Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-01-30
Continued from Second Page

nam soldiers crossed the road from
rossoy to Crczancy except as II pris-
.,ncr of war. and by noon the following
day (July 16) there were no Germans
IN the foreground Of the Third division
sector except the dead"
On this occasion Il single regiment
n, the Third division wrote one of the
most brilliant pages in our military
annals. 1t prevented the crosSin: at
certain points on its front. while on
either flank the Germans who had
~,incd a footing pressed forward. Our
men, firing In three sections. met~the
German attacks with counter attacks
,t critical points nnd succeeded in
,hrowing two German divisions into
..,mpictc cOnfusicn. capturing 600
prisoners.
The selection by the Germans Of
.l,c Champagne sector and the east
,rn and southern faces Of the Marine
rcclct on which to make their Often
s;yr was fortunate for the allies. as It
favored the launching OF the counter
,ltack already planned. There were
now over 100000 American troops in
france. which provided considerable
force of reserves. Every American d.
vision with any sort OF training was
,oade available Cor use in II counter
offensive.
General Petalu's ini;ia! plan for the
countcr.attacks involved the entire
western face OF the Marine salient
The First and Second American livi-
sions. with the First French Moroccan
division between them, were employed
as the spearhead of the main attack,
driving directly eastward. through the
most sensitive portion of the German
lines. to the heights south of scissors.
The advance began on July Is. without
,ne usual brief warning of Il prclim-
mary bombartlment. and these three d..
visions at q single bound broke through
i.r encmy'S defenSes and Ovcrran
his artillery. cutting or interrupting
the German communications lead
inc into the salient. 4 general
Withdrawal from the Marine was inlme-
dia,cly hogan by the enemy, who still
fought s!nhbornly to prevent disaster
TOOK Rerzy-ie-See.
The First division. throughout four
days of constant fighting, advanced IL
kllomcters. capturing Berzy-le-Sec
and the heights about scissors and
taking some $500 prisoners and IS
field guns from the seven German di-
visions employed against 1t. 1t was
relieved by British division. The
Second division advanced eight kilo-
meters in the first &c hours, and by
IN. end OF the second day was facing
trsny. having captured 5000 prison
rrS and &C field guns. 1t was relieved
The night OF the 10Th by a French divi-
sion. The result Of this counterfeit
fcnsive was of decisive Importance.
Die to the magnificent dash and power
displayed on the field Of scissors by
our First and Second divisions, the
tide of war was definitely turned in
favor of the allies.
Other American divisions partici-
pated in the Marine countcr-offensive.
A little to the south the Second divl-
sion the Fourth was in line with tho
French. and was engaged until July
30. The first American corps, Maj.
Gen. Hunter Liggett commanding,
with the Twenty-sixth division and q
French division. acted as pivot of
the movement toward scissors, cap
turing Torcy on the 18th and reaching
the ChatcauThierry-S Scissors rond on
the 2lst At the same time the Sec
ond division crossed the Marne and
took the heights Of Mount st. Pere
aud the villages Of Charteves and
Iaulgonnc.
In the First corps the Forty-second
division relieved the Twenty.sixth OH
July % and extended It's front. on the
18th relieving the French division
From this time until August 2 it
fought Its way through the Forest do
Fere and across the Ourcq. advancing
toward the Vesle until relieved by the
Fourth division on August 8. Early
IN his period elements Of the Twenty
"shth division participated 10 the ad-
vance.
Forced Enemy Back.
Further to the east the Third divi-
sion forced the enemy back to Ron
chcr's wood, where 1t was relieved
on July 30 by, the Thirty-second diyi.
SION from the Fosges front. The Thirty.
second, after relieving the Third and
some elements Of the Twenty-eightll
on The line Of the Ourcq river advanced
abreast Of the Forty-sccond toward
me Vesle. On Aug. 3 it passed under
control of our Third corps, Major Gen.
robert j.. Billiard commanding, which
maze It's first appearance In battle AZ
,'l'" time, while the Fourth division
LOOK UP the task Of the Forty-second
"'''Sion and advanced with the Thirty
>''"hd 10 the Neslc river, where, on
,l'S t. the operation for tho reduc-
Won OF the Marine salient terminated.
~ The hard fighting from July 1S to
N"G the Germans were NOT only