The Republican journal., 1918-10-17

heavy. Their splendid work made the
deeds of the infantrymen possible and
greatly reduced the number of casualties.
The boys from Maine and from Angus
ia lead the van in the great drive that
later resulted in the reduction of the
Marine salient, and the great German re-
treat, which is still under way. They
formed the spearhead of the great thrust.
They were picked for an important ser
vice in critical sector, and they justi-
They took what they went after. Every
objective was attained. Raw hell could
not stop them. Not foot of ground
was lost. Not a prisoner taken from
their number. They delivered the goods,
and scorned to reckon the price. No
Drawer men, no better soldiers stand on
the soil of France, today, than our Maine
boys in the 103rd.
On July 29th, General Degoutte, COM
manding the vi Army Corps of which
the Yankee Division was part, forward
ed the following communication to Cen
eral Edwards:
'tVI Army-No. 1883.
Army, July 20, 1918
From: General Degoutte, Commanding
the With Army.
To: General Edwards, Commanding the
Goth American Division.
The operations carried out by the Goth
American Division from July 18th to
July Gath demonstrated the fine soldierly
qualities of this unit, and the worth of its
leader, General Edwards.
Cooperating in the attack north of the
Marine, the Goth Division fought brilliant
ly on the line Torcy-Belleau, at Month";
ers, Epieds and Trugny and in the Forest
of Fere, advancing more than Is kilo
meters in depth in spite of the desperate
resistance of the enemy.
| take great pleasure in communicating
to Genera! Edwards and his valiant d.
vision this expression of my great esteem
together with my heartiest congratula-
lions for the manner in which they have
served the common cause.
DEGOUTTE.
By command of Major General Edwards.
w. S. BOWEN,
Lieut.. Colonel, G. S.
Acting Chief of S taft.
Official: C. A. STE VEINS, Adjutant Cen
eral Adjutant"
On August End, General Edwards is
sued the following order to the troops
under his command:
"Headquarters Goth Division, American
Expeditionary Force in France.
General Orders: August 2, 1918.
To the Officers and Men of the Goth Divi-
sion:
On July 18th you entered, as part of
the Allied drive against the enemy, upon
the offensive, and continued the offensive
combat until the major portion of the
command was relieved on July 25th.
On the assumption of the offensive |
your position in the line demanded an i'm
portant and difficult Vancouver. Your |
success in this was immediate and great,
and the way in which you executed it !
Commander. The eight days from July |
18TH to 25th, marking the first great adj
vance against the enemy in which Ameri-
can troops bore proportionately consid-
erably shares are sure of historical setting |
Your part therein can never be forgotten. !
In those eight days you carried your line
as far as any part of the advance was
carried Torcy, Belleau, Givry, the
Bouresches Woods, Rochet Woods, Hill
100 overlooking Chateau Thierry, Etre-
pilly, Epieds, Trugny, and finally La Fere
Woods and the objective, the Jaulgonne |
-Fere en- Tardenois Road, belong to your
arms. You are the recipient of praise,
thanks, and congratulations of our COM
mander-in-c chief. You went unafraid into
the face of the enemy's fire; you forced .
him to withdraw before you, or to accept I
the alternative of hand to hand combat,
in which you proved yourselves morally
and physically his superior, you gave
freely and gave much of your strength,
and of your blood and your lives, until
pushed beyond mere physical endurance,
fighting night and day, you still forced
yourselves forward, sustained almost by
spirit alone.
These things are now part of your own
Nothing can detract from
them Nothing that | can say can add
to them. But l can testify in this way
to my pride in commanding such TROOPS,
so capable of achieving success in every
undertaking; and this testimony give to .
each of you gladly and with deep graft
tude.
(SigneO C. r. EDWARDS.
Major General, Commanding"