Gunnison news-champion., 1920-01-23

ruption cf his railroad ccmmunIca-
lions fhfburh Sedan.
We were confronted at this time
by an insufiiciency Of replacement TO
build M exhausted divisions. We still
had two divisions with the Rritish and
TWO vifh the French. A review Of the
situation. American and allied. esp<-
rislly ~ to our owu resources In men
for the next two months. convinced
me that the attack Of the First army
and the allied armies farther west
should be pushed to the limit. But
II the First army was to continue Its
aggressive tactics. our divisions then
with the French must be recalled and
replacements must be obtained By
breaking up newly arrived divisions.
In discussing the Withdrawal Of our
divisions from the French with Mar.
shai roch and General Petnin on DC
preciatIon Of the fact that the First
army was striking the pivot OF the
German withdrawal. and also held the
view that the allied attack should
continue. General Pc'ain agreed that
the American divisions with the
French were essential to us II we
were to maintain our battle against
'he German pivot. The French were
however. straining every nerve to keep
up their attacks. and before those di.
visions with the French had been re-
leased II became necessary for us to
send the Thirty-seventh and Ninety
first divisions from the First army to
assist the Sixth French army In Elan.
ders.
First Army Of 1000. goo.
Al this time the First army was
holding n front Of more than 100 kllo.
meters: Its strength exceeded 1000.
oO0 men: u was engaged In the most
desperate battle OF our history. and
the burden OF command was too heavy
for sIlngie commander and star
Therefore on October II that portion
OF our front extending from Port-sur-
Seilic. east OF the Moselie. 10 Fresnes-
en-Woevre. southeast of Verdun. was
transferred to the newly constituted
Second army with Lieut.. Gen. Robert
L.. Bullard In command. under whom
II begnn preparations for the extern
sion Of operptions Ia the east In the
direction Of 'Briey and Metz. On Oc-
fober 10 the command Of the First
army was transferred to Lieut.. Gen.
Hunter Liggett. and my advance head.
quarters was established at Ligny-en.
Bnrrois. from which the command Of
the group OF American armies was ex-
ercixed.
Summarizing the material results
which had been attained by the First
army by the end Of October. we had
met an increasing number OF Ger
fnany's best divisions. rising from 20
In line and reserve on September 20
10 81 on October 81; the enemy's einb-
orntely prepared positions. including
the HIndenburg line. In our front had
been broken; the almost impossible
Argonne forest was 10 our hands; an
advance Of 81 kilometers had been ef-
feried; $4,000 prisoners. $40 cannon.
1000 machine guns and n mass Of mn.
terial captured: and IN. great railway
artery through Carignan to Sedan was
now seriously threatened.
On the morning Of November I
three army corps were in line between
Ethe Meuse river md the BoIs de Bour.
gogne. Preceded by two hours of vio-
lent artillery preparation the infantry
advanced, closely followed by '.accom-
| panying guns"
| BY nighifaiI the Fifth corps. in the
center. had realized an advance OF al.
most nine kilometers. to the BoIs de
IN Folle. and had completed the cap
ture Of the heights of Barricourt
while the Third corps. on the right
had captured Aincreville and Ande
vanne. Our troops had broken through
the enemy's last defense. captured his
artillery positions and had precipi
fnted q retreat Of the German force
about to be isolated In the forest
north Of Grandpre.
The following day the advance con
iinued toward Sedan with increasing
swiftness.
Munitions.
L
with few Of the auxlIiaries necessary
for Its conduct In the modern sense
The task of the ordnance department
In supplying artillery was especially
difficult. In order to meet our require
ments as rapidly as possible we nc
cepfed the offer Of the French govern
ment to supply us With the artillery
equipment Of 75's. 1856 MIN. howitSers
and 1856 @. r. r. guns from their own
factories for 30 divisions. The wis.
dom Of this course was fully demon.
strated by the fact that although we
~OOn began the manufacture Of these
cihsses of guns nj home there were
no guns Of American manufacture Of
The calibers mentioned on our front at
the date Of the armIstice.
The only guns OF these types pro
duced AT home which reached France
before the cessation Of hostiiities were
i09 u nm. guns.
I