The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-05
PRES. WILSON HAS A SLIGHT COLD
BUT ENGAGES IN OFFICIAL WORK
ON FIRST DAY OF VOYAGE EAST
HING DESCRIBES
AMERICAN VALOR
His Report as Commander of the Expedi-
tionary Forces in France Says,
"Their Deeds Are I'm
mortal"

mortal"
Washington, d. c., Dec. 5.--General
John j. Pershings account of his stew
ardship as commander of the American
expeditionary forces was given to the
public yesterday by Secretary Baker. 1t
is in the form of preliminary report to
the secretary, covering operations up to
Nov. 20 after the German collapse. 1t
closes with these words from the leader
Of the great army in France, expressing
his feeling for those who served under
him:
Il pay the supreme tribute to our Off
GERS and soldiers of the line. When /
think of their heroism, their patience un-
der hardships, their mhinching spirit of
offensive action, am filled with emotion
which | am unable TO express. Their
deeds are immortal and they have earned
the eternal gratitude of our country"
The report begins with General Per-
| shing's departure for France to pave the
way for the army that was TO smash
German resistance on the Meuse and give
vital aid to the allies in forcing Germany
| to its knees 10 months later. Its striking
! feature is the section devoted 10 combat
operations" where it told the story Of
| fighting by the man who directed it.
General Pershng views the encounters
before March II Of this year in which
American troops participated as a part
of their training and dismisses them
briefly. On that date, however, the great
German offensive was launched and a
crucial situation quickly developed in the
allied lines which called for prompt use
of the four American divisions that were
at that time equal to any demands OF
battle action
The first crisis of the German drive had
been reached in Picardy.
'The crisis which this offensive devel-
oped was such" General Pershing says
that our occupation of an American sec.
tor must be postponed On March 2S
placed at the disposal Of Marshal Foch,
who had been agreed upon as commander.
inehief of the allied armies, all of our
forces TO be used as he might decide At
his request the first division was trans
ferred from the Toul sector TO position
in reserve at Chaumont EN- Vexin. As
German superiority in numbers required
at the Abbeyille conference of the allied
premiers and commanders and myself on
May by which British shipping was to
transport 10 American divisions To the
British army area, where they were to
be trained and equipped and additional
British shipping was TO be provided for
as many divisions as possible for use
elsewhere
"0n April 26 the first division had gone
into the line in the Montdidier salient on
the Picardy battlefront. Tactics had
been suddenly revolutionized to those of
open warfare, and our men, confident of
the results of their training were eager
for the test On the morning of MAY 2S
this division attacked the commanding
German position in its front, taking with
splendid dash the town of Cantigny and
all other objectives, which were organ.
lied and held steadfastly against vicious
counter attacks and CALLING artillery fire.
Although local. this brilliant action had
an electrical effect, as il demonstrated
our fighting qualities under extreme bat
tie conditions, and also that the enemy's
troops were not altogether inyincible."
There followed Immediately the Ger
man thrust across the Aisne toward Par
is
"The allies General Pershing says,
faced a crisis equally as grave as that
of the Pieardy offensive in March. Again
every available man was placed at Mar
shal Foeh's disposal and the third di-
vision, which had just come from its pre-.
liminary training in the trenches, was
hurried to the Marine. Its motorized ma
chine gun battalion preceded the other
units and successfully held the bridge
head at the Marine, opposite Chateau
Thierry. The second division, in reserve
near Montdidier, was sent by motor
trucks and other available transport to
check the progress of the enemy toward
Paris. The division attacked and retook
the town and railroad station at Bour-
esches and sturdily held its ground
against the enemy's best guard division.
"In the battle of Belleau wood, which
followed, our men proved their superior
ity and gained strong tactical position,
with far greater loss to the enemy than
to ourselves. On July |, before the sec
ond was relieved, it captured the village
of Vaux with most splendid precision.
Meanwhile our second corps, under
thhJpi Rbhtihi pCOiBp W ANtdu1 udu bcbu
organized for the command of our di.
visions with the British, which were held
back in training areas or assigned to
second-lin dafenses. Five Of the ten di-
visions were withdrawn 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
By that time the great tide of Amer
lean troop movements to France was in
full swing and the older divisions could
be used freely The AZ, in line east of
Rheims, faced the German assault of
July Is and "held their ground unflinch-
ingly"; on the right flank four companies
of the 2sth division faced advancing
waves of German infantry" and the third
division held the Marine line opposite
Continued on fourth page)