The sun., 1919-04-13

hurting hand grenades into the win
dows and shelters, while engineers Of
tho 302d were to blow up as much as
possible of the chateau, German
stronghold.
The first two platoons to enter
the village disappeared completely.
Whether they were totally annihilated
by flame throwcrs must be n matter
for conjecture. Many casualties in the
command Of Capt. Charles NJ. Bull. Jr.,
who was in charge Of the raid, were
due to that satanic continuance intro
duced into warfare by the Boche-the
tIdm nenrerfer. Charred bodies were
found later whose Identification was
impossible. The flame thrower hurts
a stream of sold, blood-red liquid
flame, about five feet in diameter, for
thirty yards. Instantaneously II
withers and shrivels whatever 1t
touches.
A third platoon made progress into
the village and dug in along the rail-
road tracks, but after two hours was
driven from its position by fire from
three sides. Lieut.. Gordon c. Gregory
and four men were all who reported
back to battalion headquarters. Capt.
Bull, with the fourth platoon, which
had successfully accomplished it's mis-
sion, having had no word from the
other platoons. withdrew from the viii
lage at 10 A. NJ, four hours from the
beginning Of the fight.
Divisions New Commander.
1t was shortly after this, or on Au-
gust 2s. that Major General Robert
Alexander was given command OF
the Seventy-seventh. Major General
George r. Duncan, who had command
ed the division since its training period
with the British. was relieved.
General Alexander had sailed for
France as a colonel in November, 1917,
and became inspector general OF the
A. z. F. lines OF communication. Four
months later. then abrigadier-general,
he was in command of the Forty-f first
Division at st. Afghan. His next COM
mand was the SD Brigade OF the
Thirty-second Division. which had
been on the Seventy-seventh's flank at
the Vesle.
Robert Alexander came to the Sew
enty-seventh as ajor-general, and
his first order found a thrill OF re-
Spouse throughout the ranks Of the
New Workers.. He said in part:
upon taking command of the
Seventy-seventh Division the I'M
dersigned desires to express to the
troops of that organization his sat
isfaction in general terms with the
record made by the division in the
face of an enemy at least equal in
numbers TO ourselves, and who has
had in addition the inestimable ad-
vantage OF four years Of war. The
division has attacked with vigor
and with the aggression requisite
to carry It's undertakings to a sue
cessful conclusion. It has undoubt-
edly caused more casualties in the
ranks Of the enemy than II has
suffered, and finally It has so i'm
pressed its personality upon the
enemy as to render him extremely
cautious in his actions in face of
US,
TT is impressed upon all that our
actions so far have been most cred
table and that we have more than
held our own against the veteran
troops Of our foe. We are better
men and we can become better SOL
diers than our enemeies.
When the proper time comes, as
determined by our chiefs, this di-
vision will advance and will do its
part as well as the American dlvis-
ion on our right or the division of
our valiant allies on our left. We
represent here our country and
we are embarked in a sacred cause,
to which each and every man of us
has pledged his very best effort"
To-day in the chronological record.
of the Chief of Staff's office in Wash.
ington there appears under date OF
September 4. six days after Gen. Alex.
ahder's heartening message, this en-
try:
At 5:l5 p. NJ. the Seventy
seventh Division reports: Patrols
along front cross Vesle and force
enemy back. One combat patrol as
far as La Croix la Motto. between
Vauxceres and Blanzy.
Three battalions across the
Vesle."
Before the Seventy-seventh coult
DO stopped twelve kilometers. or ~
miles. had been again made in France
and the Boche had been driven across
the Aisne with Chemin des Danes a
his back.
OF the eXultation of their advance
and Of their losses at the Vesle a new
spirit had been born In the Seventy