Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-05
BENERAL PERsH|NC PAYS
HlGH TRIBUTE TO TROOPS
Declares That Battle of Cantigny
8 First Demonstrated Superiority
Us Americans Over GcrnaI.s.
ADVISED Eocn TO STRIKE
First and Second Divisions Given
Position of Homo" in Great Allied
CONFERENCE.-The Of July 1S-Com-
spIete Review OF Campaign.
iBy Associated Press.

pIcte Review OF Campaign
| Se iBy Associated i'rcsS,l
~ NS.ASH1NGTON, December t-Sen-
E&eral John ]. PershinE'S account OF ms
Sstcw ardship as commander Of the Amer
+&ican cNpcdiiionary forces was given 10
tsSlhe public to-day 10y Secretary Baker.
&tsFlt Is in the form OF j preliminary re-
BORT TO the secretary. covering opera
Etions up TO November 20. after the
lgGcrman collapse. 1t closes. With these
&starmy in France, expressing his feeling
for those who served under him:
II pay the supreme trieutc Ia our
|ssoffccrs and soldiers Of the limc. When
[Esl think OF their hcroism their patience
snnder .hardships their ,unninchns
Mith emotion which | am unable 70
Ig@cxpress. Their deeds are immortal.
and they have earned the eternal graft
&astude OF our country.
The report begins with Genera,
IstI'ershing's departure for France 10
Etc smash German resistance, on the
II afeuse and give vital aid 10 the allies
in forcing Germany to ITS knees nine
ESteen months later. Its striking feature
|SSis tho section devoted 10 combat OPP
erations" where i; told the story OF
ESfiShting by the man who directed IT,
h& General FcrShtng views the cnCouN-
tiers before March . Of this year in
(which American ttoops participated as
sSthem briefly On that date. however.
launched and crucial situation quick
Ely developed In the allied lines which
called for prompt use OF the four
.SgAmerican divisions that were at that
SStime equal to any demands OF battle
Faction
The first crisis of The German drive
had been reached in Picardy.
The crisis which this offensive de-
Syeloped was such" General Per,shins
says that our occupation Of an Amer
S:s IS pasaa 1f Ss ssSsa
marshal Foch, who had been agreed
Fupan, as commander chief Of the
allied armies. all OF our forces TO be
used as. he might decide a, his re-
quest the First Division was trans
ferred from the Tout sector 10 posi-
| Y ton in reserve at Chaumont en- NcNn.
As German superiority III numbers re-
CURED prompt action, an agreement
of the allied Premicrs and commanders
and myself on May . by which British
Shipping was to TRANSPORT ten Ameri-
Scan divisions to the British army area.
where they were TO he trained and
Equipped. and additional British ship
ping was to be provided for as many
divisions possible for use elsewhere
III "On April % tho First Division had
gone into the line in, the Montddier
Taeties had been suddenly revolution-
lied to those Of open warfare and our
men. confident; of the results Of their
the morning OF May IS this division
attacked the commanding German posi-
ton in it's front. taking with splendid
dash the town OF CantiGny and all other
ohjectives which were organized and
held stcadfastly against vicious coun-
Although local. this brilliant action had
an electrical effect. as ii demonstrated
our lighting qualities, under extreme
] vineible."
There followed Immediately the Ger
man thrust across the -hisne toward
Paris.
The allies General Pershing says.
that of the Picardy offensive in March.
Again every available man was placed
at at, Marshal Isi,;; Foeh.s disposal and the
from its preliminary training in the
trenches was hurried 10 the Marine.
Us motorized machine-Eun battalion
nreceded the other units and success
fully held the bridgehead at the Marine.
| opposite Chatcau-Thicrry. The Sec
end end Division, in reserve near Mont
tother available transport TO check the
nrogrsss OF the enemy toward Paris.
The division attacked and retook the
and sturdily held its ground against
the, enemS's best guard division
I'm the battle Of Belleau wood, which
followed our men proved their super.
iority and gained strong tactical
position. with far greater losss to the
enemy enemy th han to ourselves ON July j.
eaniu Teie aha xii;afeaf N2ux win
SECOND CORPS ono NIZED
BACK or BRITISH
"Meanwhilc, our Second Corps. IN.
mad been organized for the command ar
our DIVISION with tho British which
were held back n training areas or
assigned to Second.linc d.fenycs Five
OF the ten divisions were withdrawn
from me British area in June. three
i 10 r ynsss diyisicns in Lorraine and
| 10 JOIN the group OF American diy;sionc