The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-15
General March Describes
Strategic Value Of the
St. Mihiel Salient.
NO YANKEE LET-UP
Disclosure Of Position Of
Divisions, Places 10Th.
Virginia National
Guard in Vosges.

ashin-ton sept. 1s.-That the
Arst American field army by the
capture of the ~. Nihiei sector
established "a better base for opera
tons against Germany than any ex-
isting heretofore was the NEST i'm
portant of the nnenfs
made today by General March in
his municatiob to the press.
other salient features OF General
March'S disclosures were these
The war department is about ia
ask for ~ .assb. asp more fer the
miiitar, program of this year.
ReEardi~ss of German proPa~
Esnda indicating that the United
states will let up in the fight,
"Amerirn !. going through IT."
The wiping out of the -. Nihtet
salient has shortened the general
line by s~nty-two miles and in
iufed the capture of "a whole Ger
mnu division uf approximately IT,
sec men.
- Within fert~-~trht hours. s6.esss
American troops landed an French
soil and OF hftern SHIPS that Gu
tered ports with troops. twelve
ship~ were ready tn clear within
tw~nty-four hours after going into
the do~ks.-
The whole srirft OF the American
army ia high and bsan fer the fray
tte enthusiasm being caught mp the
moment the soldiers land and get In
touch with the swift march Of event
In the American sectors
In the light OF what General Narc1
said there is to 81 no iet-up IN the
American advance until Metz has been
Invested or taken by assault and the
troops under the command Of Genera
Terfhinc have moved into tbs heaFt 3f
tf~ enerry@ country,
Describing The military and strategic
value Of the ca pture 81 the st Mthtei
salient and sector. General March said
The -. Mihi~l salient.
The American movement at 1t
Mihiel is Of course freshest inc your
mind. The old St. Mihiei salient was
the nret one that was established along
the western front in September. 1914
and is the last one to go.
II was the n~arrowest and most an
rular of all salients, projecting twelve
miles into the French line and having
military bearing because II
IS across the railway OF the Meuse val
cutting of Verdun from commerty
foul and lcaving o2iy one supply
line to the west toward Rheims
This salient was cut on by the
army in less than two day $
NV quick sharn blows IN both tanks
THE removal of the salient shortens
the line twenty-five miles. restores rali
communications between Nerdun and
81. Mihiei and Toui and gives n very
much better base FOR future offensive
than existed before this
drive began
ut Us 10 be noted that the Germnn
ccmmuniuue saws that they withdrew
from this sector in accordance
with a carefully prepared plan. but this
does not cover the lS,3eA men they left
They constitute the combatant
strength of an entire German division
General March declined to disclose the
total number OF the American troops
engaged at the beginning Of the drive
II is estimated however. that the two
or three divisions which went to the
attack are being supported by between
&eo, 600 to 500. 900 men. as it Is known
that behind the lines and close up are
probably one-half Of a field army which
1000, 900 comhatants.
Men Behtnd the Guns.
General March announced that the
h~eadouarter's stan OF General pershine
did not accompany him to the battle
neId. The staY of the hrst American
army under Pershing was. however. an
nounced by General March as foilcwn