their blood for the United States, gloriously showed their loyalty.

"On July 30th, the Americans attacked Grimpeos Woods after a short artillery preparation and reached the southeastern corner of the wood, but the German resistance at this point was very strong. They counter-attacked and threw back the advance troops of the division. The fighting was extremely severe, and there were many hand-to-hand combats.

"On the next day, July 31st, the entire woods fell into the hands of the Americans. Machine-gun nests, which held up their advance on Cierges, had been crushed or captured, and the way was clear. Intrenched now in Jomblets Woods, the enemy, by a strong fire, attempted holding up the American advance. Cierges is situated in a hollow, so that the Germans, after having evacuated the village under the American pressure, bombarded it heavily with gas. Americans did not stop in Cierges itself. They went around it in a magnificent dash and stormed the northern slopes. Then, after a short rest, they captured part of the Jomblets Woods. During this time the French had advanced on the right and debouched from Meuniere Wood, which had been cleared out thoroughly.

The

"On August 1st, the Americans had a new series of obstacles ahead of them, the most important being Reddy Farm and Hill 230. During the previous day's fighting they already had shown a keen sense for infantry maneuvering, employing tactically the gains which were most sure of accomplishing their purpose, and giving evidence of fine qualities of initiative and imagination. In addition, they showed excellent knowledge of the use of the machine gun, automatic rifles and light mortars. They were able again to reduce the German positions. Hill 230 was taken in a superb manner, and seventy prisoners were counted.

"From that moment, the enemy fled, and only weak rear-guards were left to oppose the advance of the Americans who swept these obstacles before them on their route and took without much difficulty Chamery, Moncel and Villome. At Cohans the Germans hung on several hours, but had to give it up, and at the end of the day United States troops had

attained the heights north of Dravegny. Consequently progress of six or seven kilometers was made on the day of August 2d. For seventy-two hours straight the infantry had fought, despite the difficulty of procuring food, caused by the fact that only a narrow road afforded the convoys an opportunity of coming up, and the hard rains had soaked the road.

“In spite of fatigue and privations, the advanced unit's pursuit was taken up again at dawn on August 3d. The line which runs by Les Bourleaux was reached easily enough, but then the enemy turned and faced the Americans with many sections of machine guns and a strong artillery fire which rained down on the villages of the valley, on the crossroads and the ravines.

"It became necessary to retire methodically and maneuver on the strong points of the adversary. This permitted the United States troops to reach the slopes north of Mont St. Martin and St. Gilles. The division had thus added to its gains seven kilometers. One last supreme effort would permit it to attain Fismes and the Vesle.

"On August 4th, the infantry combats were localized with terrible fury. The outskirts of Fismes were solidly held by the Germans, where their advanced groups were difficult to take. The Americans stormed them and reduced them with light mortars and 37's. They succeeded, though not without loss, and at the end of the day, thanks to this slow but sure tenacity, they were within one kilometer of Fismes and masters of Villes Savoye and Chezelle Farm. All night long, rains hindered their movements and rendered their following day's task more arduous. On their right the French by similar stages had conquered a series of woods and swamps of Meuniere Woods, to the east of St. Gilles, and were on the Plateau of Bonne Maison Farm. To the left, another American unit had been able to advance upon the Vesle to the east of St. Thibaut.

"On August 5th the artillery prepared for the attack on Fismes by a bombardment, well regulated, and the final assault was launched. The Americans penetrated into the village and then began the task of clearing the last point of

resistance. That evening this task was almost completed. We held all the southern part of the village as far as Rheims road, and patrols were sent into the northern end of the village. Some even succeeded in crossing the Vesle, but were satisfied with making a reconnaissance, as the Germans still occupied the right bank of the river in great strength. All that was left to be accomplished was to complete the mopping up of Fismes and the strengthening of our positions to withstand an enemy counter-attack.

"Such was the advance of one American division, which pushed the enemy forward from Roncheres on July 30th a distance of eighteen kilometers and crowned its successful advance with the capture of Fismes on August 5th."

In recognition of the American co-operation in Foch's master stroke, General Mangin of the French Army on August 7th, issued the following order of the day:

Shoulder to shoulder with your French comrades, you threw yourselves into the counter-offensive on July 18th. You ran to it as if going to a feast. Your magnificent dash upset and surprised the enemy, and your indomitable tenacity stopped counter-attacks by his fresh divisions. You have shown yourselves to be worthy sons of your great country, and have gained the admiration of your brothers in arms.

Ninety-one cannon, 7,200 prisoners, immense booty, and ten kilometers of reconquered territory are your share of the trophies of this victory. Besides this, you have acquired a feeling of your superiority over the barbarian enemy against whom the children of liberty are fighting. To attack him is to vanquish him.

American comrades, I am grateful to you for the blood you generously spilled on the soil of my country. I am proud of having commanded you during such splendid days and to have fought with you for the deliverance of the world.

Ο

CHAPTER XIII

THE ALLIED TIDE SWEEPS ON

N August 5th, 1918, Foch, generalissimo of the allied forces, gave the command for the British armies to

close in on the German foe. At this time the distribution of the allied forces on the western front from the North Sea to the southern terminus of the line was in the following order: The Belgian Army; 6th French Army under General Dagouete; 2d British Army under General Plummer; 5th British Army under General Birdwood; 1st British Army under General Horn; 3d British Army under General Byng, with the 2d American Army Corps consisting of the 27th New York National Guard Division and the 13th Division consisting of soldiers from Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and the District of Columbia; the sector in which the Americans were brigaded was north of Amiens towards St. Quentin; the 4th British Army under General Rawlinson; the 1st French Army under General Debeney; the 10th French Army under General Mangin, with some Italian troops under General Morrone and French Colonials under General Bertholet; the 4th French Army under General Gouraud; the 2d American Army under Major-General Robert L. Bullard, and the 1st American Army under Major-General Hunter K. Liggett. Aside from the 2d American Army Corps, the 27th and the 30th Divisions, with the British 3d Army, the 2d Division was with the 4th French Army for a time; the 33d was with the 17th French Army Corps, and the 37th with the 34th French Army Corps, on the Scheldt.

By the end of July the reconstruction of the British armies had been completed; the 9th Corps under command of Lieutenant-General Sir A. Hamilton-Gordon consisting of four divisions subsequently joined by the 19th was bracketed with the 6th French Army. The 1st French Army, General Debeney, had been placed under the command of Haig.