The Meeker herald., 1918-12-14

Meanwhile our Second corps. under
Mai. Gen. George W. Read. had been
organized for the command Of our
divisions with the British. which were
held back In training areas or as.
signed to secOnd-line defenses. Five OF
the ten divisions were withdrawn from
the British area In June. three to re-
lieve divisions In Lorraine and the
VOsges and two were sent to the Paris
nrea to Join the group OF American
divisions which stood between the city
and any further advance of tile enemy
In that direction"
BY that time the great tide OF Amer
lean troop movements to France was
In full swing and the older divisions
could be used freely. The Forty-sec-
ond, In line east Of Reims. faced the
German assault Of July 70 md held
their ground uniiInchingly: on the
right dank four companies Of the
Twenty-eighth division faced "ad-
vancIng waves of German infantry"
and the Third division held the Murpe
line, opposite Chateau Thierry, against
powerful artillery and infantry attack.
Single Regiment Checks Enemy.
"A single regiment Of the Third
wrote one Of the most brilliant pnges
In our military annals on this occa.
sIon." General P.ershing snys. ut pre-
vented the crossing ut certain points
on its front while, on either flank,
the Germans who had gained a foot.
Ing pressed forward. Our men, firing
In three directions. met the German
attacks with cOunter-attacks at critI-
cal points and succeeded In throwing
two German divisions Into complete
confusion, capturing COO prisoners"
Thus was the stage set for the
counter-Offenslve which. beginning
with the smashing OF the enemy's
Mnrne salient. brought overwhelming
victory to the allies md the United
States LIP the eventful months Tint
have followed. The intimntiOn IL
strong that General Pershing's advice
helped Marshal Foch to reach his dc.
cisIon TO strike.
Counter. Offensive Opens.
General Pershing continues:
1.-THE great force of the German
Chateau Thierry offensive established
the deep Marine salient. but the enemy
was taking chances. and the vulnera-
bility Of this pocket to attack might
be turned to his disadvantage.
seeking this opportunity to support
my conviction, every division with my
sort Of training was made available
for use In counter-offepsive. The
place of honor In the thrust toward
Scissors on July IS was given to our
First and Second divisions In com.
pany with chosen French divisions.
without the usual brief warning Of
preliminary h0nbardment. the
massed French and American artillery.
firing by the map. laid down IT. rolling
barraye at dawn while the infantry be-
gan Its charge. The tactical handling
Of our troops under these trying coodi-
tons waa excellent throughout the &C;
ton.
..The enemy brought up large num-
hers Of reserves and made stubborn
defense both with machine guns and
artillery. hut through i've days fight.
ing the First division continued to ad-
vance until It had gained the heights
above Soissons and captured the VII
lage Of Berxy.le-Sec.
1.-THE Second division took Beau Re-
paire farm and vieEzy In q very rapid
front Of Tgny At the end Of its second
day. These two divisions captured T.
900 prisoners and over 100 pieces Of
artillery"
FIrst American Army Formed.
The report describes in some detail
the work Of completing the reduction
Of the salient. mentioning the opera
lions Of the Twenty.sixth. Third
Fourth. Forty-second. Thirty-second
and Twenty-eighth divisions. With
the situation on the Marine front thus
relieved. General Pershinx writes. he
could turn to the organization Of the
First American army and the reduction
OF the St. Mihiel salient. long planned
a. the Initial purely American enter
prise.
A troop concentration. aided by gen.
units by the French. began. Involving
the movement. mostly Mt night. Of
OOO. 900 men.
A sector reaching from Port sur
Seille. east Of the MOselIk. eastward
through st. Mihiel to verjun and Inter
enlarged to carry II 70 the edge OF the
forest Of ArgOnne WAS taken over. the
Second Colonial French. holding the
tip Of the salient opposite st. MIhiel.