The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1919-03-21

of the lst, 4th, and 5th, Corps and
of the lst, End, 4ths 5th, 26tb. 42nd
s2nd, seth, and 9Oth, Divisions,
which were engaged.
From the St. Mihiel drive wD
went to the Argonne Woods near
Baulvey and Charpent'y and ON
Oct. 2nd we went into the drive in
reality. l shall not attempt to. de.
scribe this battle further than to
soy that every time We struck ave
brought home the bacon" and after
twenty-nine days driving through
roaring flaming woods filled with
gas, machine guns, artillery and
dead men, we were relieved and the
brave little bunch marched back
with a record of oyer thousand
prisoners taken and several mi les Of
territory gained.
Let General Pershing give the
the praise. Following is an extract
of General Order No. 232. 1t is
with sense of gratitude for it's
splendid accomplishment, which
will live through all history, that l
record in General Orders tribute
to the victory of the Forst Army in
the Meuse-Argonne Battle. Tested
and strengthened by the reduction
of the st. Mihiel salient, for more
than six weeks you battered against
the pivot of the enemy line on the
western front. 1t was a position; of
imposing natural strength, on both sides
of the Meuse River from the bitterly hill
of Verdun to the almost impemetrable
forest of the Argonne: a position more
over, fortified by four years OF labor de-
signed to render it impregnable; posi-
ton held with fullest resources of the
enemy. That position you broke utterly
and thereby fastened the collapse OF the
enemy's military power. For more than
a month, from initial attack of Sept. 10th
you fought your way slowly through the
Argonne, through the woods and over
the hills west of the Meuse; you slowly
enlarged your hold on Cote de Meuse
to the east; and then, on the first OF Noy-
ember your attack forced the enemy in
to flight. Your achievement, which is
scarcely to be equalled in American his
tory, must remain source of proud sat
sfaction to the troops who participated
in the last campaign of the war. The
American people will remember it as
the realization of the hitherto potential
,tenght of the American contribution to-
ward the cause to which they had sworn
allegiance. There can be no greater re-
ward for soldier or for soldiers men,
,ry. Following is letter from the COM;
nander in Chief to the commanding Off;
,er of the 82nd Division.
1. Having reference to your letter dat
ID January IL, 1919 TO the commanding
General, 9Th Corps, American E. F. re-
operations of the S2nd Division in the
Neuse-Argonne battle, am directed by
he Commander-in Chief to inform you
hat the work of your division was care
ully considered in connection with cita-
ion orders. The Commander-in-Chiet
S thoroughly conversant with the remark
lble work of the 82nd Division during
he period from Oct. 9th to Oct. 3lst.
However, he has deciced that no further
,rders of citation shall be published by
hese Headquarters.
2. For your information he desires me
O state that if the practice of citing divi-
ions had been continued, the 82nd Di-
,ision would have been included in or
lers among those divisions which sur
passed the uniform excellence of perfor-
nance obtained by most our divisions in
he Meuse-Argonne offensive.
TO be continued)