Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-05-07

OOtn rance anu America. it IS WITH
unqualified faith in the future and
pride of the past that l see the Goth
Division go into a new sector, certain
in my conviction that the men of !
New England will prove once more |
that they are capah', Of every effort /!
and every scarilie, vn ich the future !
may demand of them.
tSigncd) c. X. Edwar,s
Major General. COMMANDING"
From July 9Th to July 18th. it was
quiet on the sector from Torcy to-,
Chateau Ihlerry. On the latter I;
date, however. the Germans launched .
their great drive on a front extending
from Chateau-Thierry to the east of
Rheims, and aimed across the Narne,
! towards -cernay and Chalons, their
grand detectives. The story Of how
American troops stood fast against
| the savage rush of the Germans, how
they counter-attacked at CreZancy,
and drove the Huns back across the
Marine, inflicting terrific losses, is al
ready familiar history to American
readers. 1t is also known how Ger
eral Gocraud and the French stopped
the Germans in their drive to tie
east of Rheims.
This great German offensive halted
by American troops. Foch at once
took the initiative, and on the even
ing OF the 18th of July the 26th Di-
! vision received orders to 90 over the
top at 4.30 the next morning. The
! objective assigned to the lO3d Resi-
10 of
1O4th Regiment was assigned Belleau
Wood lying to the east Of Torcy
The attack was started. with a heavy
barrage, and at 4.3O the Maine boys
went over the top. They took Torcy
IN - minutes. In As minutes they
had overrun -orcy, taken the trench
es on both sides of the town, mopped
up the village, and consolidated their
positions ready for counter-attack
sergeant Harvey Butler of White
field, since recommended for the dis
| tinguished service medal, was in
charge of a platoon Of 40 men, mostly
Augusta boys. who entered the town
and, in less than half hour. mopped
up some two companies of Germans,
concealed with machine guns, in dug
outs, in the upper stories of the stone
dwellings, and in trees. Few pris-
, onerS were taken.
Meantime the 104th Regiment, to
the east, had not Jared SO we'll, They
failed to take Belleau Wood plateau
under the first barrage. Another
was Ia-d at eight O'clock in the
morning, but this attack also failed
IN the face of the desperate German
resistance. AT ten O'Clock, however. !
under cover of a third barrage, the
plateau was taken and the Germans
driven out. During this time. the
1o3d were exposed to artillery fire
from Belleau Plateau and had been |
Obliged to protect their flank with !
machine guns and infantry in case
tie Germans should finally hold their |
positions there.
The manGuvre being executed BY !
the Allies at this time was a swinging
of the whole Scissor Cha teau-T hier- i
~ line to the east OF the latter city |
as pivot. When the 103d Went aver
the top on the morning of July 18th. !
General Mangin was launching an |
attack south of Scissor. The god |
American Division was aiding him in
this move |
The French operating north of the
lo3d Regiment were held up in their
advance by a strong enemy machine
gun nest at Monthiers. The third
battalion of the 103d Regiment con-
:lsiting Of the Augusta, Eastport.
Houlton and Farminston COMPANIES. /
by a weli-executed flank attack. dis
lodged the Germans, and aided the
french in their advance The |
French general in command sent a |
letter to General Edwards, in which !
he stated that his best troops could
have done no better. !
On the Goth the division pushed ON
with Etrepilly. Chante Merle, and
Bezuet as it's objective, all of which
were finally taken. On this dav. be-
tween four o'clock in the afternoon
and dark. Company NJ of Augusta.
alone. had five men killed and &c
wounded. one Of whom died that
night
Tie Skowhegan company, in This
advance, found themselves III an i'm
possible situation. owing to a failure
az their supports to arrive on time
and were terribly punished, and .
forced. temporarily to retire. They
reformed. however. pushed forward .
heroically and attained all their OBJ
jectives During eight days, practi-
cally day and night, our boys fought
in the open. They had to face and /
overcome. often advancing across
open fields. artillery fire and con-
cealed machine guns located on near
~ every hand. But they fought and
advanced. during these eight DAYS
over 10 miles"
Acts Of heroism were too numerousi
to mention at this time Every man
did his duty unf1inchingly. Major
Southland of Bangor, wounded
through the throat by machine
gun bullet. with his ear torn by
shrapnel. continued to lead his men
until forced to retire for medical aid.
He left weeping. with the statement
that his boys would be all shot up
and he would not be there to care for
them. The 26th Division. unsupport-
ed. pushed on to Epieds and TrugnyF
which they also reduced. The latt 81
town was taken by the Maine boys,
but only after repeated and costly at
tacks. as the place was full of ma
aht vo |