Gunnison news-champion., 1920-01-23
An American Army.

An American Army.
A further conference at Marshal
Foch's headquarters was held on Sep
tember 2 at which General Pefain
was present After discussion. the
question OF employing the American
army ~ unit was conceded. All the
allied armies were to be employed in
Q converging action.
II should be recorded that although
this general offensive was fully out
lined at the conference no one present
expressed the opinion that the final
victory could be won In 1918. In fact.
II was believed by the Meuse-Argonne
attack could not be pushed much be-
yond Monfaucon before the arrival OF
winter would force q cessation Of op-
erati0ns.
The choice between the two sectors,
that east OF the Aisne. including the
Argonne forest. or the Champagne
sector. was left to me. In my opinion.
no other allied troops had the morale
or the offensive spirit to overcome
successfully the difficulties to be met
In the Meuse-ArRonne sector. and our
plans and installations had been pre-
pared for al expansion Of operations
In that direction. So the Meuse-Ar-
eonne front was chosen. The entire
eector Of $50 kilometers Of front ex.
tending from POrt-sur- Seille. east Of
the Moselle. west to include the Ar
gonne forest, was. accordingly placed
under my command. Including all
French divisions then in that zone.
The first American army was to pro-
coed with the St. Mihiel operation.
after which the operation between the
Meuse and the western edge Of the
Argonne forest was to be prepared
and launched not later than Septem-
ber %.
On the night Of September II the
troops Of the first army were deployed
In position. On the southern face Of
the salient was the first corps. Ma
jor General Liggett commanding, with
the eighfy-second. ninetiefh. fifth and
second divisions In line. extending
from the Moselle westward.
On Its left was the fourth corps.
Mai. Gen. Joseph 7. DIckman COM
mnndIng. with the eighty-ninth. forty
second and frst divisions. the left OF
this corps being opposite Montsec.
These two army corps were TO deliver
the principal attack. the line pivOting
on the center division Of the 6rst
CORPS The first division on the left
Of the fourth corps. was charged with
the double mission Of covering its own
flank while advancing some twenty
kilometers due north toward the heart
Of the salient. where II was TO make
contact with the troops Of the nfth
corps.
On the western face Of the salient
lay the NTH corps. MAI. Gen. George
n. Cameron commanding. with the
twenty sixth division. fifteenth French
Colonial division and the fourth d.
vision in line. from MouiIly west to
Les Eparges and north to wantron-
Vile. OF these three divisions the
twenty-sixth alone was to make q
deep advance directed southward to-
ward vigneuiles. The French division
was to make short progression to
the edge Of the heights In order to
cover the left Of the twenty-sixth.
The fourth division was not to ad-
vance.
In the center between our fourth
and nth army corps, was the SECOND
French Colonial corps. Mai. Gen. E. J.
Blondlat commanding. covering front
Of 40 kilometers with three small
French divisions. These troops were
to follow up the retirement Of the en-
emy from the tip Of the salient.
At dawn on Sept. II. after four hours
Of violent artillery FIRE of preparation
and accompanied by small tanks. the
infantry of the first and fourth corps
advanced. The Infantry Of the fifth
corps commenced Its advance at 8 a.
M. The operation was carried out with
entire precision. Just after daylight
on Sept. Is elements Of the frsf and
fwenty-sixfh divisions made junction
near HattonchateI and vigneulles,
eighteen kilomefers northeast Of 81.
Mihiel. The rapidity with which our
diviAi0ns advanced overwhelmed the
enemy and MI objectives were reached
~ The afternoon Of Sept. u. We cap
tured neariy 160o0 psisosern. 90 gum
and large stores Of material and sup.
plies. Tle energy ard swtllness uitk
which he opes1tion was carried OH
enabled - to smother opposition "a
such an extent thaf ~ suffered lesl
than 1000 casuaittes during the actual