The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-05-07

| against Hill Mort Homine and Hill 304,
both famous in the struggle Of 1916.
To destroy the wire entanglements
and demolish trenches, as a precau-
tion against heavy losses, the infantry
assault was preceded by four days
continuous bombardment, and rela-
lively the amount of artillery ammu-
milton expended exceeded that of any
previous engagement, its value being,
as l remember it, some $75,000,O00.
The proportion of the artillery force
as compared to the infantry in this
battle was as eleven to ten. The fir
ing attained such precision and
volume that the German troops in the
forward positions were submerged and
the attacking infantry reached most Of
its detectives by nightfall the first day,
making an advance of five kilometers
and capturing 5000 prisoners.
The sector where the French attack
took place was to have peculiar in
terest for me before the end Of the
war. My headquarters as commander
of the first army one year later occu-
pied the building in Souilly, then used
by Major General Guilaumat, and the
line reached by Corvisart's troops in
the battle became our jump-off line IN
the Meuse-Argonne battle. In fact,
every foot of the ground covered in
this inspection with General Petain
became associated later with Ameri-
cas- greatest effort in the war.
Petain's Contact Valuable.
After visiting the French installa-
tions and the manifold activities car
ried on behind this front with the shift.
ing masses Of combat troops and the
thousands engaged in the services of
supply and transportation, it seemed
quite improbable that we should be
able to marshal a sufficient army in
time to replace the French on this
front before 1919.
l found it most agreeable as well as
instructive to be with Petain in this
intimate way and have an opportu-
nifty to hear something of his expert
ence. His discussion Of the defense of
Verdun, in which he played an impor-
tant part, being second in command,
was especially entertaining. AS we
drove about he spoke Of the courage
of his troops and of the tremendous
losses they had sustained. He pointed
out the vast amount of road work,
including the Vote Sacree from Bar
le-Duc to Verdun, rebuilt under his
direction for the constant movements
Of large bodies of troops and supplies
necessary to maintain the defense.
In lighter vein his comments on
French politicians during this trip
were amusing, if not always compli-
mentary, and he congratulated me
many times on being so far removed
from political interference. One after
noon the conversation drifted to paint
ing and he asked me how many times
had sat for my portrait. Several
times already" I said. "The last one.
which was very good, was done by
distinguished artist by the name Of
Jonas English Jonah) for PIllustra-
tion."
Immediately he said: "Don't let
them publish it! Don't do it J Every
officer whose portrait by Jonas has
appeared in that journal has been re-
lieved from his command"
Not that I am superstitious, quite
the contrary, but. l Immediately for
babe the publication of the portrait
and to this day it has never appeared.
Builds Up French Morale.
From the time of Nivelle's failure in
April the depression in the French
armies had been so great that Petain,
who succeeded him, had been content
simply to hold the trenches, and no
French offensive operation Of conse-
quence had been attempted until this
one. From the moment Of his assign
ment Petain began to build up the
shattered morale of his armies and
probably no other officer in France
could have performed the task so we'll.
Petain's immense success in the de-
tense of Verdun had won for him the
confidence of the army and the coun-
try, and yet he remained the same
modest, unassuming character, consist
ent and conservative. He, perhaps
better than any other, understood the
temperament of the French soldier,
whom he handled with infinite patience
and tact.