Evening star., 1919-09-06
|5HEROES0 Of FIRST
ADVANCE TO MARCH
Conceivers of Cantigny Of
fense Will Be at Gen. Per-
shing's Side in Parade.
ACTION CHEERED ALLIES

When Gen. Pershing leads the 1st
Regular Division up Pennsylvania
avenue one week from next Wednes-
day there will be among the march
ers five officers that planned and exc
cuted the first real attack in which
Americans made permanent gains
against the Germans-the capture OF
Cantigny on May 2S, 1913.
These officers are now in Washing,
ton, but will parade with their OLD
comrades. though only a few Of those
in the action against Cantigny have
remained with the original command.
and many were killed in subsequent
actions of the division.
The five who so ably planned and
led the atttck against the German
stronghold are Lieut.. Gen. Robert L.
Bullard. who at that time command
ed the division; Maj. Campbell King
who was his chief of staff; Lieut.. Col.
w. C. Sherman, who was division In
telligence officer; Col. H. e. Ely. wfo
co nmanded the 2sth Infantry that led
the assault. and Maj r: H. Oglesby
who was in command OF the uetacn-
companied the infantry. and fought
side by side with the "doughboys."
Well Known in Washington.
All Of these officers are we'll known
in Washington. and they are eagerly
awaiting the arrival Of their old COM
mand for the grand review here.
With but one exception the omcers
h,s ns from from taS Ai.ss%a Lieut.. Leu Col shes-
man from Augusta. Ga; Coi. Ely
from Iowa City. Iowa; Maj; oslssey
from Lynchburs. Va. and MAJ. King
from Charleston; s. c. -
take much pride in the Cantigny ex-
ploit. for it did much to set at rest
doubts in some allied quarters as to
the efficiency of the American troops
in the crucible of a hot engagement
A member Of the division stan has
described the attack as follows:
Began Accurate Advance.
ION the morning Of the 2sth Of
May the line of crou ching men jumped
of behind rolling barrage and be-
gan the advance with the accuracy Of
a drill movement Tanks. hammen-
werfer. airplanes-all the auxiliary
forces-went about their appointed
work with calm assurance. supported
by an accurate and heavy artillery
fire. In = short time. the objective
had been taken and groups Of German
prisoners were on their way to the
exactly as planned. and for the first
time enemy territory passed into
American hands. Then followed the
most trying period in any minor op-
GRAFTON. For many hours the German
artillery poured an intense fire onto
our men were busily organising;
while troops hastily collected and
brought up attempted to take back
the battered town. These counter
attacks either melted away beneath
the fire Of the American artillery or
were shot to pieces by ridemen be-
fore reaching the olive drab line.
After a few days of heavy lombard
ment. the Germans gave up further
attempts. and Cantisny was definitely
ours.
THE day before cantigny, the en-
emy had delivered a powerful blow at
the French line, broken through the
!Cbemin des DANES and was advancing.
with force apparently irresistible. to-
ward the Marne. The spirits Of the
French were severely tried by this
new blow, and doubt was beginning
word passed like magic through the
French and British armies: The
Americans had at last attacked. More
over, they had done it in a thorough
workmanlike manner. and were easily
holding their gains. All! They could
fight then. these Americans! The new
thousands that every day poured into
France were not then mere raw ma
terial. They could be counted as SOL
diers. They could plan fights and ex-
ecute them. There entered Significance
into the plea of Gen. Petain to hold on,
les camarades arrival These Amer
leans were then real comrades,
fit to be admitted into the fellowship
Of able men-at-arms, At to encounter
the boches on the battlefield.
"Of minor importance in itself, Can
marked the birth of the hope Of VIC
tory without which defeat rarely fails
to come"