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T ng Service C S Plan of Attack of First F nt Jump off line Front rant line reached Sept Arm Army Army Boundary Corps Cori s Boundary Arrows indicate weight of attack 8 nd P rt Arabic numerals indicate Divisions ona I C ne I Roman Romen numerals indicate Corps b x k x N L iN Montfaucon x 7 c 3 ID 0 33 Rand s C r x 9 0 it x y a i o c fF x x my K Y I Verdun L S CHAPTER LIX LIX Continued The I Fourth division Hines on the left of the Eightieth took Septsarges Septsarges Sept- Sept Barges and firmly established Its Itself If lf In the woods to the north It was abreast of ot Nantillois and Its left was more than a mile beyond Montfaucon but through some misinterpretation misinterpretation mis mIs- interpretation of ot the orders b by the Third corps the opportunity to capture Montfaucon that day was I lost Three counter attacks a against the tile division during the afternoon were broken up Fifth Corps Falls Fails Short In the center the Fifth corps Cameron with the exception of the Ninety-first Ninety division Johnston on Its left fell tell short of Its object t tives ves The Seventy-ninth Seventy d division I v I 1 s I Ion o n Kuhn on the right of ot the corps took Malancourt but In the open ground beyond encountered considerable considerable considerable consid consid- erable opposition and the advanced elements were tere not In position before before before be be- fore Montfaucon until late after after- noon The attack of the division launched against this strong point early In the evening was met by bythe bythe bythe the fire of artillery and machine guns from the southern slopes of ot the hill hili wl which ch held beld up further progress The Thirty-seventh Thirty d division I d v I s d Ion o n Farnsworth In the center of the Fifth corps after overcoming heavy machine-gun machine fire Ore pushed through the Bols de Montfaucon and its attacks In the afternoon carried the line up to and west of Mont Mont- faucon The left of its line facIng facing fac fac- ing lag still stiff opposition cleaned up the woo woods s in Its front and established Itself Just south of The TIle Ninety first first division JohnEton Johnston John- John stop Eton overcame strong Initial resistance re re- and advanced rapidly to which It entered but hut did not hold Crossing Into the sector of the Thirty-fifth Thirty division during the day it occupied Very First Corps Makes Progress On the left of the army urmy the First corps Liggett made excellent progress The Thirty-fifth Thirty division division divi divi- sion Traub cleverly captured the strong position of and took Cheppy Choppy against stubborn opposition Elements of ot the division divi sion ston reached the corps objective east of ot Charpentry but hut were soon withdrawn to a line west of Very On the left the division captured that part of Varennes east of ot the Alre Aire river but was held up between between be be- tween Varennes and Cheppy At this time a fresh regiment took tool the lead giving a new Impetus to the attack and pushed the line forward forward for for- ward to the high ground south of Charpentry In the Twenty-eighth Twenty division Mull Muir the tIght right brigade nde captured the western half of at Varennes Varenne and continued about a mile tulle farther The left brigade facing the eastern eastern eastern east east- ern spurs of the thc Argonne which constituted the enemy's chief defense defense defense de de- de- de of ot that forest was unable to overcome the Intense machine-gun machine lire fire from the vicinity of Champ Mahaut The Seventy-seventh Seventy division division division di di- vision Alexander In the difficult terrain of oC the Ar Argonne onne made some progress By the evening of ot September 27 Zi the Fifth FUth corps was abreast of ot the First and the Third on Its flunks flanks The Seventy-ninth Seventy division captured captured captured cap cap- Montfaucon the thc morning of ot September 27 and on the next day Nantillois and the Bois de Beuge were passed despite determined re re- re- re In Iv the Third corps the tile Eightieth division lon had taken the Bois Bols de la In Cote after atter hard fighting but attack after atter attack made with dogged determination across the open space toward sur Meuse was rolled railed back by the gallIng gallIng gall gall- Ing tag fire of ot the enemy from the town and Its vicinity and by the artillery firing from east cast of ot the Meuse The Thirty third division maintained maintained main main- wined Its Ita position September 27 rind and 28 23 and on September 29 20 re re- lIe ed the Eightieth division by extending Us Its left along the northeastern northeastern northeastern north north- eastern edge of ot Bois Bols de la Cote Lament Lamont where It occupied difficult ground under the dominating hel heights east elst of ot the Meuse The The Fourth division captured September 27 but was by en enemy em counter-attacks counter to retire The town was retaken and held on the following day by troops of the Fourth and ancI Seventy-ninth Seventy divisions After Arter three days of almost almost al al- most continuous fighting the Fourth had haa taken the Bois Bols de dc and entered the ibis Bols des Ogon but could