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

division and advanced with the Thirty.
Second "a the Yesie river. where. on
Aug 6. the operation for the reduc-
uion Of The Marne salieat terminated.
IN The bard fighting from July IS 70
Aug. 6 the Germans we're uot oniy
haIted in their advance. bur we're
driven hack from the Marine 70 the
Vesle and committed wholly to the
defensive. The forre OF American
srfS had been drought 10 hear in tIme
!" eHuhIe The last offensive OF the en-
envy 10 he crushed.
The FtrsI aud 1'hird corps now held
a continuous front 90 II kiiome,rrS
along the vesle, on aug. ~ the Seven.
ty-seventh division relieved the Fourth
sdivislon on the First corps front. aud
the following day the Twenty-eighth
relieved the Thirty-second division In
the Third corps, while FROM Ang. 8 10.
Aug, 10 rhe Sixth Infantry brigade OF
the Third division held a sector on the
river line. The transfer OF the First
corps to the Woevre was ordered at
this time. and the control OF this front
was turned gveF t the Third corps.
ON August IS Gen, Pe,ain began an
offensive between Rheims aud the
Disc Our Third corps participated 10
shss operation. crossing The vesle on
Sept. 4 with the Twenty-eIghth and
Seyentg-seventh divisions aud over
coming stubborn opposition on the pla-
teau south Of the Aisne. which was
reached by the Seyenty-seyenth on
Sept. I. Two days later the Third
corps a transferred 10 the region
OF lerdun. the Seventy-seyenth dlvi.
sion rema lining In lIne on the Aisne riv-
or until Sept. II.
The Thirty-second division. upon It's
relief from the battle on the vesle.
Joined q French corps north Of Soils.
sons and attacked from Aug. - TO
n, capturing Iuyigny after some
particularly desperate fighting aud
reaching the chauny-S oissons road.
on The British front TWO regiments
Of the Thirty.third division partici.
pated IL an attack on Hamel. July A.
and again on Aug, 8 rs an incident OF
the allied offensive against the Amlens
salient. One Of these regiments took
Gressatre wood and chipllly ridge.
capturing 700 prisoners and consider
able material.
Emergency Had Passed.
The ounter ~offensives against the
Marne salient in July and against the
Amiens salient In August had gained
such nm advantage that 1t was ap-
parent thai The emergency. which Jus
fiied The dispersion ~ our divisions, /
had passed. The moment was propi- |
tious for assembling u divisions. The
formation OF the army in the Chateau.
fhierry region ana its early transfer
10 the sector of the Woevre, which |
was 10 extend from Nomeny. east OF
the Noseile. to north Of 81. Mihiel, was
therefore decided upon by Marshal
Foch aud myself on Aug. 8. and the de-
Tails we're arranged with Gen. Petajn
iafer on the same day.
Al Bombon, on July "a. there was a
conference Of all commanders in chief
for The purpose Of considering allied
operations. Each presented proposals
FOR the employment OF the armies un.
der his command and these formed
the basis Of future cooperation 0f
rhe Niles. u was emphatieally deter
miDed that the allied attitude should
lac q n.a inialn the offensive. A. the
nrsl operation OF the American army, |
The reduction Of the salient Of 81.
Mihiel was to he undertaken as soon
as the necessary troops aud material
could be made available,
ON Aug. 20. a further discussion with
Marslmi Foch was held Of my head.
quarters at Mmy-en-Baryois Al this
meeting II WIS proposed by Marshal
Foch that The general operations as
FAR as the American army was con-
cerned should be carried out In detail
by:
tal An attack between the Meuse
and The Argonne by the Second French
army, reinforced by from four 10 six
American divisions.
(bl A French American attack. ex.
tending from the Argonne west to the
Souain road. 10 be executed on the
right by an American army astride
the Alsne and on the left by the
Fourth French army.
Ia carry out these attacks the ten
10 eleven american divisions suggested
for the 81. Mlhiel operation aud the
-four 10 six FOR the Second French army
would leave eight to ten divisions for
an American army on the Aisne. Il
was proposed that the 81. Mlhiel op.
GRAFTON should be Initiated on Sept. 10
and the other two on Sept. Is and ~
respectively.
The plan suggested for the Amer.
lean participation 10 these opera Ions
was not acceptable 10 me. because Il
would require the immediate sepan.
tion Of the recently formed first Amer
lean army into several groups main.
~ 10 assist French armies. This was
directly contrary to the principle OF
forming a distinct American army. for
which my contention had been insist.
eni. An enormous amount n ptopaa.
tion had already been made In con.
struction OF roads. railroads reguln,.
ing stations and other installations
Innklna 10 the nsn and snnhlr nf nnr