The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-07

1T American troops sent TO France,
N6er the command of Major-Gen-
I'll William L. Sshert IT began 10
rive in June Of 1917 and all OF the
3Gmenss were transported during the
Hoxnmer. After landing, the division
7&o reorganiged and finally consisted
RI the following troops:
&M{lfEt Infantry brigade, composed o.
the 2sth infantry and the 18Th In
fAntry.
6econd infantry brigade, composed
or the eeth infantry and the 2sth
infantry. 49,.
H1rrt, Second and Third Aachihe
Gun battalions
Field Artillery brigade. corn
posed of the 5th iieid artillery,
} eth field artillery, 7th field artll-
fery. lst Trench Mortar battery,
LIST Ammunition train and ISL
Mobile Ordnance Repair shop.
FIRST Engineers
First Engineer train.
First snepiy train.
FIRST Sanitary train, consisting OF
~ the and, srd. l2th and 18TH Am
buiance companies and The End,
%s Srd, stn. and ] Sih Field HOSPITALS.
Eirsf Divlsfon headquarters troon
lilitafy Police Company No. /.
eeccn1 Field Signal battalion.
sS Machine Shop Truck units No. 30l
S$ and Mo. E.
& Mobile surgical unit Nc :.
Bales Commis$ary unit No. 500.
Bakery unit No. S9S.
Aundry unit No. 3I4
SsCiofhing and Bathing unit No. 5ls.
&8 Pack train Nc. 10.
The infantry If the division was
nined with the ssth French division,
Ailc the artillcry instru ction was
<&nducted a. Naidahen. To General
nuroe. who commanded the eath
1E0yich division, and 10 his officers and
1aS dters, and to Colonel Ngitro, with
VT able assistants from the French
Se30Id artillery. who conducted the
aining at va1dahen, are due the pro
4kasa and the foundation for the
lurc brilliant career of the First
Ntvision. In fact. the First division
SaeAne the MODEL fer the succeeding
american divisions and instructors
Sore sent from II tn assist in trains
~ the officers and soldiers at the
9Sfiors camps of Instruction and fir
|o centers,
Npcn the completion of the train
~ the division entered the Sommer
S1sller sector In Lorraine between
HExcber 81 and November 20, 1917.
Nxtaliona Of infantry and artillery
IRE grouped with corresponding
ITS OF the 18th Freanch division for
xruction In the methods Of occupy
W and holding sector II so nap
ned that the infantry was raided
the energy the first night OF their
merry into the sector and before they
~ time to orient themselves in the
onchea. During this raid the divi-
n0n sustained its frs casualties. The
init was to intensity the hatred of
- enemy arr to increase the vigil
zee OF the troops During the oc-
patton, the total losses Of the divi-
H1on amounted 70 2 enlisted men
Killed, officer ana az enlisted men
Gssunded and ~ enlisted men pras-
&mesR
En~A leaving The Sommervillier
TIT. -eife, dsvssfern WITS "assrrrfsry' IN
= iSondrecourt area, where a vigor-
S0 course ST training vas continued
kxUugh the unusually cold winter un-
the middle Of January. 1918. On
Snuary ii, the division relieved the
Ik1E Moroccan divfsior IN the Ansau
81IIe sector. north OF Tout The sec
~ covered a front Of 7 1-2 kiiometers.
Efending from the Ftang de
1lnnieres which Afterwards became
I'LL known 20 the American troops
&X this time, the division. was cp.ar
1GSAnded by Major-General Robert l..
WIZARD with Lieutenant-C Colonel (af-
kFwArds Brigadier General Campbell
XcInE as Chief of STAFF The First
1&3antrv hri1ade was commanded By
Sfxa der C sneral George y Duncan,
Second Infantry brigade by Briga-
~ C eneral Beaumont r. Buck and
N First Field Artillery brigade by
F3gadier General Charles e. Sam
iDrail
MONROE IN COMMAND
mi IA order 10 accustom the troops tp
- ceadi;int.A- OF 1hs- sectnr h1fnrn
3ancing the entire responsibility upon
W division, the command OF thr sec
~ Vas exercised bg General Monroe.
the 69th French divi lon, which
X0E on fhs rigL uTtl ebf uary Z,
- 81 passed TO General Euilaro.
- division WAS under The 32L&
SUnch Army corps, IN the First
&ouch army General Dehel y who
amanded the army and General
nnAga, who commanded the corps.
0X well ar the chiefs Of artillery OF
~ army and the corps, made ire
lent visits to the division and gave
1uabie advice and instruction upon
III 8upJeCis pertaining 10 the p"ltH5H
1I the sector ana the safety 81 the
1oOpa. To them and TO General Mon
&&M. the division is deeply indebted
~ much OF the success that attended
mi TOUR Of duty. A the same time. the
|S1Skfre peIanna Displayed tL@ b1snest
&nre&t and dee 10 develop a high
4ondArd of eEiciCncT. Efforts were
{Rnciaily directed towards es. sblish~
close iiaison AMI hearty co-opera~
11&n between the infantry and the
xftIery. ana the foundation wss here
Tor that unity of action and the
11 feeling that characterized the
Elnfon in It's Subsequent career, T..
Won March /, the enemy made Il
with 1870 men. against the Eois
&Cmieres. The ard battalion OF the
t6 infantry which occupied this
3tcn of the line. conducted itself
AAmirabiy that the enemy not only
INA to take any prisoners, but lost
Of the raiding party as prisoners.
oSea sustaining other casualties.
0rA1 Passage congratulated the
1IioA on it's performance and
Ned the Croix de Guerre to the
Se1 and soldiers who distinguish
eNives IN repelling the raid. This
tied in great Improvement OF
morale OF the entire command
March IL. the division made two
Beepared raids against the enemy.
M which t10t place al 3asyiight
0nt OF the Bots de Romieres,
THE other at dark, against the
EDf Htchecourt- The artillery OF
1y1ai0n Was greatly increased by
A44tton Of French battries and
S1AfuR rnrfiesx were m we'll prn-