Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-19
THE ADVANCE

trated attack had been expected for
some time against the now severely
weakened line held by the Twenty.
. eighth Division. Had this taken
place" says Captain Stewart. ''it was
arranged that this outfit should be the
sacrifice regiment and cover the retreat
of the infantry" For this reason all
officials records and diaries containing
any notes of value were destroyed. and
as a result it is difficult to ascertain
accurately the movement of the rcgl-
ment at this time.
At this order It was found unncc
essary to move the First Battalion be
cause of its advance position. The
Third Battalion moved to valley just
to the right of FismCs. The Second
Battalion received orders TO cross the
Nesle. and on September 1 ID Battery
moved up to a position near the others
at La Bonne Maison,
Major Hellyer. on that night. with
Captain Donald II. Van Dusen and
Lieutenant Charles J. Jordan. com
mandng Battery ID. crossed tho Ncsl" a
/ Nillette TO rCconnOitcr for positions.
They found no suitable place and also
discovered the bridge almost impasSa
hle TO heavy artillery because OF dit
ticult approach consisting an 5 curve
and very narrow roadway. The major
reported to Colonel Greble the inadvis
ability Of crossing, but the advance
was ordered notwithstanding, At dusk
on September 5 the move was started.
Major HeIlyer leading the way with
the battalion and battery details to 10
cate the positions and mark tho route.
They crossed the river far ahead Of
the guns. went up the hillside above
Raslieux and proceeded to reronnoltcr.
Some Jerry" opened up with gen
eral sweeping fire along tho road to
nreveut any advance. such as the one
under way. The major and those with
him crawled into hole to sneak a
smoke and little rest.
Find Bridge Impassable
After an hour or two the failure of
the batteries to appear began TO look
serious. so he started back to find them.
THAT journey down the hill and along
the road back to the bridge was ono
of the worst and most perilous | have
ever taken" said Major Hellyer. AS
we approached tho valley the gas was
dense and shells were continually fall
ing. ! began to hope that my prcdlc-
tion of the impassability of the bridge
had come true. as there was positively
no suitable position 10 be found in tn"
narrow strip then held by our infantry.
We tried to take n short cut through n
wood and for a while became lost. We
got out. however. and when reaching
the road found it filled with ambulanCcs.
infantry supply trains. and other out
fits all waiting to get over the river.
while the enemy shells took their regular
toll from them ''This sight made mo
believe that our column had boon
blocked, and sure enough. when VIC
reached the bridge tho fact was verified,
for the first gun had n wheel over the
side, having been unable to make the
difficult turn. Hero was demonstrated
the courage and remarkable discipline
which so characterized our men when
subjected to the most trying CirCum-
stances. such as being compelled to wait
patiently under shcllfire and envcloped
in a cloud of deadly gas. while strenuous
attempts were being made to oXtricate
the gun.
Men Cool Under Fire
Perceiving the impossibility of getting
the gun back on the bridge and making
a successful crossing before daylight, as
1t was then 4 a. III. Immediately or -
dercd all the horses unhitched and taken
to the rear, while the cannonccrs pushed
the guns to one side aud cleared the
; road for the doughboys. so they could
get to safety behind Nilpttc before day
light. In the meantime ID Battery was
waiting in Nillettc with shcels fire.
quently dropping close to tho column.
until the way should be clear to follow
: G, not knowing the difficulties that had
halted the march. Consequently they
Z were glad when orders were received
10 ieave lI,ttle anu proceed III lne Ut.
oi1n 80 ot s, i',.s s- u"''l tr ouinCitnI 'U''l
sou,u ,e. De iouli' I III ~ .no snn2 t Mnere .,es
-. ~ .hn a.oLaIom - %n,nI';iIo ~
s;I ,nt b"rn bno',r oon',ai.;os .hat
,iabt is miraclo All the mon actoJ
,,ith ,r,ot h.oyory ord econoJ obIivions
90 tbe gos to which tbov voro subinctcd
for several hours and shellfre The
drivers refused to leave tHeir horses,
oven when told to do 50 to seek shelter,
and run away.
On the following night the horses
. were again brought forward and the
/ guns pulled back into position by La
1 Bonne Maison. 1t was during this
> trip that Lieutenant l.. ID. Bowman