The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-07-25
HISTORY OF
4th DIVISION
Continued from last week.

(COnlnued from last week.
patrols were kept out constantly. o.
the 18th the 9Th Brigade took tn
towns of Fresnes ?enWoevre and Man
heulles and thus advanced the lin
of outpost by several kilometers. Thu
7th Brigade and 10th Machine GU
Battalion went into immediate re
serve behind the 18th D. I. c. OF
September ID, but were relieved OF
the 18th
Meuse-Argonne Operation.
On the morning of September 2f
the 4th Division, as a member of the
III Corps, First American Army. at
tackled northward from Rau de For
ges, above Esnes northwest of
Verdun. This was the first blow in
this last great battle of the war, the
battle thatextended all the way from
Metz to the North Sea and that may
be classed as one of the greatest bat
ties in the history of the world.
The attack was made at $50 A. M.
September 26. Artillary preparation
had started at $3.50 A. M, with a
burst of fire that had not been equal
led in volume or intensity in this sec
tor since the battles of Verdun. Three
hours later the infantry went over
the top with great yell' behind
terrific barrage that was strengthen
ed by 1855 and supported by the
Corps and Army Artillery. Every
thing fell before this advance, and
little resistance was encountered be-
and halted on the Corps objective at
1910 P. M. to await the arrival at the
Corps objective of the division on
the left. The advance of the 10th Divi-
sion on the left was much delayed by
resistance from Montfaucon, SO that
the 4th Division was compelled to
remain inactive during the afternoon.
This gave the enemy an opportunity
to reorganize his defense and to place
his artillery so that when the advance
was resumed at $50 P. M. without
waiting for the 18th to take Mont
faucon, little ground was covered be- |
fore nightfall.
This attack was made in colum of |
brigades, 7th Bridage in advance and |
the 9Th Brigade in reserve. The two |
regiments attacked side by side, the |
47th Infantry on the right and the 80 |
on the left. The brigade machine gun /
battalion accompanied their own in
fantry regiments and the 10th Mach
inc Gun Battalion was with the at
lacking brigade, The 4th Engineers
started work at $50 P. NJ, September
rs, on a trail across No Mans Land
that had been nothing more than a
trail since the beginning of the war.
BY 1875 P. M. the following day this
trail had been expanded into COM |
plete road, with two artillery bridges
and tra----c was moving over it.
On hte second and third daw of the
attack the line was advanced as far
is the northern edge of Bots de Il
Brieulles on the right and the Nan :
road on the left. On
he 10Th Of September the 9Th Brigade
'elieved the 7th Brigade in the line, |
he 59th taking over the right and the J
18th left. The Bots de Brieulles was {
'ntirely cleared Of machine-gun nests
md this place was held against con- [
inued and violent artillery and A
machine gun Ore. "
The second phase Of the campaign a
ionopened October LIST. when the Divi a.
ion attacked and took the Bots de t,
lays, on the left OF the Division sect Al
r. For the purpose OF this attack 81
he 47th Infantry relieved the seth 5
on the right of the sector "
nd thus took over the Bots de Bril- "
ulles. The 59th thus released follow II
d the 58th Infantry in support. The h
9th remained in reserve in the Bots al
9 Septsarxes ID,
The 68th Infantry advanced behind be
rollins barrage through the Bots
D Fays, Bots de Malaumont. and
ois dc Peut de Faux and approach ~
~ Bots Do Foret. Again the ID tn
ibce Of the 4th Division was i'm di
- ~ the division o. it, Lett, this On
~ ~ ~ D1s1eaoa The Bots Is
6pas psoyed ~ stu,nbling block til
The 80 Dlylstsp Win tho hit Al
- y ~ ~ Dfs1ston TINS sxpesed M