Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1919-06-19
One Year Ago.


the dawn was about TO break Inc
mighty hosts Of the Huns, attacking
on the wide line between Rheims and
scissors, had swept all before them.
They had taken the supposedly lmpree-
nable Chemin Danes ridge almost
without a pause. They had crossed
the Aisne. They had crossed the Vesle.
The thin French lines could do no more
than retard the invaders with rear
guard actions. Scissors, grimly held
for more than 3 years, had fallen 10
the Huns. Hartennes had fallen.
Fereen- -Tardenois had fallen. Across
a front of 80 to 40 miles the Kaisers
massed divisions moved swiftly on
ward, their artillery keeping pace close
behind. their gas batteries deluging
French and the land behind them with
poisonous vapors. On the fifth day
the Marne was reached. "The war is
over" whispered many who believed
it only a question Of hours before the
Germans would be in front OF Paris.
Early in the morning OF May 81 the
Germans reached Chateau Mierry,
driving in front of them what seemed
to be the wreck OF French division.
The French did not attempt to hold
the hill that dominates that part OF
Chateau Thierry north OF the Marine;
They skirmished hurriedly and then
made their way across the bridge and
into the streets south of the river. The
Germans pursued confidently when
they saw the French did not pause
even to blow up the bridge. Forming
at the northern end OF the bridge, the
Huns were just preparing to drive
the French entirely from Chateau
Thierry when, OF a sudden, there came
a sudden sweep Of machine-gun bullets
from across the stream. Perhaps the
Germans realized that such a hre
could not have been opened by men
who had been fighting necessarily for
four days. But the Huns did not stop
to investigate. They took TO cover, re-
organized, started across the river and
were driven back. Then they attempt
ed TO use boats, with the same result.
New boats were brought up, only to be
met by artillery as we'll as by machine
gun bullets. Steadily, mercileSsly the
troops on the south bank kept up their
fire. Doggedly the Germans renewed
their attacks. Before mid-afternoon It
must have been apparent TO the Hun
that he was facing not only fresh
troops, but troops OF a new spirit. And
he was: The machine-gun battalion
of the Third American division which
had left their rest-area on the after
noon Of May 2e, had reached the Marne
in the very nick OF time, and had gone
into action on the banks OF the river
in the narrow streets and ancient
homes OF the old town. AS the storm
ing OF Cantigny had been Americas
first independent battle, so the opera
tions OF that machine-gun battalion
marked Americas first appearance in
large scale operations as an adjunct OF
the French army. And never came
men more opportunely!
While the German van was being
held at Chateau-Thierry, it was ex-
tending its left along the river east Of
the city Before darkness came, the
Germans controlled stretch OF the
Marne ten miles in length, but at no
point had they succeeded in crossing.
But not for a moment did the Ger
mans relax their efforts. Before
nightfall on May 81, 1918, they had
reached the Marne on a front OF ten
miles. The next day they turned their
attention TO the western side OF the
salient, the Paris side. Here the
French had gathered most OF the troops
that had survived the awful journey
through the Tardenois. But these
troops were weary and, on June |,
could do little more than retard the
advance OF the Huns while falling
steadily backward. Desperate fight
ing throughout the day, on the Marne,
south OF Rheims and north Of Chateau
Thierry, confirmed the view that the
next thrust was to be straight for Paris
without further maneuvering.
At dawn, June ?, the Germans were
laundering on the Marne, for it was
vastly to their advantage to control
the high ground to the south OF that
stream, but they were manifestly con-
centrating on the west, toward the
Ourcq. During the forenoon, the fight
ing was OF that stubborn, dangerous
character so poorly described by the
familiar military phrase, "Rearguard
action" BY afternoon the French were
at their wits ends for further means
OF resistance and were fltering steadily
back. Word had come from Foch that
the enemy must be held on June 8,
at all hazards, and that the troops must
be reorganized accordingly. But with
men who were hungry. dead-tired and
without water, this was almost hope
less task.
From high ground around La Vote
du Chatel, west Of the village OF Bou-
reshes, one could see about o'clock,
the grey fringe of Germans beyond the
wheat fields and at the edge Of the
woods around Belleau. Soon the
fringe depened into heavy columns;
then it seemed to separate as though