The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-08-06
CHAPTER XIII

the famous Big Bertha firing on Paris.
The position of the First division
was near Cantigny, where it had been
in line nearly month opposite the
town and near the point Of farthest
advance Of the enemy in the Amiens
salient.
Although some weeks had passed
since my offer of troops In the emer-
gency, up to now none had been called
upon to take part in active operations.
The reason appeared to be that the
allies were skeptical of the ability Of
any of our units to conduct an often
sive. The opportunity now came, how
ever, to remove misgivings on that
score.
The French corps in which the First
was serving had prepared counter
attack to be launched in the Amiens
sector about the middle of May in case
of another offensive by the enemy in
Flanders, which, it was believed, would
occur between May Is and 20. The
counterattack was to be directed due
east toward the heights of Montdidier,
with the advance of the First division,
supported by a French division on
each flank, as preliminary move.
This was to be followed in forty-eight
hours by a general advance northward
of the entire Third French army, which
covered the front from Montdidier to
Noyon.
Ammunition dumps had been filled,
special trenches dug, new battery en-
placements prepared for the reinforc-
ing artillery and necessary orders is
sued for the counterattack, but the
enemy did not put in his appearance
according to the forecast.
First Seeks Better Position.
It was then decided that the First
division should undertake to improve
it's position. The Germans on its front
continued to hold the advantage Of
higher ground, from which they were
able to inflict constant losses on our
troops while suffering little damage
themselves. Another reason was at
this moment the morale Of the allies
required that American troops make
their appearance in battle.
The Cantigny sector at this time was
very active, with artillery fire unusu-
ally heavy, and the preparations for
the attack by the First division, which
had to be hastily made, we're carried
out under great difficulty. Many cas-
ualties occurred during the construc-
ton of jumping-off trenches, emplace-
ments and advance command posts.
The Twenty-eighth infantry, under
COL Hanson E. Ely. designated for the
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 the consolidation of the new
position after it should be captured.
Yanks Splendid Under Fire.
On the morning of May %, after a
brief artillery preparation, the infan-
try advanced on front of mile and
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
| des 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-
emy were such that the French high
| command was compelled to relieve
much of the reinforcing artillery be-
hind the First division and transfer II
to that front.
The enemy's 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 VIC
lent and apparently he was determined
| at all cost to cOunteract the excellent