The Raymer enterprise., 1918-12-12

w . Asoht sthN uttu c0RkVBtt tCtItuGU
In Irresistible waves on schedule time.
breaking down all defense OF an en-
emy demorallzed by the great volume
Of our artillery fire and our sudden
approach ont Of the fog.
"our First corps advanced to ThIau.
court. while our Fourth corps curved
back to the southwest through Non.
sard. The Second Colonial French
corps made the slight advance re-
quired Of II on very difficult ground.
and the Fifth corps took Its three
ridges and repulsed counter-attack.
"A rapid march brought reserve reg
iments of 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 a new line west Of Thiaucourt
to Vigneulles and beyond Fresnes-en.
Wocvre.
5000 Prisoners Taken.
"At a cost of only 1000 casualties.
mostly light, we had taken 10000 iris
Oners and 443 guns, = great quantity
Of material, released the inhabitants
Of many villages from enemy DONNA.
ton and established our lines In po.
sition TO threaten Metz.
"This signnl success of the Amerl.
can First army In It's first offensive
was of prime importance. The allies
found they had a formidable army to
aid them, and the enemy learned final.
~ that he had one to reckon with"
The report shows for the 1rst time
officially that with this brilliantly exc.
cuted coup. General Pershing's men
had cleared the way for the great IF.
fort of the allies and American forces
to win conclusive victory. The
American army moved at once toward
Its crowning achievement. the battle
of the Meuse.
The general tells dramatic story
Of this mighty battle In three distinct
phases. beginning on the night Of
September q, when Americans quick.
ly took the places Of the French on
the thinly held line Of this long. quiet
sector. The attack opened on Septen-
ber 26, and the Americans drove
through entangements. across No
Mans Land, to take all the enemys
first-line positions.
Battle Of the Meuse.
Closing the chapter. General Per
shing says:
"On November a division Of the
First corps reached point on the
Meuse opposite Sedan. % 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.
I'm all forty enemy divisions had
been used against us In the Meuse'
Argonne battle. Between September
20 and November we took 2605s
prisoners and 46S guns on this front
"Our divisions engaged were thu
First. Second, Third. Fourth, Fifth
Twenty-sixth, Twenty-eighth. Twenty
ninth. Thirty-second, Thirty-third
Thirty-fifth. Thlrty-seventh, Seventy
eighth. Seventy-ninth.5 Elghtieth
Eighty-second. Eighty-nlnth. Ninetletl
and Ninety-frst.
MANY Of our divisions remained In
line for length OF time that re
| quired nerves OF steel, while Others
were sent in again after only few
days Of rest. The First, FIFTH, Twen.
ty-sixth, Forty.second. Seventy-sev
enth. Eightleth, Eighty-nInth and
Ninetieth were in the line twice.
Although some Of the divisions
were fighting their frs: battle. they
soon became equal to the best.
Other Corps Active.
The commander In chief does moi
| lose sight of the divisions operating
with French or British armies during
this time.
lie tells OF the work of the Second
corps. comprising the Twentyscvcnii
and Thirtieth divisions, in the British
assault on the Hindenburg line where
the st. Quentin canal passes through
a tunnel.
of the total strength Of the expedl
tionary force. General Pershing re.
ports:
There are In Europe altogether, In
Guiding regiment and some sanitary
units with the Italian army and the
organizations at Murmansk, also In
Guiding these en- route from the States
approximately 2053,347 men, less our
LOSSES"
First U. s. Planes in May.
"fhe first airpanes received from
home arrived In May. and together
We have received 1879. The first
American squadron completely
equipped by American production. In
Guiding airplanes, crossed the German
lines on August I, 1918.
AS to tanks, we were compelled
to rely upon the Freach. Here
| however, we were less fortunate, fOr
the reason that the Freach produc'
tion could barely meet the require.
ments of their own armies.
ut should be fully realized that the
French government has always taken
| a nast liheral attitude md las beau