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

part, forwarded the following COM
munication to General Edwards:
wi Army
No. 1858 Army. July %. 1918.
From: General DEGOCTTE. Com
handing the With Army.
To: General EDWARDS. Command
ing the 26th American Division.
The operations carried out by the
Goth American Division from July
18th to July cath demonstrated the
fine soldierly qualities Of this unit
and the worth Of its leader. General
EDWARDS.
Cooperating in the attack north of
the MARINE, the 2sth Division fought
brilliantly on the line TORCY. BEL
LEAU. at MONTHIERS. EPIEDS,
and TRUGNY and in the Forest OF
FERE. advancing more than Is kilo-
meters in depth in spite of the des-
perate resistance of the enemy.
1 take great pleasure in communi-
eating to General EDWARDS and
his valiant division this expression
of my great esteem together with my
heartiest congratulations for the
manner in which they have served
the common cause.
DEGOCTTE.
BY command of
Major General EDWARDS:
w. S. BOWEN.
Lieutenant Colonel, G. s.
Acting Chief of Staff.
Official:
c. A. STEVENS.
Adjutant General.
Adjutant."
issued the following order to the
troops under mis- command:
HEADQUARTERS IS DIVISION
American Expeditionary Force
France. August 2, 1915
GENERAL ORDERS:
TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF
THE 26th DIVISION:
On july 18th you entered. as part
of the Allied drive against the enemy
upon the offensive and continued the
offensive combat until the major por-
ton of the command was relieved on
July 2oth.
On the assumption of the offensive
your position in the line demanded
an important and difficult vancouver
Your success in this was immediate
and great, and the way in which
you executed it elected high praise
from the French Army commander.
The eight days from July 18th to
25th. marking the first great advance
against the enemy in which Ameri-
can troops bore proportionately a
considerable share, are sure Of his
torical setting. Your part therein
can never be forgotten. In those
eight days you carried your line as
far as any part of the advance was
carried. TORCY, BELLEAC. CIV
RY. the YOURSELVES WOODS,
ROCKET ..'OODS, Hill 1870 overlook
ing CHATEAU HIERRY, ETRE-
PILLY. EPIEDS. TRUGNY, and fin
ally LA FERE WOODS and the OBJ
iective, the JAULGONNE-FERE EN-
TARDENOIS Read. belong to your
arms. You are the recipient of
praise. thanks. and congratulations
of our commander-in-ch You
"Nhs oHnhA oAa AAAso lhO A0Cc VI the ell
emy's fire; you forced him to with
draw before you. or to accept the al
tentative of hand to hand combat, in
which you proved yourselves morally
and physically his superior, you gave
freely and gave much Of your
strength, and Of your blood and your
lives, until pushed beyond mere ply
steal endurance. fighting night and
day. you still forced yourselves for
ward. sustained almost by spirit
alone.
These things are now part of your
own consciousness. Nothing can de-
tract from them. Nothing that 1 can
say can add to them. But 1 can tes-
tify in this way to my pride in COM
manding such troops, SO capable Of
achieving success in every undertake
ing: and this testimony I give to each
of you gladly and withs deep Erati.
tude.
(SignedD c. r. Edwards.
G. r. EDWARDS,
Major General. Commanding."
When last heard from, the division
was enjoying a well-earned rest, in a !
part OF France unsecured by the
great war.--in the Golden Hills
famous for rich wines, dotted. with
quaint villages, ana inhabited by
smiling French peopl.s vvho cou,. a.