not bold the latter against counter attacks and the deadly machine-gun machine and artillery fire of the enemy The fortitude and courage conrage of ot the Fourth division In these operations we were re inspiring Meet Strong Resistance The Thirty seventh division on September 27 1 attempted to advance nd beyond the Montfaucon Ivoiry-Montfaucon road but each time it reached there was driven back by heavy shelling On September 28 however It pushed forward to a position north of ot the Nantillois road Cierges was entered but not held The following day the division again attacked Cierges but the advance was abruptly halted by concentrated ed artillery fire The Ninety-first Ninety division on September Sep Sep- September September 27 encountered strong opposition opposition opposition op op- position at which was reached but could not be retained was taken but was evacuated as Is an un artillery barrage was to be laid on the road rond through the town the toll following owing day was finally captured September 28 25 and the Bois Bols de Cierges was occupied after hard fi fighting Two attacks of or the divi divi- division division sion from the Bois Bols de on September 2 29 20 crumbled under fierce artillery and enfilading machine- machine gun fire but on the U third ird attack despite severe losses Gesnes was taken The full nd an advantage of this Im Im Important important gain was was' lost however howe through the Inability of the Thir ThIr- seventh ty-seventh division dh to advance ance Its l left tt This placed the rl right ht flank on the Ninety first in a dangerous position and It had to be wIthdrawn with wIth- drawn DurIn During the afternoon the Thirty fifth fifth division di was subjected to a heavy counter attack which also Involved Invoked the left of th the Nine Nine- ty first but made no progress against It Battle Grows More Intensive Three new German divisions had appeared by hy September 30 on the front of the First corps and the battle continued with Increased in in- The Thirty-fifth Thirty division was stopped b by he heavy fire soon after Its attack opened September 27 27 but later In the day It captured Charpentry Charpentry Charpentry Char Char- pentry and advanced ad to the ridge northeast though suffering severe casualties l wood was tal taken en September 28 and early next morning a detachment reached Exermont valley but being nearly surrounded withdrew to the starting startIng start start- Ing point Encountering er very heavy artillery fire and an advance of the German second Fifty-second and Fifth guard divisions the Thirty fifth withdrew from 1 wood which It had taken the day before The Thirty-fifth Thirty heavier casualties than any other division dh during these four days duys of continuous ous lighting fighting The Twenty-eighth Twenty d division I v I s i lon o n though subjected to strong artillery artillery artil artil- lery and machine gun fire from the bluffs of the Ar Argonne onne captured September 27 21 It could coul make slight headway n against firm opposition from positions In Inthe Inthe n the vicinity of ot Champ Mahaut Mahant hut but carried them on September 28 and also captured Apremont On September September September Sep Sep- 2 29 20 after atter repulsing a German German German Ger Ger- man counter-attack counter n a slight ht advance advance advance ad ad- vance was made matJe against the defenses defenses defenses de de- de- de of ot Le Ie Chene Tondu The Seventy seventh encountered stiff resistance In the Argonne September 27 and was held to a small gain but moved mo forward about a mile on September 28 Next Nelt day Its rl right ht was advanced ad with little opposition During the first tour four days das of fighting the First army west of ot the Meuse had made a n maximum advance advance ad ad- vance of ot about eI eight ht miles reachIng reaching reach reach- In Ing the Bols BoIs de e la Cote Lemont- Lemont The enemy had been heen struck a blow so powerful powerful power power- ful that the extreme gravity of ot his situation In France was obvious to him CHAPTER LX The second phase of ot the Meuse- Meuse Argonne operation the he period from October 1 to 11 Involved the tho lest iest strain on me and the army There was little time to make readjustments readjustments re reo adjustments among the tho troops he heavily heIly Ily engaged without giving the enemy u respite In which to strengthen his defenses and brIll bring up reserves The rhe general attack was resumed at 5 n a. a m. m on October i J meeting desperate resistance by the enemy In this attack the Fourth division dl of ot the Third corps In three days' days bitter fighting captured and held the Bois Bols de Fays making a gain of ot over a mile Advances Ad into the Bois Bols le Ie de Faux were forced back by vicious counter In similar hard fighting the Eighteenth division gained a foothold In t the e Bois Bols des against very heavy machine gun fire In the attack of ot the Fifth corps the Third division pushed forward In In the face of strong resistance During the next two da days s 's this division divi slon sion extended its gains but could make no headway against the Bois Bols de Cunel The Thirty-second Thirty division division division divi divi- sion which