Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-19

| lines were widely separated near their
greatest dip toward Paris but converged
as they approached that portion of the
front protecting the communications
which were the objective OF the Ameri-
can Army In the Mouse Argonne Of
fenSiVe.
Rapid concentration of the large force
required for the battle was most urgent,
and even before the beginning OF the
st. Mihiel offensive troops of some OF
the services were en- route. At the end
of the first days fighting at ST. Mihiel
the success of the attack was assured,
and. as prearranged, I Immediately dl-
rected the transfer OF certain combat
troops from that battlefield to the
Meuse- Argonne region.
Army reserves, corps reserves and all
spare artillery were moving by trucks
and otherwise over circuitouS routes to
the new battle front and other combat
troops from the St Mihiel area were
now able to use the routes near the tip
of the former salient made available by
our recent success. In the area behind
our Mouse Argonne battle front, re-
Stricted as it was by the curve in the
German line from Veroun to the south
there were but three standard-gauge
railroads available for the movement
of troops and their supplies One ran
east and west between Ste. Menehould
and Verdun, another north from Bar
le-Duc to Clermont-en-A rgonne, and
the third, northeast from Barbecue
via Commercy and st. Mihiel to Souilly
and Verdun.
Feared Congestion.
The roads converged toward the front,
leaving only three leading into no mans
land, one through ESnes, another
q through
Varennes, one for each corps. None
of them, even though in good repair,
was more than adequate for the normal
supply of the attacking divisions de-
pendent upon ii. We realized that any
excess of traffic would likely cause seri-
GUS congestion, so that the greatest
preparations were made to rebuild these
roads by calling to that front all avalla-
BILE engineer personnel and accumulat-
ing beforehand as much road material
as possible.
on September 3 the French I'd Army
held the front from Watronville TO the
Argonne Forest with three army corps
In vacating the sector the French had
to move two corps headquarters with
CORPS troops, IL divisions and several
army units. leaving the French nth
Corps behind to become part OF our
Army.
Our concentration required the en-
trance into the area of three corps
headquarters with corps troops, Is d.
visions and several thousand Army
troops. All movements were made under
cover of darkness, by rail, autobus and
marching Approximately 100000 men
were moved cut of the sector and $780,
900 into it. making a grand total OF
100000 men handled.
AS in the concentration prior to st.
Mihiel. the route and length OF each
days march for each unit had to be
prescribed in order to prevent road
congestion and insure the necessary
daily delivery of supplies. 1t was
stupendous task and a delicate one to
move such numbers of troops in addi-
ton to the large quantities of supplies,
ammunition and hospital equipment.
That it was carried out in the brief
period available without arousing the
suspicious of the enemy indicates the
smoothness and precision with which
it was calculated and accomplished.
Praise From Correspondent.
The battle of st. Mihiel followed the
plan so closely, however, that it was
possible to withdraw troops exactly as
ordered 1t seldom happens in war
that plans can be so precisely carried
Out dS III llIio 4llsldIlSC 4A4C 0CbdAAS
Of the movements Of troops connected
with this concentration were worked
out and their execution conducted under
the able direction OF Col. George G.
Marshall, jr., of the operations section
of the general staff, LIST Army.
A we'll known British war correspond
ent, an ex-otficer of the British army,
in writing of the concentration for the
London Post, said
fvN V1cv1a mi 40
this operation (the Argonne -Meuse
offensive) was preceded by one of the
most interesting and difficult staff OPP
erations of the war, the transfer with
in IA DAYS OF the bulk of the 1st Amer
lean Army from the Metz front to that
of the Meuse-Argonne, and It's replace
lnent by the I'd American Army. No
less than 10 divisions began the Meuse-
Argonne attack September 26, includ-
ing the Attn. goth. 28th, SD, 37th, nth,
10th Goth and S1st, while there stood
in reserve, all eventually to be thrown
into the fight, the 1st. I'd. Sd, 5th, goth,
sgd. 82d and CPD Divisions. A COM
parison of these divisional units with
those which fought at ST. Mihiel shows
that 10 divisions were withdrawn from
the Metz front and aligned for the
new operation. 1t was a fine piece Of
staff work, and no other staff could
have done 1t better"
Specific instructions were sent to all
troops calling attention to defects no.
ticed during the st. Mihiel battle, such
as ineffective liason between units
passage through woods, regulation Of
barrages and the use of accompanying
guns.
AS we have seen, some Of our most
experienced divisions, like the lst, I'd.
26th and 42d were used at st. Mihiel
MeusC -Argonne in time to open the
fight. and compelled the employment
Of some divisions which had net en-
tirely completed their period of train
ing.
Instructions Are Detailed.
Four OF the nine divisions that were
{ to lead the assault were without their
! own artillery and had brigades of that
| arm assigned 10 them with which they
| had never previously been N contact.
| 1t was realized that difficulties were
! likely 70 develop on the battlefield in
1 handling these organizations, in battle
/ for the first time Therefore, in5truc-
! tons for the opening phases were made
! to cover as far as possible the details OF
mancuVcr ordinarily taught beforehand
! through combat exercises.
| AS yerdun was socn to become a par,
! Of my command, ] went to see the town
/ S. september u and made q casual in
sgection CT the citadel The command
| ing officer showed me the various cham
| bers including those occupied by ths
/ local civil authorities during the period
of the German drive to wrest the
| stronghold from the French, and finally
we reached the Oficers' Club.
AS we entered my eye fell upon Pc
tains famous declaration, ON ne passe
pas" in bold letters on the wall oppo-
Site me. 1t would be difncult to de.