The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-22
35th and seth Are in the Diyi-
SiOnS He Praises.
ISSUES A GENERAL ORDER
Pays High Tribute to the Amer
leans for Fighting.
From Sept. 26 to Armistice the
Order Tells of Them.

st. Louis. Mo-, Feb. 20.-General
Pershing told men of the First army
who fought and won the Meuse-Ar-
come battles that their achievements
were scarcely equalled in American
history. and must remain a source of
proud satisfaction to troops who par
ticipated in the wars last campaign.
a copy of a general order issued by
General Pershing has just been re-
ceived here.
The order outlines the last cam
paign from September 26 to the sign
ing of the armistice, md was printed
in the Stars and Stripes, official news
paper of the American Expeditionary
Forces. It follows:
1T is with a sense of gratitude for
its splendid accomplishment, which
will live thru all history, that 1 record
in General Orders tribute to the vic
tory of the First army in the Meuse-
Argonne battle.
Battered Against Huns.
Tested and strengthened by the re-
duction of the st. Mihiel salient, for
more than six weeks you battered
against the pivot of the enemy line on
the western front. 1t was a position
of imposing natural strength, stretch
ing on both sides of the Mouse river
from the bitterly contested hills of
Verdun to the almost impenetrable
forests of the Argonne; a Position,
NOR cover, fortified by four years of
labor designed to render it impregna-
BILE; position-held with the fullest re-
sources of the enemy. The position
cola rse of the enemy's power.
''Soldi~rs of all the divisions en-
gagged under the First. Third and Fifth
corps-the 1st, End, Bird. 4th. 9Th, 7th.
26th, 2Sth, 18th. s2nd, 33r1, 35th
OK 1aas and Missouri National
18th, 18th, 80th, S2nC, seth (Kansas
National Army, Goth and 91st-you
will be long remembered for the stub
born persistence of your progress,
your stormi1.g of obStinately defended
machine gun nests, your penetration,
yard by yard, of woods and ravines,
your heroic resistance in the race OIL
counter attacks suppo- ted by power
full artillery-fire. For more than a
month from the initial attack of Sep
TENDER 26 you fought your way slowly
thru the Argonne, thru the woods,
and over hills west of the Mouse: you
slowly enlarged YOU hold on the Cotes
ue Merse to the east; and then on the
first of November, your attack forced
the enemy into flight. Pressing his re-
treat, you cleared the entire left bank
of the Mouse south of Sedan and then
StOrmed the EelghtS on the r1Snt Dank
and drove him into the plain beyond.
Achievements Scarcely Equalled.
your achievement, which is scarce
ly to be equalled in American history,
must remain a source of, proud salts
faction to the troops who participated
in the last campaign of the war. The
American people will cmember it as
the realization of the hitherto poten-
tial strength of the American contri-
button toward the cause to which they
had sworn allegiance. There can be
no greater reward for soldier or for
a soldiers memory.
This order will be read to all or
CARNATIONS at the first assembly for
nation after its receipt.
JOHN j PERSHING.
General. chief, Amer
lean Expeditionary Force.
Official: ROBERT C. DAVIS, Adju-
tant c neral