Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-03-02
Perhaps Played Leading Role In
Decisive Battle at St. Mihiel
That Marked Turning Point
Of the War.
COMMANDED BY REGULARS
Called Upon for Supreme Test
When Hun Hordes Smashed
Through Chemin des Danes
and Marched on Paris.
By WEBB MILLER

With the Third Army on the Rhine,
Feb. 4.-(By Mail)--In the battle that
probably saved Paris; in the great
counter offensive that broke and rolled
back the tide Of invasion from the
heart of France; in the action that
pinched off the st. Mihiel salient: in
the battle that pierced the German line
in the Argonne; in the stroke that re-
lieved Rheims-in each Of these mo-
mentous struggles the Second Ameri-
can division had a large share.
In coming years, when historians and
military experts calmly and dispassion-
ately unravel the tangled skein Of
events Of the Great War. they may find
that the Second Division played q
greater part in changing the course Of
the war than any other American d.
vision-perhaps any single division in
Europe.
The Second Division captured about
one fourth Of the entire number Of
prisoners taken by the American Elk
peditionary Force, captured one fourth
of the total Of guns and suffered about
one-tenth Of the total casualties of the
American armies.
The division landed in France in the
early autumn, 1917. The officers were
mostly experienced regular army Off
GERS with regiments composed of a nu-
cleus Of regulars and marines filled to
full strength by men from every Sec
ton of the United States, but largely
from the Middle West.
In March they moved up and went
in with the French for six weeks train
ing on the Mouse heights near Verdun.
Outside of constant exciting patrolling
activity and few raids the sector was
quiet" Then the Second was en-
trusted with a sector of it's own in the
Eparges region. About the second week
Of April the Germans launched n re-
markable raid. Under cover of dark
ness about 500 Germans dressed in
American and French uniforms and
speaking French and English, infiltrat-
ed into and through the lines. Before
they were aware Of the deception, two
companies of the Ninth found the en-
envy among and behind them. Despite
the great disadvantages and confusion
of uniforms the little groups rallied.
Then ensued a savage fight in the
darkness. By daybreak the lines We're
cleared Of the enemy. The Germans
had suffered heavily-67 dead Germans
were picked up in our trenches, and
scores limped or were carried back to
the enemy trenches. The American
losses were unusually light. That was
where the Second learned it could whip
the boche.
THEN THE DARK DAYS
After six weeks in the line the divi-
sion was withdrawn for rest and train
ing.
Then came the dark days of May
and June. The German flood broke
through the Chemin des Danes and
poured swiftly toward Paris. The whole
world held its breath as the gray mass
es drew closer and closer to the capital
of France. The Second was called
upon for the supreme test. On the
night Of May so the. orders reaches
headquarters.
Throughout the night the division
prepared feverishly for the move. There
was no sleep that night for the Off
GERS. In the carly morning long COL
umns OF French meteor trucks--30Oo of
them-rumbled into the divisional, area.
The entire division Of $4,000 men wa,
quickly loaded and the memorable rush
TO save Paris started. Through the
long. hot day tho lines Of crowded
trucks tore along the dusty roats. Ar
they passed scores o. French villages.
the peasants lined the streets and
cheered franticaliy and threw nowers
at the trucks. They knew The terrible
ngnincance of the coming battle.
| After fatigulng journey OF about
100 miles the division was ds.rucked
directly In the path If the advancing
enemy. where he was nearest Paris.
me lines were thrown across the fam
GUS Paris Metz ron.l Then followed n
forced march OF Il miles toward cha
teau-Thierry. The broad highway was
crammed with pitiful caravans Of dis
tracted refugees fleeing the Hun. On
tho same road wero the broker columns
OF French troops. withdrawing. They
We're utterly worn oui End discouraged.
many OF the men uhouted ''tlie Wa. Ia
finished" They despaired Of the abil-
ity OF the Americans or anyone to halt
the victorious enemy. As the Ninth
infantry was depioying, runners hur-
ried up with the orders to 20 into the
iine within . few hours. The fneu
We're told. They immediately unshoul-
aered packs and threw themselves upon
the ground to snatch few minutes OF
sIeep. Few had slept for 80 hours. A
LOUD OF French officers looked on in
amusement. ~ =
these men understand?~ they
sked. DO they know that within q
Nv hours many Of them will be dead :
NJ Nv An they sleep if they know r.
cncn OFFICERS were told that the
men understood perfsctly-that they
we.e nusnanding their strength for the
MARINES HALT HUNS
rt1nafsly. at this moment the Ger
mans were forced to slow up their al
vance Tor 2 breathing speli. hut man.
wnlle pushing up troops Far a fresh
6r'vs: tnat was designed 10 r,ach Paris.
- ~ morning Of June ! the Amsrt-