of the allies and American forces
To- win n conclusive victory. The
American army moved at once toward
it's Crowning achievement, the battle
of the MeuSe
The general tells a dramatic story
of this mighty battle in three distinct
phases. beginning on the night or
September y, when Americans quick
~ took the places Of the French on
the thinly held line of this long, quiet
sector The attack opened on Septenl-
her %. and the Americans drove
through entanglements. across No
Mans Land, 10 take all the enemy's
tirst-llne positions.
Battle of the meuse.
Closing the chapter, General Per
shing says:
ION November 6 a division Of the
First corps reached point on the
Meuse opposite Sedan, 20 miles from
our lines of departure. The strategy
cal goal which was our highest hope
was gained. We had cut the enemy's
main line of communications, and
nothing could save his army from
complete disaster
"In all forty enemy divisions had
been used against us In the Meuse-
Argonne battle. Between September
20 and November 6 we took 26,059
prisoners and 4GS guns on this front.
"Our divisions engaged were the
First, Second Third, Fourth. Fifth,
Twenty-slxth, Twentyelghth, Twenty
ninth, Thlrty-second, Thirty-thlrd,
Thirty-ffth, Thlrty-seventh Seventy
eighth. Seventy-ninth, Eightieth,
Eighty-second. Elghty-nlnth, Ninetleth
and Ninety-tirSt.
Many Of our divisions remained In
line for length Of time that re-
quircd nerves Of steel while others
were sent In again after only few
days Of rest. The First, Fifth, Tween
ty-sixth Forty-Second, Seventy-sev-
enth. Eighheth Eighty-ninth and
In ha
Although some of the divisions
were fighting their first battle, they
soon became equal TO the best.
Other Corps Active.
The commander in chief does not
lose sight Of the divisions operating
with French or British armies during
this time.
He tells Of the work Of the Second
corps comprising the Twenty-seventh
and Thirtleth divisions, In the British
assault on the Hindenburg line where
the 81. Quentin canal passes through
Il tunnel.
OF the total strength Of the eXpedi-
tionary force, General Pershing re-
ports:
There are in Europe altogether. in
Guiding regiment and some sanitary
units with the Italian army and the
organizations at Murmansk, also In
Guiding these en- route from the States,
approximately 2,O53.347 men, less our
losses"
First U. S. Planes In May
"The first airpIanes received from
home arrived in Mny, and together
we have received 1879 The first
American squadron completely
equipped by American production. in
Guiding alrplones crossed the German
lines on August Z, 1918
AS TO tanks, we were compelled
TO rely upon the French. Here,
however. we were less fortunate, for
the reason that the French prOduc-
tlon could barely meet the require
ments OF their own armies.
at should be fully realized that the
French government has always taken
a most liberal attitude and hns been
most anxious to give us every posi-
Bile assistance in meeting our dehcien-
cles IN these as well as In other
respects. our dependencies upon
France for artillery, aviation and
tanks was. of course, due to the fact
that our Industries had not been ey.
cluslvely devoted to military produc.
ton"
o>~~~~~~~>>>>>>e~~~~~->>~