Evening star., 1924-09-28

Heavy bombardment was their lot,
| but they held true to form.
The town of Cantigny stood on
rise of ground in the German salient,
| All observation post of inestimabIe
value to the enemy. 1t had been
captured and recaptured twice. and
it was yet to see further desperate
| fighting. The allied high command
the town.
After hot fighting the whole gar
rison was captured and the town held
against the most determined attacks
| of the enemy at cost of over 1000
men. 1t was momentous achieve
ment. not in magnitude. but in in
fuence. for the Americans in that
desperate engagement revealed the
temper of their steel. Consequently, a
spirit of confidence grew, not only in
the American forces but in the allied
| ranks as well, for C4ntigny was a
crucible test that showed the pure
gold of genuine capacity for service.
Much merited praise from those high
| in command fell to the division as
| reward for their fearless courage
under a murderous fire from the
German guns.
With the enemy moving ever closer
to Paris, the French troops were
withdrawn from the Cantigny sector.
| thus lengthening the area under
American defense. The renewed ac-
tVity of the Germans made Picdrdy
a lively place. but the 1st Division
yielded no ground, the French re-
serves checking the offensive launch
ed against the sector.
There were hardships in Picardy.
There was no issue of new clothing
in exchange for the lice-infested old
garments, no water for bathing, and
| only one meal day. To one OF a
Spartan mind, it was excellent train
ing for the great battles the future
had in store for the division.
Leonidas himself might well have
been proud of men the counterpart
of these youthful Americans.
Their young patriotism must cele-
! brate July in some fashion, so they
gave a horse show and held many
contest, awarding prizes to the win
ners. War might be hell. but these
dauntless first crusaders possessed
! and never yielded an unQuenchabIe
| fiery enthusiasm for the cause for
, which they were fighting. The beauty
of the Summer, with its fields Of
| flowers, its singing birds and it's
meadows green with grass for the
half-starved horses, warmed their
| hearts. Theirs was a gay young
| voice. singing through the halls of
death, for their casualty list for
| Picardy was close to 5000.
The proved efficiency of the divi-
sion dedicated the men to greater
| efforts, and Marshal Foch included
them in his magnificent but costly
| counter offensive against the enemy
in the Marine salient.
! 1t will be recalled how the Ger
mans in July, 1918, had pushed for
ward as far as the Marne, between
scissors and Rheims, their objective
/ being Paris. They were flushed with
recent victories, they were confident
of success, and their morale was
wellnigh perfect. Their advance
must be stopped, else all was lost for
the allied cause. A powerful often
sive attack, therefore, was planned
against scissors by the Goth Corps,
| composed of the 1st American Divi-
sion, the End American Division and
the 1st Moroccan Division.
! With great difficulty, the men and
supplies were brought into position
! for attack, the terrain being waist
i high in wheat and bordered with ra-
| vines in whose farther heights the
German forces lay intrenched.
| The fate Of the war hung on that
battle. 1t was to be added to the
| few decisive battles in world history.
Both sides knew it, and both sides
prepared to win at any cost. 1t be-
gan on July 1S and ended on July %.
So terrific was the fighting and so
merciless the rain of metal that when
| it was over and the pale shadows of
men gathered in batta1ions SO re-
| duced that they looked like COM
panies, a weird silence brooded over
! the groups, for so many of the ia
Iniliar faces were gone never to re-
turn. For the living, a little food
from the rolling kitchens, little
music from the band, and then the
sleep of exhaustion after their giant
J task was done. for the enemy had be.