The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-05-18

casualties but they themselve1 In
turn, were annihilated Us soon as dis
covered \ renewed advance AT 1900
y. m. of the 4th only gained about 500
meters, owing TO the fire from Blanc
Mont; so next morning AT 6;l5 the 3rd
Battalion of the dth Marines, In con
junction with the 18th Infantry
n'rcnchl on the left. after an hours ar.
tillery preparation assaulted the strong
point IN a whirlwind attack mad took
II, absolutely without loss. capturing
209 prisoners and ~ machine guns.
The direct result was that the French
on the left, now the END Division,
were enabled to advance at once to st.
Pierre and to the edge of 81, Eticnne'
the Marines ON their flanks also coming
up near To the latter place, being stop
ped about one.half klometer from it
by line of trenches and wire, where
many machine guns were located,
Hot Fight For Town
At $3.50 ON the morning of the Gth,
another artillery preparation of AN
hours duration was delivered on the
heels of which the 23rd Infantry ana
the 9Th Marines assaulted and ovcrran
the cnemys lines before 81. Eticnnc.
The French were still on the outskirts
of the place, though their line had prog.
rosscd beyond it on the northwest, and
at about ll2O in the morning patrols
advanced into the town. receiving hot
fire from the streets and from machine
guns in the cemetery northeast of the
town. Through the afternoon, desper-
ate fighting continued here, the oppos-
ing lines fltering in and then being
driven out again 10y counter-attacks.
At dusk it was still No Mans Land.
seth Goes In
During the night of October 81, the
3Gth United States Division, which had
been placed under command OF the
Fourth French Army and in support of
the 2nd Division Ohe 14lst and l42nd
Infantry Regiment comprising the list
Infantry Brigade with the detachment
assigned to that brigade, was in part
sent to begin the relief of the latter
part on the front line. The Seth Div
ision commanded 10y Maj Gen. William
X. Smith and composed of National
Guard troops from Texas and oklahoma,
had never been in action before and II
was To receive its baptism of fire on
this bitterly contested field of Cham
pagne. ii was not all thrown in at once
nor by itself. The regiments of the
list Brigade We're placed in line that
night the l41st Infantry going in on
the right in place of the 23rd Infantry,
while the battalions Of the 9th Infantry
remained in line alternately with those
OF the ilst.
on the left. the 142nd Infantry, simi-
larly relieved the 5th Marines while the
9th Marines remained in line. On the
right. a battalion of the 9th Infantry,
ON the left a battalion of the 9Th Mar
ines. maintained combat liaison with
the Thanking French divisions, while all
the trench artillery. supported by the
18th ana 18TH Light Artillery and the
l7th Heavy Artillery of the 2nd Divis. |
ion and the 13lst Machine Gun Batta. .
lion Of the Seth Division, remained in
action.
The day of the 9TH was spent in or .
ganizing the new front, and at sis /
on the morning Of the Sth the eth Brig .
lery preparation and baraGe, while the .
2nd Division troops remained on the
line of departure as supports. The 2nd .
and 3rd Battalions of the French Tanks .
went forward with the attacking troops.
who, on the left, against "A heavy fire
Of machine guns in the st. Etiennc
remetry and the village church which
had been undamaged by the lombard
ment, pushed forward like veterans
through the village, enveloped and took
the cemetry with POS prisoners and
went on to the edge of the ravne a
half kilOmeter northwest of the town,
where they were stopped by Il trench
system about 1890 "a. M
ll2nd's Staggering Losses
The Marines behind them, together
with the French, meantime mopped up
md organized St Etienne ON the
light the Hist Infantry had not been
able to make much progress, and fire
rom the enemy's positions in its front
striking the 142nd Infantry on the
'lunk at the same time that it received
counter.attack from the northwest. at
,bout 4:3O in the afternoon drove the
after regiment back on its md Division
supports.
The fighting was badly confused for
/ short time, but the situation was re-
stored and the l42nd remained north of
ST. Etienne. in which during the night
I relieved the Marine and Infantry
holding detachments. During its first
10y of battle the l42nd Infantry had
suffered the staggering loss Of l25 of
icers and enlisted men killed and
md 5G6 wounded out of Il total strength
If So officers ana LIS enlisted men.
The day Of October 9th was spent in
organizing positions and in effecting
he relief Of the remaining troops of the
md Division by those of the END Brig
lde of the seth Division. The relief
vas complete at $50 on the morning
If the 10th. and the 2nd Division. hav-
ng lost All officers and enlisted men
Turing a four-day offensive which was
determining factor in the breaking
If the German Campagne front and in
he relief of Reims, retired TO the vici-
lity Of Somme. Snippes for brief rest
to going into the Argonne
'leuSe front ON November ISL as Il bit-
ering ram through the Kriemhilde
itellung.
The Seth Division, left now to its own
'esources made tentative movements
o advance on the morning of the 10th,
Believing the enemy to he retiring. but ,
hey were put down by a normally Wig
rous machine gun and artillery fire.
II 4:30 in the afternoon. however. the
french 73rd Division, on the right, was
moving up through Orfcuil ON Belmont ,
,l,.tnnn nj tlhn 2kth niNisinn WIS or | .