The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-08-14
CHAPTER xLll-Continued.


assault. was reinforced by machine
guns. engineers and other special units.
Additional French artillery was sent TO
assist the artillery brigade of the divis-
ion and particularly to suppress the
hostile batteries attempting TO inter-
fere with DEMONSTRATION of the new
position after it should be captured.
Yanks Splendid Under Fire.
On the morning of May %. after
)rief artillery preparation, the infan-
try advanced on a front of mile and
a quarter. The village of Cantigny
and the adjacent heights were quickly
taken. relatively heavy casualties were
inflicted on the enemy and about 300
prisoners were captured. Our troops
behaved splendidly and suffered but
slight loss in the actual attack
Events developing farther east how
ever were seriously to cOmplicate the
success. The German assault in force
against the French along the Chemin
DIES Danes, between scissors and
Rheims, began on the morning of the
Twenty-seventh and was making dan
gerous Roadway. By the morning of
the twenty-eighth the gains of the en-
envy were such that the French high
command was compelled TO relieve
much of the reinforcing artillery be-
hind the First division and transfer it
to that front.
The enemys artillery within range
of Cantigny thus became superior TO
ours and was able to concentrate a
terrific fire on the unsheltered troops
in the captured position. His reaction
against our troops was extremely vio-
lent and apparently he was determined
at all cost to cOunteract the excellent
effect the American success had pro-
duced upon the allies.
Under cover of heavy bombardment
a series of counterattacks were made
by the enemy, but our young infan-
trymen stood their ground and broke up
every attempt to dislodge them. The
regiment sustained severe casualties
from the large caliber shells poured
down upon it and had to be reinforced
by a battalion each from the Eight
eenth and Twenty-sixth regiments.
1t was a matter of pride to the whole
A. E. F. that the troops of this divi-
sion, in their first battle, and in the
unusually trying situation that fol-
lowed, displayed the fortitude and
courage of veterans, held their gains
and denied the enemy the slightest ad-
vantage.
U. S. Troops at Chateau Thierry.
The alarming situation had caused
General Petain to call on me on the
Both for American troops to be sent
TO the region of Chateau Thierry. The
Third division (Dickman), then in
training near Chaumont, being the
only division within reach, besides the
Second, was ordered TO move north i'm
mediately. Dickman started his mo-
tOrized machine-gun battalion over the
road on the afternoon of May 80. The
infantry and engineers entrained the
same night, and the divisions supply
trains marched overland.
The first element to reach Chateau
Thierry was the machine-gun battalion,
which arrived the afternoon of May 81
and Immediately went into action
against the enemy, who then held the
half of the town north of the Marine.
By daylight on June l all available
guns had been provided with cover and
were in their positions, one company
with eight guns, and another with nine
guns about 500 yards to the east,
guarding the approaches to the rail-
road bridge. From these positions they
repulsed all attempts by the Germans
TO cross the Marine.
Meanwhile, as the infantry of the
division came up on June l its bat
taliOns were put into line to reinforce
the French from Chateau Thierry east
70 Dormans. The conduct of the ma
chine-gun battalion in this operation
was highly praised by General Petain
in a citation issued later.
Stopped German Drive on Paris.
The Second division (Bundy) May 80
was near characterization and was
preparingSto move northward the next
day for concentration near Beauvais
to relieve the First division at Can
tigny. But it's orders were changed
late that night, and the division, NOV
ing by motor trucks, was rushed to-
ward Maux, twenty miles northeast of
Paris. Reaching there, the leading ele-
mentS were hurried forward in the d.
rectiOn of Chateau Thierry The roads
were crowded with French troops and
refugees There was great confusion
among the rapidly retreating French
troops many of them saying to our
men that all was lost.
The initial deployment of the Sec
ond division was made by the Ninth
infantry and the Sixth regiment of ma
rines June l. across the Paris highway
at Lucy-le-B ocage. in front of Mont
reuil-aux-Lions, supposedly in support
of two French divisions; but the
French had orders to fall back through
the American lines. In the early morn
ing of June the Twenty-third infan-
try, then on the left, was replaced by
the French One Hundred Sixty-seventb
division, and when reinforced by one
battalion of the Fifth marines, the
Fifth machine-gun battalion and some
engineers, it was deployed to the right
between the Sixth marines and the
Ninth infantry, to fill a gap in the
French line, and by June the entire
division became engaged
Considering that this was it's first
experience in battle, this division made
a splendid defense, repulsed all Ger
man attacks, and by its timely arrival
effectively stopped the German adj
ropco on