The Butler weekly times and the Bates County record. (Butler, Mo.) 1918-1950, 1918-12-12

lofgamzed tor the command OF Oui
divisions with the British, which
we're held back in training areas OF
assigned to second-linc defenses
Five of the ten divisions were with.
drawn from the British area in June
three to relieve divisions in Lorraine
and the Vosges and two to the Paris
area TO join the group of American
divisions which stood between the
city and any farther advance OF the
enemy in that direction
The great tide of American troop
movements to France was in full
f'swing by this time, and the older di-
visions could be used, freely. The
+ed. in line east OF Rheims, faced the
German assault of July is and held
their ground unflinchingly;' on the
right flank four companies of the
.Sth Division faced advancing waves
of German infantry" and the sd Di-
vision held the Marne line opposite
Chateau Thierry against powerful
artillery and infantry attack.
"A single regiment Of the sd wrote
one of the most brilliant pages in
our military annals on this occasion.
Pershing says. at 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 at
taekS with counter attacks at critical
points and succeeded in throwing two
German divisions into complete con-
fusion, capturing 600 prisoners" "
The stage thus was set for the
counter offensive which. beginning
with the smashing of the enemy's
Marne salient. brought ovcrwhelm-
ing victory to the Allies and the
United States il, the eve,tful months
that have followed. The intimation
is strong that Pershing's advice
helped Marshal Foch to reach his de-
cision to strike.
The great force OF the German
Chateau Thierry offensive estab-
lished the deep Marne salient" Per-
shing continues. "but the enemy was
taking chances, and the vulnerable
ity of this pocket to attack might
be turned to his disadvantage. Seiz-
ing this opportunity to support my
conviction, every division> with any
sort of training was made available
for use i'll counter offensive. The
place of honor in the thrust toward
Soissons on July IS was given to Our
Ist and ed Divisions, in company
with chosen French divisions.
Without the usual brief warning
OF a preliminary, bombardment, the
massed French and American artil-
lery. firing by the map, laid down its
rolling barrage at dawn, while the in
fantry began its charge. The tactical
handling of our troops under these
trying conditions was excellent
the action. The enemy
brought up large numbers of re-
serves and made stubborn defense,
both with machine guns and artil-
lery. but through five days fighting
the Ist Division continued to ad-
vance until it had gained the heights
above Soissons and captured the viii
lage of Berzy-le-Sec. The end Di-
vision took Beau Repaire farm and
Nierzy in very rapid advance ana
reached a position in front Of Tigny
at the end OF its second day. These
two divisions captured 1000 pris-
oners and more than 100 pieces Of
artillery
Work of completing the reduction
of the salient is described in detail,
the operations OF the
10th. 3rd, 4th, 42nd, 32nd and 2Sth
divisions. With the situation on the
Marne front thus relieved, Pershing |
writes, he could turn to the organ
zation of the First American Army |
and the reduction of the St. Mihiel
salient, long planned as the initial
purely American enterprise. A troop |
aided by generous
of artillery and units |
bv the French began, involving the
mostly at night of 6oo,-
100 men. A sector reaching from
Port sur Seille, east of the Moselle,
westward through St. Mihiel to Ver-
1un and later enlarged to carry it to |
he edge of the forest of Argonne,
was taken over, the end Colonial
French holding the tip of the salient
opposite St. Mihiel and the French |
9TH Corps on the heights above
verdun being transformed to Gen.
Pershing's command. /
The combined French, British and
american air forces mobilized for
he battle, the report says, was the
argest aviation assembly ever en-
ragged on the western front up to
hat time in single operation.
OF the reduction of the St. Mihiel
alient. Gen. Pershing says:
after four hours artillery prepa-
alton the seven American divisions
n the front line advanced at S a.
n, on September II, assisted by a
limited number of tanks manned
'artly by Americans and partly by
he French. These divisions, accom-
'anied by groups of wire cutters and
,thers armed with bangalore tor
'edoes, went through the successive
'ands OF barbed wire that protected
he enemy's front line and support
renches, in irresistible waves on
chedule time, breaking down all de-
ense of an enemy demoralized by
he great volume Of our artillery fire
a A.