The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-05
DESCRIBES
AMERICAN VALOR
Continued from first page.

Chateau Thierry against powerful artil-
lery and infantry attack. "a single regi-
ment OF the third wrote one of the most
brilliant pages in our military annals on
this OCCASION" General Pershing saws.
1T prevented the crossing at certain
points on its front while, ON either flank,
the Germans who had gained footing,
pressed forward. Our men, firing in three
directions, met the German attacks with
counter-attacks at critical points and
succeeded in throwing two German di-
visions into complete confusion, captur-
ing 600 prisoners"
Thus was the stage set for the counter
offensive which, beginning with the
smashing of the enemy's Marine salient,
brought overwhelming victory to the al
lies and the United States in the event
full months that have followed. The in
timation is strong that General Per
shings advice helped Marshal Foch to
reach his decision to strike. General Per-
shing continues:
The great force of the German Cha
teau Thierry offensive established the
deep Marine salient, but the enemy was
taking chances, and the v,llnerability of
this pocket to attack might be turned to
his disadvantage. Selling this opportu-
nifty to support my conviction, every di-
vision with any sort of training was
made available for use in counter
offensive, The place of honor in the
thrust toward Scissors on July lS was
given to our first and second divisions in
company with chosen French divisions.
Without the usual brief warning of
preliminary bombardment, the massed
French and American artillery, firing by
the map, laid down its rolling barrage at
dawn while the infantry began its charge.
The tactical handling of our troops UNI
der these trying conditions was excellent
throughout the action. The enemy
brought up large numbers of reserves
and made a stubborn defense both with
machine guns and artillery, but through
five days fighting the first division con
tinued TO advance until it had gained the
heights above Scissors and captured the
village of Berry lessee. The second d.
vision took Beau Repaire farm and Vier-
zy in very rapid advance and reached
a position in front of Tigny at the end
Of its second day. These two divisions
captured 1000 prisoners and over 100
pieces OF artillery"
The report describes in some detail the
work Of completing the reduction of the
salient, mentioning the operations Of the
Goth, Sd, 4th, AID, 32d and 2sth diisions.
With the situation on the Marine front
thus relieved, General Pershing writes,
he could turn to the organization of the
first American army and the reduction of
the ST. Mihiel salient, long planned as
the initial purely American enterprise.
A troop concentration, aided by generous
contributions of artillery and air units
by the French, began, involving the move
ment mostly at night, of 100000 men,
A sector reaching from Port sur Seille,
east of the Moselle, westward through
st. Mihiel to Verdun and later enlarged
to carry it TO the edge of the forrest of
Argonne, was taken over, the second
Colonial French holding the tip Of the
salient opposite ST. Mihiel, and the
French 18th corps on the heights above
Verdun being transferred to General Per-
shing's command.
The combined French, British and
American air forces modified for the
battle, the report says, was the largest
aviation assembly ever engaged on the
western front up to that time in single
operation
OF the reduction of the st. Mihiel sa-
lient, General Pershing says;
After four hours artillery prepare
ton the seven American divisions in the
front line advanced at 5 a. m, on Sept
IL, assisted by limited number of tanks
manned partly by Americans and partly
by the French. These divisions, accom-
panied by groups of wire cutters and
others armed with bangalore torpedoes,
went through the successive bands of
barbed wire that protected the enemy's
front line and support trenches, in ire
sistible waves on schedule time, breaking
down all defense of an enemy democrat
lied by the great volume Of our artillery
fire and our sudden approach out Of the
fog.
'Our first corps advanced to Than
court, while our fourth corps curved back
to the southwest through Nonsard. The
second Colonial French corps made the
slight advance required of it on very diff
fcult ground, and the fifth corps took its
three ridges and repulsed counter.at.
tack. A rapid march brought reserve
regiments of a division of the fifth corps
into Vigneulles in the early morning,
where it linked up with patrols of our
fourth corps, closing the salient and
forming new line west of Thiaucourt
to Vigneulles, and beyond Fresnes-en-
Woevre
"At the cost of only 1000 casualties,
mostly light, we had taken 10000 pris-
oners and 443 guns, great quantity of
material, released the inhabitants of
many villages from enemy domination,
and established our lines in position to
threaten Metz.
This signal success Of the American
first army in its first offensive was of
prime Importance. The allies found they