The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-05
GEN. ALEXANDER
TELLS TRUTH OF
LOST BATTALION
New Light on Famous Ex-
plot Of Whittlesey's Gal
liant Command.
NOT LOST OR RESCUED
Gained Objective and Held
It Where Others Failed
in Bitter Battling.
GRAPHIC STORY OF FIGHT
308th's Men Under French
and German Gun Fire in
Argonne Ravine.
GRAPHIC STORY OF FIGHT

hdjor-Gcn. Robert Alexander. com
rsdnder Of the Serenty-seventh d.
rtston. made public vcsterday nm
drticle IN iohich he tells the complete
story OF the operation In the Aroonne
during tohich one Of the oattalions OF
the 3oSth Intdntry under command n,
Leut.-Coi Charles W. WMttlesev-
the Lost Bdttoiion"-tcds cut off from
TIC remainder Of the division for fire
doys.
By MAJoR-GEN. ROBERT ALEX
ANDER.
Tho Incidents which have surrounded
he action on the left of the Seventy
seventh Division during the period be-
tween October 2 and both dates in
ciusive-striking the popular imaglna-
tion, have brought most prominently be-
fore the public that particular phase n,
The operations While in numbers of
men involved and length Of time during
which those numbers were isolated this
particular event stands out above the
others. it must not be thought for a
moment that this was the only occasion
during our progress through the forest
mat elements of this division were tenn
porart!y cut off from other portions of
'Ae lire. The mopping I'D Of the forest
was most difficult task. and often
AFTER tho limo haA oil
ues OF the enemy were found in many
instances In the rear of our front line
Clements. These were disposed OF ur,-
ally in the course OF a short time. but
during that short time snipers were ex-
uemely active and communication WAS
IN many instances as previously stated.
temporarily suspended.
The situation on the left of the d,yi-
sion on the morning Of the Cd OF October
was about as follows: The First Rat
talon soSth Infantry. under Major
Charles W. Whittlesey. was the adyanc.
battalion on the left of the division
me second Battalion. 3OSth. COM
manded by Capt George McMurtry. was
IN support The front line of these bat.
'ahons was at about 2s4.s-275.s5, the
eao'ng battalion having been checked
by heavy machine gun and trench NOR
'ar opposition and the support battal-
ION having closed up on Il. With tbesa
."o oattalions were sections OF machine
guns from Companies c and d of the
'voth Machine Gun Battalion. The mos,
s'uooorn resistance to the advance had
oeen encountered on the west OF the
north and south ravine, where a portion
or the command Companies d and F.
'VSth) was in position.
Obstacle Almost Impn..,h,.
Attention is invited to the extrems,v
'!IHcult character OF the terrain in front
"t thls command. The north and south
'aV'ne running from the Depot des Ma
en.nes past the Moulin de lHomme Mort
US the regtmental sector in two. The
Nu"s or this ravine are decidedly pre-
c!pitous and densely covered with brush
W other words. an almost !mpassa bile
obstacle was interposed between the
Hsnt and left tanks OF the brigade line
-aA obstacle which offered perfect
'oNer 20 machine gun nests and trench
mortar emplacements.
furthermore, at this time, and in fact
a.. times during the operations of the
oreFt the left flank of this division was
completely exposed, there being no
'riendly troops anywhere near us. Con-
seQuently the left flank was Obliged TO
ooH OUT Tor its own safety as best Il
MeNt This was equally true OF the
~, hank OF the division. But our i'm
mediate interest here Is with the left
HAhH. This being the situation l early
on 'he morning OF October 2 gave orders
'o- a general advance OF the entire di-
ls.ona! line. giving that line as its OBJ
is'une the east and west La Viergette-
-Iol'ln de Charlevaux road and the rail-
.'dG parallellng ii, as shown on the
m'p
HE orders were quite positive and pre-
Ihe objective was to be gained
without regard to losses and without
'elrd 10 the exposed conditions OF my
hhks J considered II most important
.a. mis- advance should be made, and
'9c'Hted the responsibility and the risk
MOVED in the execution of the orders
wen Complying with these orders, the
-'''hce began about 1880 A. NJ. II
VA preceded by an artillery barrage
rom which ! expe, ld more moral than
''F a' result TT right (163d) brl-
t"'' vas stopped before an enemy or
.'.'z''on occupying the spur known as
.' bo's de Ia Naza, as was likewise
-c 7lght regiment OF the l54th Brigade,
'F" Hochc organizations which were
'''d UPON the spur west OF the Bois
d" q NAzl.
e'" Boche organizations were not
I,' trench systems. on which much
n'd been expended. but they con-
''l OF Isolated sections of trenches,
wire 'D'anEements and OF chicken
'Lr suspended between trees The
~" was covered by the thick brush
no obstacles could not be discov-
e''' uni. TIE troops came into immedi-
s.c contact with them. Active defence
.n'Se organizations consisted OF ma
me guns, grenade throwers and trench
ne night brigade and the right regi-
iLen, % the left brigade were stopped
:, 'nelr advance as previously stated;
~" l"r regiment OF the left brigade
@pS'h), broke through the organiza-
ms In its front and continued the ad-
'"h'e' reaching the objective set for the