The Monticellonian., 1918-12-13

bIltidHy tDdt NltH lliS bflltHAllN tAt- cuted coup, General rersnlng's men had cleared the way for the great eff fort of the allies and American forces to win conclusive victory. The American army moved at once toward its crowniHs achievement. the battle of the Mouse
 The 1eneral tells q dramatic story of this mighty battle in three distinct phases, beginning on the night of September -. when Americans quick Iy took the places of the French on the thinly held line of this long, quiet sector The attack opened on Septeul- her 2e and the Americans drove through entanglementS. across No Mans Land, 10 take all tie entmy's frst-line positions.
 Battle of the Mouse.
 Closing the chapter, General Per shing says:
 "On November division of the First corps reached point on the Mouse opposite Sedan, 9 miles from our lines of departure The strategi- cal goal which was our highest hope was gained. We had cut the enemy's main line of communications, and nothing could save his army from complete disaster.
 Tn all forty enemy divisions had been used against us in the Mouse Argonne battle. Between September 26 and November we took 26,659 prisoners and 46S guns on this front.
 Cur divisions engaged were the First. Second. Third. Fourth. Fifth, TWenty-siXth, TWenty-eighth, Twenty ninth. Thirty-seeond, Thirty-third, Thirty-fifth, Thirty-seyenth, Seventy eighth. Seventy-ninth. Eightieth, Eighty-seeond. Eighty-ninth, Ninetieth and Ninety-first.
 Many of our divisions remained in line for q length of time that re- qaired nerves of steel. while others were sent in again after only few days of rest. The First. Fifth, Twen- ty-sixth, Forty-seeond, Seventysev- enth. Eightieth. Eighty-ninth and Ninetieth were in the line twice.
 Although some of the divisions
 
 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 ,If, iY D,.tts tsgt, assault on the Hindenburg line where the St. Quentin canal passes through a tunnel of how the Second and Thir- tysixth divisions get 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-tirst divisions, sent to join tie French army in Belgium.
 Of the total strength of the eXpedi- tionary force. General Pershing re- ports:
 ''There are in Europe altogether, in- cluGing a regiment and some sanitary units with the Italian army and the organizations at Murmansk. also in- cluding these en route from the States. approximately 2,053,347 men, less our losses"
 "Of this total there are in France 1,32S, 169 eombatant 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 i'll 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 offer of the French government to pro vide Us with the necessary artillery equipment of 755s, one 55-millimeter howitzer and enc D c. r. F. gun from their own factories for 30 divisions.
 "The 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 calibers mentioned manufactured in America on our front at the date the armistice was signed. The only guns of these types produced at home thus far re- ceived in France are 109 75-millimeter guns.
 First U. S. Planes in May.
 Tn 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 training our personnel, and they have provided us with a total of 2,676 pursuit, observa ton, and bombing planes.
 "Fhe first airplanes received from home arrived in May, and together We have received 1,379 The first American squadron completely equipped by American production, in cluding airplanes, crossed the German lines on August '. l91S
 As to tanks, We were compelled to rely upon the French. Here, however. we were less fortunate, for the reason that the French produc- ton could barely meet the require ments of their own armies.
 Tt should be fully realized that the French government has always taken a most libesal attitude and has been most anxious to give us every possi- ble assistance in meeting our defcien- cies in these as well as in other respects. Our dependencies upon France for artillery, aviation and tanks was, of course. due to the fact tbot otr induStriac ha1 mt haon ay