The Washington herald., 1918-10-06
U, S, DRIVE now
VITAL IN WAR
American Forces, March
Says Threaten German
Communications.

ne most serious attack. the one
which will produce the most vital i'm
mediate effect on the Western front. is
that which IS now being pushed by
American troops. according to an Of
hcial statement made today by Gen
eral March. chief of staff
This attack is menacing the most
important Of all German military rail-
way lines. that leading out OF Ger
many by Longwy and Sedan. and il
broken and held by the allies and
Americans it will he a paralyzing
blow to the German military staff'5
plans and future operations. Refer
ring to this operation General March
said: :
Situation Reviewed.
Between the Argonne Forest and
the Meuse River the American army
has not only held the enemy's re
Inducements to that sector. but has
driven its way forward on its entire
front to the Kriemhilde position
where the enemy is standing. The
American divisions at that point
threatened the main railroad line
Of communications from Germany to
the west front. the railroad coming
through from Germany and passing
through Sedan and other places of
historic military interest. and Is the
most important single artery of sup
ply of their army. The Americans
have reached a point eighteen miles
in a direct line from that railroad,
and as soon as the direction Of the
drive became evident Germany
threw in its path a great many di-
visions. Withdrawing them from
other points in the line. and they
have been held there by the Ameri-
cans when they are badly needed
elsewhere"
American and particularly New
York troops are. in fact, accOrd.n-
to Gen. MarCh's idenuhcations to-
day. in the forefront of the fighting
nearly everywhere. from Metz to
Cambria The Twenty-seventh New
York Division. he said. had been
operating with the British on the
front north of st. Quentin. where. ,
during the attack Of September - |
they reached all ObjeCuvcS. on the !
10Th they crossed the canal tunnel 1
captured Bony and lie Catelet and |
on the following day drove well be- /
yond the canal" The Seventy !
seventh Division from Camp Upton (
was on September 4 to II i'm the ad- I
vance from the Nesle towards the I
Aisne driving the enemy part way |
back over the intervening ridge. !
Cen March is not certain but he |
lieves that il was the Seventy seventh ,
New York that participated with the |
British under Gen. Read az Cambrai !
and that it was the Twenty-scyenth /
New York that was cut of between /
st. Quentin and Camhrai by the /.
enemy but were later rescued.
other Engaged Forces.
Other American troops engaged, !
now and recently. are the artillery /
of the Thirtieth division, which are !
stin with the Eighty-ninth division |
in front Of st. Quentin; the Thirty (
fifth division, Of Kansas and other /
Western States, who are il the !
Meuse river drive; the Eighty-ninth !
division IS In the operatiOn follow
ing the capture OF the St. Mihiel sa-
lient; the Thirty-third division has
Thirtieth division, including the Ten |
nessee troops and others from nearby
States. are in the fighting near st. .
Quentin. The casualties from this
fight have not come in; and the
Eighty-eighth division was last re
ported in the WOevre "On the line"
Gen. March announced that he had |
wired for Mai Gen. MerTitte ireland.
chief medical officer on Pershing's :
stan, to return to the United States +.
Gen. Ireland is to take the place .
here Of Surgeon General Gorgas. who .
Is still abroad with ne party of Sec
retary OF War Baker.
Gen. Hugh Johnson. now on duty
At the War Department. has been
assigned to the command of a hri- f.
gade Of the Eighth division at Camp +.
Fremont. Cal. which division. Gen.
March said. is to be sent to France. b