The Lamar register., 1919-12-31

the Moselle. west to include the Ar
gonne forest. was accordingly placed
under my command. including all
French divisions then in THAT zone.
The first American army was 70 pro-
coed with the ST. Mihiel operation.
after which the operation between
Meuse and the western edge Of the
Argonne forest was to he prepared
and launched not later than Septem-
ber %.
On the night of September II the
troops Of the first army We're deployed
In position. ON the southern face OF
the salient was the first corps, Ma
jor General Liggeft commanding. with
the eighty-second, nlnetieth. fifth and
second divisions in line. extending
from the Moselle westward
, On its left was rhe fourth corps.
.Sfai. Gen. Joseph r. Dickman com
nding. with the eighty-nlnth. forty
H,cond and first divisions. the left Of
NeS corps being opposite Montsec
NN'se two army corps were Ia deliver
tlai principal attack. the line pivoting
on the center division Of the first
corps. The first division on the left
of the fourth corps was charged with
the double mission Of covering Its own
flank while advancing some twenty
kilometcrs due north toward the heart
of the salient where II was to make
contact with the troops Of the fifth
corps
on the western face Of the salient
lay the fifth corps. Mai Gen. George
II. Cameron commanding. with the
twenty-slNth division. fifteenth French
Colonial division and the fourth di-
vision in line. from Mouilly west to
Les EpargeS and north to Wsntron-
vile. OF these three divisions the
twenty-siNth alone was to make
deep advance directed southward to-
ward Vlgneulles. The French division
was To make short progression to
the edge Of the heights In order to
cover the left Of the twenty-sixth.
The fourth division was not to ad-
vance.
In the center between our fourth
and fifth army corps. was the second
French Colonial corps. Mai. Gen. T.. J.
Blondlat commanding. covering n front
OF 10 kilometers with three small
French divisions. These troops were
to follow up the retirement OF the en-
emy from the tip of the salient.
AT dawn on Sept. II, after four hours
of violent artillery fire Of preparation.
and accompanied by small tanks. the
Infantry of the first and fourth corps
advanced. The Infantry of the tifth
corps commenced its advance al 8 a.
IN. The operation was carried out with
entire precision. just after daylight
ON Sept. IL elements of the first and
rwenty-sixth divisions made a Junction
near HattonchateI and vigneulles.
eighteen kilometers northeast of st.
Mihiel. The rapidity with which our
divisions advanced overwhelmed the
enemy and all objectives were reached
by the afternoon OF Sept. 13. We cap
tured nearly 10000 prisoners. 443 guns
and large stores of material and sup
plies. The energy and swiftness with
which the operation WAS carried out
enabled us 10 smother opposition TO
such an extent that we suffered less
than 1000 casualties during the actual
period Of the advance.
The material results OF the victory
achieved were very important. An
American army was an accomplished
fact. and the enemy had felt IFS power.
No form of propaganda could over
come the depressing effect on the
morale Of the enemy Of this demon
stration of our ability to organize q
large American force and drive II sue
cessfully through his defenses II gave
our troops Implicit confidence In their
superiority and raised their morale TO
the highest pitch. For the first time
wire entanglements ceased TO be re-
garded a. iinpassable barriers and
open-warfare training. which had been
so urgently insisted upon, proved to be
the correct doctrine. Our divisions
concluded the attack with such small
losses and 10 such high spirits that
without the usual rest they were i'm
mediafely available for employment In
heavy fighting In new theater OF OPP
eratlons. The strength OF the first
army In this battle totaled approx
mately 5OO.OOO men. of whom about
10000 were French.
Immovable Since 1914.
The Meuse-Argonne front had been
practically stabilized In September.
1914. and. except for minor fluctuations
during the German attacks on verdun