New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
The 'Fighting First" Division Comes Back TO

at Soissons. In addition 70 the hostile
fire from the front. the division wss
exposed to deadly raking fire OF artil-
lery from the Argonne on its left flank,
and suffered heavy casualties. The
10th Infantry, on the left, dug IN an!
held doggedly 10 the ground which !.
had gained, and pushed patrols into
the town Of Flevile.
The assault was renewed at dayl gh.
on the 5th. The 18th Infantry drove
the enemy from the Montrefagne, and
the I'd Brigade, assisted by all the ar
til!ery Of the division, advanced to The
line Of the Is. Brigade. so thai at nigh.
the front was along line south Of
Fleyillc and north Of the Nontrefagnt.
Bitfercsf Fight
On October the I'd Brigade swung
forward 20 tho north OF the FERN.
d'Arietal and occupied Hill 2s,,
for the purpose Of assisting the q.
vision on the right. This hill was held
by battalion OF the lst Enginesn,
who CALAMITY repulsed a strong enemy
counter attack, in which the engineers
sustained heavy losses. The 'errain
over which the division was fighting
had unusual natural s,rengtf. The
country was very rough and broken BY
deep rayines and isolated hills that
commanded all approaches. The val
leys and slopes were open, While ID.
crests and hilltops were oYergross
with woods and thick brush, afordisg
excellent cover to the defenders. The
enemy had dug many holes and had
emplaced numerous machine guns, thi;
swept by their fire the entire front. u
spite OF the heavy losses the morale
of the division was superb, and the de-
termination to fight increased with the
opposition of the enemy. Successive
fresh hostile divisions made their sp-
nearance, some of which were first
class and all Of which were rated higk.
On October Z the lst Division passed
under the 9th Army Corps and, IN
!iaison with the division on iis light
made slight gains. 1t became eslde,!
that the enemy must be cleared from
the northern end Of the Argonne b.
fore any further advance should be u.
der,aken. Accordingly, the e2d Div
sion entered the sector Of the lst d.
vision on the night Of October 6-7 and
AZ dayligh, on the Eth it assau .et ne
heights Of Cornay and Cote $50 Tie
success of this operation relieved he
lst Division OF the intense ARTILLERY fr
on It's fank and saved it many losses.
On the sth there was no advance, ~
the corps had ordered general as
rult for October .. III, only
fresh troops in The division was he
lst Battalion ot the lt,h ls.an'U
which had been held as division b. erwF
It was placed under the Is, brlgass
and was given the mission Of relieving
the Cd Brigade and o. assaultins lllf
272. The Cd Brigade was assigned 70
the front added to the division and 4
was required to attack in directiu
oblique to the original front.
In order TO secure Iensity of the az
tillery fire the I'd Brigade. the lst lat'
talon Of the 10th Infantry and The
, lst Brigade advanced suceesslye.y, each
being assisted by the entire available
artillery. The attack began a, day gt'
on October and WAS greatly assis.ss
b. dense fog that obscgrcd o4r 10
fantry from the cncmy's machine -un'
nors. The cucmy's resistance Was len
than usual because Of the dense bar
rage. The 81 Brigade seized Iili 2S
by a direct drive. Starting from the
northern base Of the Mon;roiagre the
lst Battalion Of the 10th Infantry foI
lowed its barrage and swept llil 212
where il killed or captured the eniin
garrison, including the Lieutenant, colo
mel who commanded the reg ment
Fifty-two machine guns were cap,ur~
along the cles, % the Bib.