The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-09-03

| uiVISioHJ was the prlHclpdI cause VI
the withdrawal of his armies, but he
fought desperately from position to
position and his retirement was being
skillfully conducted to save men and
material from capture.
In the counteroffensive Of July Is
no operations were ordered for French
or American troops east of Chateau
Thierry, leaving them an opportunity
to readjust their lines. On the Goth,
patrols from the Third division dis
covered that the Germans had with
drawn across the Niarne the night be-
fore and the division at once advanced
Its line to the river. The night Of July
Goth the Germans further withdrew to
the line Ridge, north Of
Mont st. Pere, connecting with their
line of resistance in front Of our First
corps.
July q the Fifth brigade crossed the
Marne in pursuit, capturing Mont st.
Pere and driving machine guns out Of
Charteves. The Sixth brigade waited
for the bridge to be completed at Mezy
and the morning of the 22nd one regi-
ment crossed the river and captured
Jaulgonne. The Germans were con-
testing every step, and while the First
battalion of this regiment reached LIE
Charmed it was compelled to retire by
successive positions to Jaulgonne.
On the 26th operations planned IN
cooperation with the French Thirty
ninth and the American Forty-second
on its left were only partly successful.
The Forty-second captured the strong
~ held Croix Rouge farm, but the
French Thirty-ninth division could not
advance. The leading battalions Of
the Fifth brigade entered lie Charmed.
but not being able to debouch from
the town they were withdrawn after
dark. During the night the hard
pressed Germans retired to the Ourcq.
leaving machine guns behind to delay
our advance.
July q the French Thirty-ninth d.
vision took up the pursuit, followed
by the Fifty-fifth brigade, Twenty
eighth division, which relieved the
French Thirty-ninth that night at
Courmont. The Fifth brigade, Third
division, advanced on the right to pro-
tect this movement and occupied line
running southeast from Courmont
through villardelle. During the morn
ing of the 2Sth, the Fifth brigade cap
tured Roncheres, and the Twenty
eighth division reached the Ourcq, but
was unable to hold its gains north Of
the river. On the Goth the Third d.
vision occupied an irregular line be-
yond Roncheres, but neither that unit
nor the Twenty-eighth division on its
left was able to make material prog
ress against the Bots des Grimpettes
that day.
Third Division Relieved.
The Third division was relieved by
the Thirty-second on the 30th and re-
tired south of the Marine. It had taken
a decisive part in stopping the last
German offensive and had advanced
ten miles through difficult country,
stubbornly defended by the enemy. 1t
had suffered casualties to the number
of about 5000 officers and men.
The Forty-second division. as we
have seen, had come from the French
Fourth army to the Marine salient and
had relieved the Twenty-sixth division
in the First corps. In the advance that
followed it had CALAMITY captured
Croix Rouge farm on the Goth, and on
the following day had cleared the For
ct de Fere, captured Villers-sur-Fere
and had reached the Ourcq. July Is
the Forty-second established line be-
yond the Ourcy and on the Goth the
Fourth division, in support Of the
Forty-second division, captured Sergy,
while the latter took Seringes-et-
Nesles.
The enemy made determined stand
along the Ourcq river and some Of the
hardest fighting of the period occurred
at this time. August 8 the Fourth d.
vision relieved the Forty-second. The
Third corps (Bullard), with the Ameri-
can Twenty-eighth and Thirty-second
divisions, relieved the French Thirty
eighth corps on the right Of our First
corps. Once established beyond the
Ourcq, our two corps advanced rapidly
toward the Vesle river, meeting with
little opposition.
We had in all nine American divi-
sions, equal to eighteen French divi-
sions, engaged in this second battle Of
the Marine. This force, together with
the staff, supply, medical troops and
aviation, amounted to total force of
nearly 100000 actively employed dur
ing that period. We suffered $1,000
casualties.
CHAPTER LII
attended a conference of command
ers in chief at General Foch's head