Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1921-12-21
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER p. 1921.
THE FIRST DIVISION

The War Departments order
transferring the First Division. L..
S. A., from Camp Dix. ~ j.. to
Camp Meade. Maryland, where it
will establish permanent head
quarters. will give Annapolis a
very distinguished neighbor
During the war this Division
composed OF the 10th. 18th. 10Th
and 2Sth Infantry Regiments. the
9TH, 9th and eth Field Artillery
Regiments, together with auxil-
larry troops, made the greatest
record of all the combat divisions
of the American EXpcditionary
Forces, and its achievements will
live in our history forever. 1t has
been praised. decorated and cited
in orders many times, and was in
deed the cor d'clitc of the Army.
Not only was it first in name
but il was the first American mill
tary organization to arrive iii
France, the first To take its place
on Tthet Battlefront, the first TO
carry out an offensive operation
and it suffered the highest mum
Der OF casualties and took part in
every offensive operation of the
war.
II was formed directly after we
dcclarcd war, its units. which
were regiments OF the regular
army. being concentrated and i'm
mediatcly sent to France. On
July /. 1915. one OF its batlalions
paradcd the streets of Paris thus
demonstrating for the first time
that American troops were actual
" i'll France and that American
aid was an assured fact.
After 4 period of training and
adjustment to the requirements Of
position warfare the Division. in
January. 1918. took over a sector
of the front northeast of foul. be-
ing the first American troops in
the line 1t remained on this
front until March p. 1918. when
it was relieved and sent north
west of Paris in reserve. Just al
this time, however. the great Ger
man offensive was launched and
ON April 25. 1918, the Division
was again sent into the line relicv-
ing two French divisions. On
May 25th it attacked and captured
the town and heights of Cantigny
For three days following the as
sault the Germans concentrated
the fire of all their guns on the
position held by the division. and
launched counter-attack after
Counter-attack against it but the
First held every inch OF ground
gained and finally the desperate
attacks ceased.
This was the first offensive en-
ployment OF American troops in
the war and the moral effect OF
the victory was stimulating to the
entire Army
-After this splendid success the
Division was relieved and sent to
the Chateau Ilnerry. front where
the German offensive of July 18th
found it. Here it was placed un-
der the. command of General Pc
tain OF France, and when he
launched counter-attack 10 the
German offensive on July 18th the
First. together with the Second
American Division. and the First
French Moroccan Division. form
ed the Spearhead of his attack.
driving eastward south of Sois-
sons. In this action the First Di-
vision was engaged throughout
four days of continuous lighting.
advanced approximately seven
miles, capturing Berzy-lec-See
and the heights OF scissors, $500
prisoners and IS field guns. Gen
cral PerShing in his official re-
port states. Due TO the magnitl-
cent dash and power displayed on
the field OF scissors by our First
and Second Divisions the tide OF
war was definitely turned IN