The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-11-02
vegetation. then nothing but vast

vegetation, then nothing but a vast
sepulchre.
Across the brook rises steep incline
partly covered to the right by the Bots
de FORCES. The Germans, viewing the
marshland Of the brook, decided that the
Americans would never attempt to cross
except at the village of FORCES. But
the stan of the Thirty-third Division,
with characteristic audacity. decided to
cross at the foot of Dead Mans Hill.
To bridge the marshland and was task
that might have appalled, the most ex-
perienced. But the engineers Of the
division who. under the British, had
learned to bridge the Somme, placed
buclSboards over the barbed wire and
Bundles of bracken In the marshes, and
then built number of trestle bridges
over the brook. which they held UP as
the troops crossed.
New Difficulties Confront.
The men swarmed up the hill to the
wood meeting with increased machine
gun resistance as the surprised enemy
slowly recovered. But many were the
Germans. including a number of officers,
caught in their concrete dugouts before
they had a chance to escape. you peo-
pie are mad" one German officer ex-
claimed. when as a prisoner he saw
where the Americans had crossed. But
you have captured the woods" he added
with a smile. At the close Of the day
the division was facing the opposite
heights of the Mouse, having made a
complete right wheel.
That night the Americans already
found themselves confronted with both
expected and unexpected difficulties.
The one road from Clermont to
varennes proved wholly inadequate for
all the traffic to and from the front.
The Germans had mined 1t at enc point,
and although the Americans worked
foverishly to bridge the mine. 1t caused a
serious delay. But to the right the roads
around Esnes, Malancourt and Avocourt,
where the Hindenburg line had cut its
way, were in the worst plight Of all.
The roads soon became blocked with
the traffic. and It was only with the
greatest difficulty that the transport
moved at all. The Americans. however,
tackled the problem energetically. and
the construction of light railroads from
Clermont was Immediately begun by
black troops.
Counter Attack Begins.
The next morning the Americans found
that the Germans had recovered. Throw
ing In three fresh divisions down the
Aire Valley, they endeavored to stay
the American advance there and coun-
ter attacked at some points with every
determination. But the Americans
| moved forward down the valley of. the
river, while on the right the Thirty
seventh and Seventy-ninth divisions
around Montfaucon were engaged in a
pitched battle with the Germans. The
| Thirty-seventh took IVORY and Hill 25S.
southwest Of the town, but they had to
withdraw under fre.' so heavy was the
German resistance. Then, together with
the left regiment of the Seventy-ninth.
the Thirty-seventh made a concerted at
tack on Montfaucon. In spite Of all the
| German machine gun and artillery bar
RACES, they reached and took the town
| at IL In the morning, and at night es-
| tablished themselves on the road run
ming across the hill. But It had been
the bitterest Of fights and the casualties
| were Of the heaviest.
It left two very exhausted divisions
| sitting on the summit and the immediate
slopes. During the next few days. up to
October 1, the Americans, faced with a
resistance which every moment became
more and more determined, found prog
ress considerably slower and consider
| ably more difficult. Wherever they at
tackled they found the German machine
gunners. carefully concealed in woods
that lay on the side OF hills, ever ready
to respond. and the enemy artillery al
| ways prepared to support the infantry.
Meanwhile their own difficulties were
daily increasing.
The enfilade Gre OF the Germans from
the heights OF the Mouse River was par
ttntNl arIx ha H.
situation. instead of improving, was only
becoming more congested. Then some
of the divisions new to action. owing to
their lack OF experience, were not func-
tionlng with the same ease or effect as
the other divisions, although a very
notable exception was the Ninety first
Division, which, although never under
fire before, went twelve kllometers in
one day. Unfortunately their great
efforts were not always fruitful, owing
to the divisions on their tanks failing to
make as much progress as themselves.
The Germans meanwhile were rushing
up reenforcements from Metz. and when
October l dawned the Americans were
about two kilometers ahead of their FIRST
objective In the Argonne Forest while
their line ran from three to five lllome-
ters south Of their objective to the
Mouse.
Transport More Dfmcult.
The FIRST phase of the drive was over.
The increasing resistance of the Germans
called for a halt and breathing time I'M
| til. with roads once more In order, artil-
lery could be brought forward 60 sup
port further attacks. The line then ran
| from the left of Binarville, In the Ar
gonne Forest, through Apremont, on a
height Of the Aire. across to just south
OF Gesnes. to Breuilles-sur-M Mouse, and
then, turning sharply to the right. fol-
lowed the bank OF the river down TO
Forgea The Americans had not pro-
gressed as rapidly as they had expect
ed but with a harder task In front Of
them than they had ever anticipated,
with difficulties almost insurmountable
slogging their footsteps at every turn,
with all the burden OF inexperience and
newness to bear. they had fought re-
markedly we'll and remarkably bravely.
The condition OF the roads. particular
ly when II rained, became more wretched
as the days wetn by. On the road from
Malancpurt to Avocourt the transport
was held up for eighteen hours without
| a wheel turning. owing to a large, heavy
armored ammunition truck falling
| through bridge into one of the trenches
OF the Hindenburg line. Men died in the
| ambulances from exposure; while the
Germans. had they counter attacked with
any strength. would have captured hum
dreds OF guns and miles of transport
But, except for Smelling the ends OF the
road in attempts to discover American
batteries, the Germans appeared to be
entirely without knowledge of conditions