The Elbert County tribune., 1918-12-13

The report shows for the first time
officially that with this brilliantly exc
cuted coup. General Pershng's mrn
fort of the allies and American forces
to win conclusive victory. The
American army moved a, once toward
its crowning achievement the batile
OF the Meuse.
The general tells dramatic story
of this mighty battle In three distinct
phases. beginning on the night OF
September ~, when Americans quick
ly took the places of the French on
the thInIy held line Of this long. quiet
sector. The attack opened on Septcni-
Der 26, and the Americans drove.
through entnnglemcnts. across No
Mans Land. to take all the on, my's
first-line positions.
Battle Of the Meuse.
Closing the chapter. General Per-
sling says:
"On November 6 division of the
First corps reached point on the
Meusc opposite Sedan, 20 miles from
our lines of departure. The strategi-
cal goal which was our highest hope
was gained. We had cut the encmy's
main line of communications. and
nothing could save his army from
complete disaster.
''1n all forty enemy divisions had
been used against us In the Meuse-
Argonne battle. Between September
26 and November 6 we took 26.059
t,,-icopars and 1cS ,,,,,o On ,I.fs front
Our divisions engaged were the
First, Second. Third. Fourth. Fifth,
Twenty-sixth, Twenty-eighth. Twenty
ninth, Thirty-sccond, Thirty-thrd,
Thlrty-fifth, Thirty-seventh. Seventy
eighth. Scventy-ninth. Elghtletli.
Elghty-second. Elghty-ninth. Nlnetieth
and Ninety-first.
MANY of our divisions remained In
line for length of time that re-
quired nerves of steel, while others
were sent in again after only n few
days of rest The First, Fifth. Twen-
ty-sixth. Forty-second. Seventy-sev-
enth. Eightieth. Eighty-ninth and
Ninetleth were in the line twice.
Although some of the divisions
were fighting their first battle. they
soon became equal TO the best.
Other Corps Active.
The commander in chief does not
lose sight of the divisions operating
with French or British armies during
this time.
He tells of the work of the Second
corps. comprising the Twenty-seventh
and Thlrtieth divisions. in the British
assault on the Hindenburg line where
the st. Quentin canal passes through
a tunnel: of how the Second and Thir-
ty-sixth divisions got their chance in
October by being assigned to aid the
French in the drive from Reims. and
of the splendid fighting of the Thirty
seventh and Ninety-frst divisions, sent
TO join the French army in Belgium.
OF the total strength of the expedi-
tionary force, General Pershlng re-
ports:
There are In Europe altogether in
Guiding II regiment and some sanitary
units with the italian army and the
organizations at Murmansk, also in
Guiding these en- route from the States.
approximately 2.053.347 men. less our
losses"
"Of this total there are in France
] ,33S, 169 combntant troops"
Problem Of Equipment.
OF their equipment he says:
"Our entry into the war found us
with few of the anxiliaries necessary
for it's conduct In the modern sense.
Among our most important deficiencies
In material were artillery, aviation
and tanks.
"In order to meet our requirements
as rapidly as possible, we accepted the
vide us with the necessary artillery
equipment of 75s, one 55-millmeter
howitzer and one % G. p. +. gun from
their own factories for 30 divisions.
"trhe wisdom of this course is fully
demonstrated by the fact that. al
though we soon began the manufac-
ture of these classes of guns AT home,
there were no guns of the calbers
mentioned manufactured in America
was signed. The only guns of these
types produced at home thus far re-
ceived In France are 100 15-mill:meter
guns.
First v. S. Planes in May.
"In aviation we were in the same
situation. and here again the French
government came to our aid until our
own aviation program should be under
way. We obtained from the French
the necessary planes for trimming our
personnel, and they have provided us
with total of 2.676 pursuit. observa-
ton, and bombing planes.
"The first airplanes received from
home arrived In May. and together
we have received 1879. The first
American squadron completely
equipped by American production. in
Guiding airplnnes, crossed the German
lines on August 7. 1918.
"As to tanks, we were compelled