Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-20

DAt1E MISUNDERSTANDING OP
ened the morning Of September
as. To call it a battle may be
a misnomer, yet it was battle,
the greatest. the most prolonged
In American history. Through az days
we we're engaged In persistent strug-
gle with the enemy to smash through
his defenses.
The attack started on front Of "a
miles, which gradually extended until
the enemy was being actively assalleo
from the Argonne Forest to the Moselle
River, 80 miles.
In all, more than 100000 men were
employed, and the attack was driven 80
miles to the north and IA miles to the
northeast before the armistice termi-
mated hostilities. The numbers engaged.
the diverse character of the fighting
and the terrain, the numerous crises
and the brilliant featS of individuals
and units make detailed description
Of the battle extremely complicated and
necessarily confusing to the reader
The outstanding fact that l desire
70 emphasize Is that, once started, the
battle was maintained continuously, ag-
gressiyely and relentlessly to the end.
Aimed to End War.
All difficulties we're overriden in one
tremendous sustained effort to term1-
DdUe Tie Wal bAlCAl IA4SAS a. % '@~
torious manner.
After three hours violent artillery
ureparation the attack began at $50
am. At the same time, to divert the
enemy's attention elsewhere, local raids
and demonstrations we're made on the
Neuse-M oselle front, The French 4th
Army (Gouraud), to our left on the
west of the Argonne Forest, began us
attack half an hour later.
IaA NrNay1rd for0rnhlV orr At
tack at that particular place and at
that time evidently came as a surprise
to the enemy, and our troops were en-
abled quickly to overrun his forward
positions.
The vast network of undestroyed
barbed wire, the deep ravines, dense
woods and heavy fog made 1t dificult
TO coordinate the movements OF the
assaultinp infantry. especially OF some
divisions in battle for the first time, yet
the advance throughout was extremely
The Sd Corps CBullard), nearest the
Meilse carried the enen1y'S second posi-
tion before dark. The $50 Division
(BeID. wheeling to the right as IT ad-
vanced. occupied the west bank OF the
Neuse to protect the flank OF the Army
The Bots de FORCES, with It's dlrnculI
terrain and strong machine gun de-
lenses, was carried in splendid fashion.
The right of the Both Div-s SION
(Cronkhite) had by noon cleared the
Bots Jure in the FACE of heavy macnne
Q1In fire and established its line north
Of Dannevoux. On its left. after an all
day fight. the division forced its way
through the strong positions on Hill 2b2
and reached the northern slopes OF tnat
hill
The 4tf1 Division (Iines). on the left
Of the Scth. took Septsarges and firmly
established itself in the woods to the
north. It was abreast of Nantillois and
its left was more than mile beyond
Montfaucon, but through some mlslnter-
probation of the orders by the Sd Corps
the opportunity To capture Montfau-
con that day was lost. Three counter
attacks against the division during the
afternoon were broken up.
Resistance Desperate.
In the center. the 5th Corps Cam
eron). with the exception of the 9lst
Division (Johnston), on its left, fell
short of its cbiectives.
The 79th Division (Kuhn), on the
right of the corps, took Malancourt, but
in the open ground beyond encountered
considerable opposition, and the ad-
vanced elements were not in position
before Montfaucon until late afternoon.
The attack of the division launched
against this strong point early in the
evening was met by the fire OF artillery
and machine guns from the southern
slopes Of the hill, which held up further
progress.
The 37th Division (Farnsworth), in
the center OF the 5th Corps, after over
coming heavy machine gun fire, pushed
through the Bots de Montfaucon, and its
attacks in the afternoon carried the line
up to and west of Montfaucon. The left
Of its line, facing stiff opposition,
cleaned up the woods in its front and
established itself Just south of IVORY.
The 91st Division (Johnston) over
came strong initial resistance and ad-
vanced rapidly to Epinonyille. which it
entered but did not hold. Crossing into
the sector of the 35th Division during
the day. 1t occupied Very.
On the left OF the Army the lst
Corps Liggett) mace excellent prog
reSs. The 35th Division CTraubl. clev-
erly captured the strong position Of
Vauuuois and took Chepy against stub
born opposition. Elements of the divi-
sion reached the corps objective east Of
Charpentry but were soon withdrawn
TO line west Of Very On the eft the
division captured that part Of Iarennes
east of the Aire River but was held UP
between Varennes and Chepy. At this
time fresh regiment took the lead CIV
ing a new impetus to the attack, and
pushed the line forward to the high
ground south Of Chsrpsntry.
In the 26th Division Muir the right
brigade captured the western half of
Varennes and continued about a mile
S1w Lac kvf~vo IL he