The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-27

II b2riS TO the Fourteenth Training area.
between Chaumou and Chatillon sur
Seine. where it remained in comfor-
table billcts until August 81. On Sep
II tembe the division moved by rail to
the Stainyilio and later marched TO
the Trouvilie area While In the LAT :
ter 1t composed the reserve OF the
First army during the st. Mihiel OPP
| erations OF Sci tember 12f5, except
Il the 32oth infantry and tho 3l5th
| Machine Gun battalion. which were
| attached to the ID French Colonial
| corps and took active part In the OPP
! craGons.
AT this time the Iesth Field artil-
iery brigade retotned the division. Now
began the concentration of the Amer
team First army. On the night of the
t4ta the division was transported in
buses to the vicinity OF Ippccourt.
where it fell under the command Of
the Sd American corps. On the night
OF the goth IL again moved forward
tn the Bois Ia VILE. During this period
preparations for the attack was COM
pleted. and reconnaissance of the sec
tor assigned 10 the division was made
The troops, always moving under CO.
yer Of darkness, were carefully con-
ceaEed in the forests by day. by
night also the troops were exercised
In com bat drills, and by day in the
use OF the newly issued weapons. on
the night Of Septem Der 24-25 the en-
tire l60th Brigade, which. had been
designated 10 first represent the di-
vision in attack in the Muse-Argonne
offensive was concentrated in the
Bots Bourrus, near Germonville, while
, the I5sth, or support brigade. was
assem- hled in reserve in the Bois de
Sartelle, near Fromervilic. several Kill
} ometers west Of Nerdun, That night
: the 155th FIELD artillery brigade oc-
cupied it's previously selected battery
! emplaeemsnts along the south slope
of dead mans hill On the 25th or
: aers were issued that the expected
g ATTACH. was 10 15p r1adc ri $50 A. nj,
= the following taerning. and the troops
were pushed forward during the night
: to their battle positions.
: Opposite Bethincourt-
#Steap was impossible OF that night.
i, \ huge and brilliant moon hung in
the sky, making the night almost as
a bright as day, but strangely exag
|, reratsd tho silent distances. OFF 10
i the north doomed the outlines of The
h mort h61mrne. about which spread in
o full view one of the most lannon's bat
= tlefields of history. At 1880 r. NJ. the
= artillery Of the American First army
e opened It's preparation.
e The Third corps was formed for
d the attack with the Thfrty-thfrd
e Eighteth. and Fourth divisions in
( line. from right to left, with the
o Third division in reserve. The right
Of the eorps rested on the Meuse IT.
10 self, north OF yerdun, which threw
Y the Eightieih division considerably Il
Il the west OF the river. opposite the des
'e trnyed village OF Bethincourt, from
+ which It's line Of departure lay distan
10 less than a thousand yards.
The mission OF the corps was to at
y tack northward In the direction o
n Mezieres and break the hostile resis
II tance between the Rau de FORCES ant
the Bots lie Foret.
For this operation there were at
- tached to the Eighueth division. II
:, the center OF the corps. the 22sti
- French Field Artillery (75sp resssn g nj
:, one battalion of the 2s9th F'ren-l
~ Field Artillery regiment tt55's), tn
! Niueth Air Squadron. and a ballci
H. company.
II On the 9Th ne entire army oh
y 5ectiye within It's sector was taken
= by the Eighteth division, and that
- night. after the brilliant success
- which it had attained during the
= two precedsre days. 1t was re-
h. levcd by the reserve brigade Of
is the Thirty. third dv's~n The
Is Eightieth division. 'ces me s1Sth
moved to the Bois Asant4aucon In
II reserve, -
r During the 1rst phase OF the
~ offensive the Eighti~!h division,
d opposed by three entire hostile d.
~ visions and various I.andstrum
o. battaIions, had advanced nine XII
a oneters and captured thirty~tve
officers SIS ether ranks. sixteen
n pieces of artillery. seven minen
= guns and 4 large quantity OF am
L. munition and stores. including
a over 5000. O00 rounds of small
,e arms ammunition and 5000 boxes
It OF grenades In addition. an en-
tire ammunition dump on the
l. bank of the Meuse, with stores
u valued at $40, 100000. was capt
~ ured
= on tho "ath the Thirty seventh di
n vision beyond Montfaucon was hare
& pressed 80 that troops OF the tlEhtiet'
> division nfare held in readiness in sup
Q. port Of f51ar division. against which ;
D. count arattaek in force was expected
y but which did not develop
, Rreakin. Through the Line.
~ on the &oth the Third division
had relieved The Seventy ninth in
FL Nantillois IL front OF Montfau~
- con, but the Third division. Ike
rsI the Fourth div tsion, was unable to
J. advance. II was, therefore. de-
j., termined to draw these tow divi-
I'll sions apart and create an inter
IT Nenng sector for the Eightieth dt-
d vision, which was relied on TO
p break through the Bois des OEons
e in front of Nantillois. This strong
# point had proved stumbling
block for three other divisions.
and presented no slight obstacle.
It Strongly held machino-gun zones
4. swept it's approaches from either
j. flank. while strongly held posts
:, confronted tho northern exits
IL from the wood. Nevertheless. the
= attempt TO force a way through
the barrier was demanded OF the
+ Eightieth division.
80 For this neu attack the 159th bri
= grade was designated.
" For some reason there was no artfl
- lery preparation upon the Bots des
0gons and the machine~gun zones or
n it's TANKS. but the tarrage rolled for
J. ward slightly late and was closely fol
:. lowed by The Second battalion OF the
=, 3lgth infantry