Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-05

523, 600 rifles in July than in March.
This was accounted for almost en-
tirely By the great increase in the num-
bers of Americans. The French and
British had not been able to add to
their strength, but, on the contrary, they
were being reduced faster than the Ger
mans.
One thing pertinent to this situation
was that the American reinforcementS,
despite their hackwardnesS in training,
were better soldiers because of their
youth, their Vigor and their enthusiasm,
and they were not at ali war-weary
The allies now had the necessary adj
vantage in numbers that they had been
waiting for, and the time had come to
make full use of the Americans, some
divisions to enter the battle and others
to relieve allied units from quiet sectors
50 that they could go to active fronts.
Favored Counter-Attack.
The German offensive south of
Rheims, July 1915, having been
checked, the moment was favorable for
an allied counter Intensive. The Selec-
ton by the Germans of the Champagne
sector and the eastern and southern
faces of the Marine pocket on which to
make their offensive was fortunate for
the allies, as it favored the counter
attack auedCy pIanneQ.
We shall now see the reason for the
concentration of several American di-
visions southwest of scissors. Some Of
them were available for use in the main
counter-stroke, to be delivered by the
French 10th Army, under Mangin. The
American 1st and I'd Divisions were
hastily assembled to form the American
Sd Corps, under Gen. Billiard. But his
corps staff had not yet been fully or
ganized and these divisions, by his di-
rection, under discretionary authority
given by me, became a part of the
French goth Corps, commanded by Gen.
Berdoulat.
This corps then was composed Of
these two divisions and the French LIST
Moroccan Division, which had hne
reputation, and was assigned to the
most important position in the attack,
ON the left center of the 10th Army.
The three divisions mentioned had the
| honor of being the spear-head OF the
| thrust against the vulnerable flank OF
| the salient. The line of advance ran
eastward over the commanding plateau
| just south of scissors, and across the
main road leading from that place to
Chateau Thierry.
Troops Lost En- Route.
The LIST had recently been relieved
from the Cantigny sector and was en-
route to a rest area. It was scattered
throughout the Dammartin area, just
north of MeauX, when 1t received orders
July Is to move by truck to the front.
After hurried departure, the advance
troops arrived at dawn the 10Th at
the Forest Of RetZ Cor Forest OF Villers
Cotterets), and during the night the di-
vision moved to the front Of the forest.
,irrtaA nf Ttalx fnFufo r
over muddy and congeSted roads, the
columns of infantry working their way
TO the front, where they arrived in the
nick of time.
The I'd Division was at Montreuil-
aux-LionS in reserve of the 1st Corps,
recuperating, when the order came on
the 14th TO move by truck toward
the front. Dawn July II found the in
| fantry and machine gun elements ar
irving at the Forest Of Villers- Cotterets.
! The night OF the 18th the move
ment toward the front, through the
| forest, was made with extreme difficulty.
/ The narrow roads became damned,
| troops lost their direction and there
was serious doubt whether they would
| be at their line of departure at the ap-
! pointed hour ABS am. the 18th.
With most commendable energy and
| initiative, the officers led their COM
mands forward during the night, wind
| ing in and out through the almost in
| eXtricable snarls Of wheeled vehicles.
One Of the battalions assigned to lead
! in the attack, though on the march
most of the night. was formed to move
| on the run for the last few hundred
yards, and just reached its place as the
| barrage started.
Zone unnecessary, cause of delay re-
ported was that the French officer in
charge of the truck trains insisted upon
counting the number of men carried
and obtaining receipts for their trans
| portation. Harbord: Leaves From a
War Diary" p. 321).
Scarcely ANY Roads.
The I'd Division headquarters found
| itself July Is with no knowledge of the
terrain and little obtainable from any
! source. Harbord and his chief OF staff,
Col Preston Brown, started for the front
and accidentally ran into the headquar-
| tiers Of TIE goth Corps. They there found
| the directive for the attack, from which
TREY issued the divisions orders.
The country over which the Goth
| Corps attacked cons 'sted of a succession
of wooded ravineS that lay across the
i line of advance, with scarcely any roads
| leading toward the front. The enemys
! main defenses along the ridges of the
| Scissors plateau were naturally strong,
and with the added Entertainments the
enemy evidently felt himself reasonably
| secure. It was harvest time and the
| ripening wheat that covered the rolling
| landscape gave excellent cover for the
| ensmy's infantry and machine guns,
but it also helped to hide our advance.
| Without the usual preliminary artil-
| lery preparation. the assaulting battal-
ions, accompanied by light tanks,
| plunged forward behind the barrage.
The enemy was caught by surprise and
the LIST and I'd Divisions, CALAMITY sup
ported by the Moroccan Division in the
center soon oyerran his forward posi-
tons and broke through the zone of his
light artillery. Though constantly con-
fronted by fresh enemy troops, this
corps took the lead in the advance and
its progress was most satisfactory. By
noon it had captured half of the great
plateau IN its front. with msny prison
ers, and a little later forward elements
reached the days objective.
Gained Ground Slowly.
The I'd Division encountered strong
oppos ton at Very. IL a determined
effort launched after pm. the town
was captured and a line overlooking the
Valley Of the Crise was occupied. The
LIST Division had carried everything
before it, capturing deferied farm
houses anc other points where It met
stiff resistance, finally taking Missy.
aux-Bois and holding a front line
slightly beyond that town. The line
ran diagonally across the Paris-Soisson:
road.
The attack Of the corps was resumed