The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-12-19
Wins British Praise.

Wins British Praise.
London, Nov. 25.-Operations of
the Second American Army Corps
with the British armies South of
Valenciennes, which won from Field
Marshal Haig high commentator,
are described in a semi-oficial state
ment now issued. The Second Corps
was composed of the Twenty-seventh
Division, consisting of New York ma
tional guard troops, and the Thirtieth
Division, consisting of troops from
Tennessee, North Carolina, South
Carolina and the District of Colum-
bia. The corps was commanded by
Mai. Gen. G. w. Read. In compli
menting the corps upon its work in
the fighting in the British sector near
LIE Cateau and Bohain, Marshal Haig
said in a message to the corps. Il
arl proud to have had you in my
command, the deeds of the Twenty
seventh and the Thirtieth American
divisions will rank with the high
est achievements of the war;"
The Second American Corps was
operating in conjunction with the
British Third and Ninth Corps and
had crossed the Hindenberg line at
what is described as perhaps its
strongest point" near Bellicourt. The
American corps was called upon on
October to take part in three day
advance against the line extending
from Va1enciennes through Solesmes
and LIE Cateau to Guise. This line
ran along in front of the Sambre ca
nal. To the American division was
given a task of pushing out a salient
south of LIE Cateau, strongly arm
ed position, and holding the line un-
til the fanking division moved up.
On the night of October 5 the Thir-
tieth Division took over from two
Australian divisions a front of about
three miles. The operation began on
October 8 ip conjunction with the
British and French on either side OF
the Americans. The American at
tack was made behind'a rolling bar
rage, laid down by British and Aus
tralian artillery, and using tanks. In
spite of the enemy counter barrage
little resistance was encountered and
by noon the Thirtieth Division had
advanced three miles and the villages
of Brancourt and Fremont were cap
tured.
consistently, it seems, in these op-
erafions the American division was
again at the apex of the advance"
says the report.
The attack was resumed on the fol-
lowing morning and met with only
rear. guard resistance, entering Bu-
signy and Becquigny, almost without
opposition. The days's advance rep
resented four miles. The movement
was resumed on October 10 when a
gain of 1900 yards was attained and
the villages of Escaufort, ST. Souplet
and Vaux-Andigny were taken.
In the three days the Americans
and their allies had advanced nine
miles with the delivery of nine vii
lagos and the capture of 1900 pris-
oners and numerous machine guns.
The fourth army, of which the Sec
ond Corps was part, then stood in
front of the Selle river. On a crest
east of this river the Germans SEEM
ed to have prepared to make a stand.
A pause was necessary to bring up
supplies and ammunition and to
strengthen the divisions. The front
was shortened to 4,000 yards.
The enemy line west of the Selle
river was strongly held by five di-
visions and by elements of six 9TH
ers. The attack was renewed on Oc-
tober II. Rain had turned the chal-
ky ground into slippery footing and
thick mist made all sense of loca-
tion impossible. Eleven tanks were
sent across the river and the infantry
started over the top behind rolling
barrage, the first wave wading the
river while the engineers placed pom
toons for the use of the second wave.
Despite an enemy counter barrage
and machine gunners hid in shell
holes under cover of the fog, the
Americans drove over the crest of
the river and advanced two miles.
One American division, in conjunc-
tion with the Thirteenth British
corps, delivered an attack on the fol-
lowing morning, but it was held up
by heavily organized machine gun
posts and repeated counter attacks
supported by artillery. Obstinate re-
sistance was encountered at the vii
| lage of Ribeauyille and not until the