Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-10-15

them. The 10Th Division, unsupported,
pushed on to Epieds and Trugny which
they also reduced. The latter town was
taken by the Maine boys, but only after
repeated and costly attacks, az the place
was full of machine guns and resisted to
the death. The division then pushed on
to Fere.en. Mardenois, where 1t Was re-
lieved by the Rainbow Division. In this
drive, as we'll az In the actions on the
Toul sector, great credit is due the
artillerymen of the division for the mag.
niflcent ability, courage, and effective
ness with which they handled the, guns.
both light and heavy. Their splendid
work made the deeds of the infantrymen
possible and greatly reduced the number
Of Casualties.
to lead the van In tho great drive that
later resulted In the. reduction OF the
Msrne salient, and the great German re-
treat, which is still under way. They
formed the spear head OF the great
thrust. They were picked for an impor.
tant service in critical sector, and they
justified the confidence of their superiors.
They took what they went after. Every
objective was attained. Raw bell could
not stop them. Not . foot Of ground
was lost. Not q prisoner taken from
their number. They delivered the
goods, and scorned to reckon tie price.
No braver men, no better soldiers stand
on the soil of France, to-day, than our
Maine boys in the 103d.
On July Goth, General Degoutte, com.
manding the vi Army Corps Of which
the Yankee Division was part, for
warded the following communication to
General Edwards:
wi Army, No. 1858.
Army, July 20, 1918.
From: General Degoutte, Command
ing the With Army.
To: General Edwards, Commanding
the 26th American Division.
The operations carried out by the 26th
american Division from July 18th to
July oath demonstrated the fine soldierly
qualities of this unit, and the worth OF
it's leader, General Edwards.
Cooperating in the attack north OF the
Marne, the 28'h Division fought bril-
liantly on the line Torcy- Belleau, at
Monthiers, Epieds, and Trugny and In
the Forest of Fere, advancing more than
15 kilometers In depth in spite Of the
desperate resistance OF the enemy.
take great pleasure In communicat-
ing to General Edwards and bis valiant
division this. expression OF my great
esteem together with my heartiest con.
grstulations for the manner In which
they have served the common cause.
DEeoUTTE,
By command of Major General Edwards.
W. 8. Bowen,
Lieutenant Colonel, G. s.
Acting Chief of STAFF.
Official:
C. A. STEVENS,
Adjutaut General
Adjutsnt."
On August I'd, General Edwards Issued
the following order to the troops under
bis command:
headquarters 26th Division,
American Expeditiouary Force,
France.
August 2, 1918.
General Orders:
To the Officers and Men Of the Goth
Division:
On July 18th you entered, as part Of
the Allied drive against the enemy, upon
the offensive, and continued the offen-
sive combat until the major portion OF
the command was relieved on July 18th.
On the assumption Of the offensive
your position In the line demanded an
important and difficult Vancouver.
Your success In this was immediate and
great, and the way In which you exc
cuted 1t elicited high praise from the
French Army Commander. The eight
days from July 18th to 25th. marking
the first great advance against the enemy
in which American troops bore proper
tionstely considerable share, 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
Chateru Thierry, Etrepilly, Epieds,
Trugny, and finally La Fere Woods and
the objective, the Jsulgonns-Fere En-
Tardenois Road, belong to your arms.
You are the recipient Of praise, thanks,
and congratulations of our commander
int chief. You went unafraid into the
face of the enemy's fire; you forced him
to withdraw before you, or to accept the
alternative of hand to hand combat, In
which you proved yourselves morally
and physically bis 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 consciousness. Nothing can de.
tract from them. Nothing that L can
say can add to them. But I can testify
| In this way to my pride in commanding
such troops. so capable Of achieving sue
cess In every undertaking; and this
testimony give to each OF you gladly
and With deep gratitude.
(Signed) G. R. EDWARDS,
Major General Commanding"
When last heard from, the division
was enjoying q well-esrned rest, 10
| part of France uuscarred by the Great
War,-in the Golden Hills,-famous for
rich wines, dotted with quaint Villages,
and inhabited by smiling French people
who cannot do enough for them. Shot
| to pieces on the field of valor, ~ they
rested and recruited, 1t may be thai
their thoughts at times harked back to
their early teachers in the arts OF war,
the 163d French Regiment, that In Octo-
ber, 1917, In the village Of Liffold le
Grande, was resting and recruiting for
the thirtieth time.
In all probability the rest period ].
now over, and this Yankee Division OF
ours Is to-day maintaining its gloriou'
traditions on some important part OF the
flaming battle line that extends from the
North Sea to Lorraine.
"aod bring them homo, those boysi ah. they
The dreadful shock, they shall return some day
/ with new born souls, and they shall ever weaI
A loftier mien than when they went away.
rBut they who fall, knights of the living God.
Who meet the dawn upon foreign shofes
They shall come back from frances popped
sod s.s
To be our boys, unchanged. forevermore."
Dogs on the Battlefield.
Experiments made In the training