had taken CIerges October October October Octo Octo- ber 1 advanced to Just south of Gesnes on the fourth despite very severe hostile fire and next day captured that town On the left of ot the army the First corps was v very ry successful fuL The First division In a fine display of ot I power on October 4 drove a deep wedge into the enemy's line This was of great value in affording space for the attack toward the Argonne Argonne Argonne Ar Ar- gonne to be launched later liter The fighting here was characterized character character- by the stubborn nature of the German resistance and the offensive offensive offen offen- sive spirit of the division dl Case of the Lost Battalion The rhe right of ot the Twenty eighth division IsIon fought its way down the Alre Aire river In liaison with the First and captured The left of ot tie Ole division encountered much opposition and and made hut but slight ht gain notwithstanding Its repeated attacks The division was waft now facing west for nearly three miles along the Alre Aire river The Seventy Seventy- seven seventh th dI division vIsion between September Septem ber her 29 20 and October 4 continued Its It's attacks In the Argonne advancing about a mile Ollie t o over r difficult ter ter- rain In the assault of October 2 n R mixed battalion of the division moved fon forward ard more rapidly than the troops on Its right and I left ft and became completely surrounded by bythe bythe bythe the enemy It became popularly known as the the Lost Battalion For four days das every effort of ot the division to relieve this beleaguered force was unsuccessful and every ever effort of ot the Germans to force Its surrender was without avail French C Call lI for Help In the meantime the French Fourth army on our left had been held Blanc BJane Mont As up at nt a con con- oral eral LI Liggett gett was assigned Both commanders were recommended by for tor to lieutenant nt me promotion general gen gen- eral My statu status now became that of commander of a group of oC armI armies s. s Major General Summerall was placed In command of ot the I Fifth corps to relieve Major General Cameron who was given glyen command of oC the Fourth division Major General Hines nines was promoted to the command of the Third corps In place of General Bullard Major General Dickman commanding the Fourth corps was given the First corps and Major General Muir the Fourth These changes generally took effect effect effect ef ef- October 12 but I retained direct direct direct di di- command of the First army until until un un- til Ul the sixteenth CHAPTER The Meuse-Argonne Meuse operations carried out between October 7 and 11 consisted of four tour specific attacks attacks attacks at at- tacks as us follows 1 October 7 The First corps employing the second Eighty-second division division divi divi- sion between the First and Twenty Twenty- eighth divisions attacked the eastern eastern eastern east east- ern edge of the Ar Argonne onne forest 2 October 8 The French Sev Sev- Seventeenth Seventeenth Seventeenth corps re enforced re-enforced by the American Thirty-third Thirty and t ninth ty-ninth divisions attacked attack d east of ot the Meuse on the front Beaumont Beaumont- sur Meuse with the object object object ob ob- ob- ob of ot seizing the heights there 3 October 0 9 The I Fifth corps re-enforced re by Including within Its front the First division to which was attached a brigade from the Ninety-first Ninety division attacked the heights of the Bois Bols de Romagne 4 October 10 1011 A general attack attack attack at at- tack on the mile 20 front from Beaumont t west to the Alre Aire river The French Fourth y arr had hadnot hadnot hadnot not been able to keep abreast of ot the American First army and It was evident that clearing the Argonne Argonne Ar Ar- gonne forest would materially aid Its advance ance The opportunity presented presented pre pre- Itself Just at this time pre pre-I Although Al AI though on October 0 6 the enemy continued to hol hold the heights of ot Cunel and ne nevertheless s sufficient space had been secured along the Alre Aire river to warrant an attack to the west with the object of ot striking the rear of the enem enemy's enem's s 's positions In the Argonne forest There was another Important factor that entered Int Into the decision deci slon sion to force the withdrawal of the enemy train from the Argonne This was the predicament of the Lost Battalion which under Maj C. C W. W Whittlesey had been holding out near near since October October Octo Octo- ber 2 Efforts to relieve relle the battalion had so far tar been unsuccessful and the men had consumed their rations rations rations ra ra- ra- ra and aud expended most of ot their ammunition although our aviators a had tried trie to drop small amounts to them The battalion was resistIng resisting resisting resist resist- ing heroically against great od odds s without any thought of surrender Pursuant to the plan an nn attack was made by the Twenty eighth nn and second Eighty-second divisions against the left and rear of ot the enem enemy's s positions In the region of ot Chatel- Chatel and Cornay After Arter a night march of eight miles the second Eighty division Duncan entered the line between the |
