The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-07

Mouse, to drive the enemy from the
north Of verdun. Accordingly recop-
naiSsances were made and q confer
| ence was held by the division COM
mander with the French corps and
division commanders, in Verdun.
On September 20. the division was
attached to the First American Army
corps During the night and the fol-
lowing day, it was hurried forward
to relieve the 35th American division,
which occupied the right of the line
OF the First corps. The relief was
affected during the night OF Septem-
Der 30-October /. The front occupied
4 kilometers, extending from the Aire
river along the Apremont-Ec lisfon-
tame road to Eclisfontaine. The
enemy held line south of the Mon
trebeau by the 5th Guard division and
the Sind division both OF which were
practically fresh and possessed of
high morale. During the succeeding
three days, the First division pro-
tected itself in fox holes and trenches,
but the hostile fire was so intense that
the daily casualties amounted to 500
men. To support the division. there
were S4-75 m/m guns and S5-155 m/m
guns. Although greatly inadequate
for the task, the artillery used its
guns with a maximum of power anu
Shili. ~ 10 q tliphtS, iAoS oiily " thC
infantry. but to the artillery, that
SO much was accomplished with less
than one7half the artillery that was
necessary for such an undertaking.
At daylight, on October 4, the First
American army attacked and the First
division advanced without artillery
preparation. 1t was preceded by
thin rolling barrage and accompanied
by few tanks. The fighting was even
more desperate than at scissors. as
the German troops had orders to hold
their positions to the death The
enemy served his machine guns until
they were overrun, and his artillery
| fire was intense ard accurate. The
First brigade swept over the 5th
Guard division in the Montrebeau
woods. following the barrage across
| the Exermont Ravine. and secured
and held the high ground Just south of
F'leville, which was the left of the
days objective The Montrefane was
the scene Of desperate fighting and 1t
changed hands twice during the day.
On the right the Second brigade ad-
vanced to the north side of the Exer-
mont Ravine. where 1t was met by an
overwhelming machine gun fire and
the line could proceed no further.
AT night, the 18th infantry, on the
RICH. of the First brigade refused its
flank along the west slope OF the
Montrefagne. to connect with the Sec
ond brigade at the Exermont Ravine.
/ The situation was similar to that at
the end of the first day at scissors.
In addition to the hostile fire from
the front. the division was exposed
to deadly raking fire of artillery
from the Argonne on its left flank,
and suffered heavy casualties. The
10th infantry, on the left, dug in and
held doggediy to the ground which
1t had gained. and pushed patrols in
to the town OF Flevi1le.
OCTOBER 5TH
The assault was renewed ut day
light on the 5th. The 18th infantry
drove the enemy from Montrefagne,
and the Second brigade. assisted by ali
the artillery OF the division. advanced
TO the line of the First brigade. SO
that at night, the front was along
a line south OF Flevilie and north OF
Montrefagne.
On October 7th. the Second brigade
swung forward to the north of the
Ferrne d'Arietal and occupied fftti
269, for the purpose Of assisting the
division on the right. This hill was
held by a battalion of the First engt
neers. who CALAMITY repulsed a strong
enemy counter attack, in which the
engineers sustained heavy losses. The
terrain over which the division was
lighting had unusual natural strength.
The country was very rough and brok-
en- by deep ravtnes and isolated hills
that commanded all approaches. The
valleys and slopes were open while
the crests and hilItops were over
grown with woods and thick brush,
! affording excellent cover to the de-
| tenders. The enemy had dug many
| holes and had emplaccd numerous
machine guns. that swept by their
| fire the entire front. In spite of the
heavy losses, the morale Of the divi-
| sion was superb, and the determine