Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-07
Ex the Associated Press,


WITH THE AMERICAN FORCES
ON THE SEDAN FRONT, November
6. Z p.m.-The crossing Of the River
Meuse and the capture Of the town of
Dun by the Americans, when it's full
details are known. will rank as one Of
the most gallant feats Of the entire
operations northwest Of Verdun. The
troops who accomplished 1t will be en-
titled to rank as heroes, for their work
in militarily crossing the stream was a
stra tegic move of unusual daring.
The crossing involved the forcing OF
n way over the Observation-Disclosures SIXTY
foot river. half-mile-wide stretch of
mud and a sixty-foot NIL in the face
of i"htful enemy FIRE 1t also in
volved swimming by those who knew
how and the pulling of others over
ropes. Graphing irons were used 70
scale the sheer walls Of the canal
posted. under the fire Of scores Of bat
teries from the hills adjoining.
Men Never Hesitate.
The order 70 cross the canal came
at mida fternoon Monday. The troops
received their grim instruction under a
sun which was shining for the first
time in days. The men knew almost
as we'll as their commanders the diff
Guilty of the task and realized how
well-nigh impossible its accomplish
ment would be. Yet they never doubted
or hesitsted.
The orders were to send over one
brigade first. and. If it failed, to send
another and others, one after the
with dash that the Americans tackled
the problem. theoretically. they had
the choice Of crossings anywhere for
five miles Actually. they were lin
tied to one point. where two-thirds
of mile of mud lay between the
river itself and the canal that rough
~ parallels the river.
Only Point Unprotected.
The Germans were too firmly in
trenched at all other spots They
had not protected themselves with
trenches here only because they never
dreamed that the Americans would be
50 daring as to try to negotia'e the
passage. This was short distance
north of Rrieulles.
All the swimmers of the LIST Brig de
were first singled out ard nut in the
van. 1t was intended to attack in
this way on the theory that the swim
the Germans. orine to the fact that
they would be nearly submerged. On
the other hand. they corld carry With
them ropes and other parapherna1ia
for assisting non-swimmers across.
The building of pontoon bridges was
put off until at least some American
elements had crossed the river.
Meet Rain Of Fire.
A perfect rain of fire from the Ger
mans met the swimming Americans.
The emery had ensconced hirs,If on
the east bank. with carefully selected
machine gun positions which raked
every point of the bank. where effort
to land could be enflladed or met with
direct fire.
Some men were killed in the water.
More we're drowned after having BEEN
wounded. for no unwounded man
dared stop to rescue a comrade II the
narrower ,ras to he SUCCESSFUL onn
Notwithstanding some losses and
the fact that the swimmers could not
defend themselves, many of them
reached the west bank of the river
with lines which were drawn taut
rats and eoilapsibie canvas boats
These men had less success than the
swimmers. because they were better
marks for the enemy's rifles, and the
boats could easily be sunk by bullets
even if their occupants were not hit.
Close to where the swimmers crossed
the engineers began to throw, over
pontoon bridges and a tiny foot
bridge. The pontoons were destroyed
by the enemy but the bridge remained
intact and added materially to the
constantly increasing numbers of men
arriving on the west bank of the
river Soon after dark the first bril-
sade was across the first barrier and
more men were ready to make the
journey.
Second Phase Begins.
The second phase Of the perilous
Cnd ths-- - ar ~,
OF the kilometer of mud stretching