The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1920-01-09


armies in northern France were de-
pendent upon two great railway sys-
TENS o in The north. passing through
Liege. while HE other 10 the south,
with lines coming from Luxembourg
ThionyllIe and Metz. had as its vital
section the line CarIgnan-Sedan-Aez-
leres. No other important lines were
available 10 the enemy. as the noun
taInous masses of the Ardennes made
the construction Of east and wesi lines
through thai region Impracticahle.
Begin Victorious Advance.
On the night Of September 20 the
nine divisions 10 lead 10 the attack
were deployed between the Mense
river anu the western edge Of the Ar
ronne forest. on the right was the
Third corps, Major General Billiard
commanding. with the 1hirtythird'
Eightiath and Fourth divisions In line ;
next came the Fifth corps. Major Gen
eral Cameron commanding. with the
Seventy.nimh. Thiriy-seventh and
Ninety-tirsl divisions on the left was
the First corps. Major General Llggett
commanding with the T%hirty-hfth.
T~weniy-eighth and Seventy-seventh d.
vision Each corps had one division IN
reserve and the simy held three dlyi.
sIons as 4 general reserve. About
2.TO0 guns. lS9 small teaks. l42
manned by Americans, and S2i air.
planes. f04 manned by Americans.
we're concentrated To support the NJ
tack 81 The infantry. We thus had a
superiority ii guns and aviation. and
the enemy had no tanks.
Following three hours OF violent ar
tillery fire ~ preparation the infan'
try advanced ut l:30 a. m. OH Sepiem-
Der &c, accompanied by tanks. Dur
ing die first TWO days of the attack. he
fore the enemy was able TO bring up
his reserves. our troops made steady
progress through the network OF the
defenses. Montraucon was held tena-
clonSty hY the enemy and was not cap
tured until moon Of the second day.
The attack continued without In.
%ierruptinn. meeting six new divisions
which the enemy threw into first line
before September 20. He developed
a powerful machine gun defense sup
ported by heavy artillery fire. and
made frequent cou~nter-attacks with
fresh troops. particularly Oh the
from Of the Twenty-elghth and Thirty.
ffth div.sions. These divisions had
taken N%arennes, Cheppy. Baulny and
Charpeetry. and the line vas within
two Kilometres OF Apremont. We we're
no longer engaged In a maneuver for
the p%lnching out Of a salient. but we're
necessarily committed. generally speak
Ing. ia a direct frontal attack against
strong. hostile positions fully manned
BY q determined enemy.
Al $40 n M, October 4, the gen
eraI attack was renewed. The enemy
divisions on the front from FreSnes.en-
Woeyre TO the Argonne had Increased
from ten in first line to sixteen. and
Included some Of his best Divisions.
The lighting was desperate aud only
small advances we're realized. except
BIZ The first division on the right OF
the First corps.
On the 9TH the First corps. with the
Ei%ghtysecond division added. launched
o strong attack toward Cornay, IS
attention from tie movement
east Of the Meuse and at the same
outhank the German position in
Argonne. The following day The
Seventeenth French corps, Major Gen
orai Claudel commanding. initiated its
attack east VI the Meuse against the
exact point on which the German
must pivot In order to with
from northern France. The
troops encountered elaborate fortIf-
and stubborn resistance. but
by nightfall had realized an advance
n six kilometers to a line well within
Bots de Cohsenvoye. and lnclud.
the villages OF Beaumont and
Haumont.
Foe Fought stubbornIy.
Continuous fighting a maintained
along u entire battle front. with es-
necial success on the extreme LEFT.
the capture OF the greater part
Of the Argonne forest was completed.
The enemy contested every foo, Of
ON our front. In order
% make more rapid retirements far.
west and withdraw his forces
IRON northern France before the inter.
Of his railroad communica.
ions through Sedan,
We We're confronted at this time
by an lasnMciency OF replacement 10
up exhausted divisions. We still
iad two divisions with the British and
Two With the French. A review NJ the
situation. American and allied. espe.
'ially rs 10 u own resources IN men
for The mex, two m0uths conyinead
me ihai The attack Of the Firsl army
nd The allied armies farther Was,
should he pushed to the limit. But
The First army WAS to continue lis
aggressive tactics, our divisions then
win the French must be recalled ind
.'eplaeements must he obtained ~
'reasing ~ newly arrived divisions.
10 discussing the withdrawal or onr
divisions from the French with Mar.
maj foch and General PetaIn on oc,