CHAPTER IXST. MIHIEL
Leaving Chamigny August 14, the Battalion hiked to Lizy sur Ourcq, where it entrained the following morning, travelling in a general southeasterly direction to Poincon, near Chatillon sur Seine in the department of Cote D'Or, from which a hike of twenty-two kilometers ended the journey at Massigny late on the night of the 16th. Billets were assigned and preparations again made for a long stay, but the furloughs authorized in divisional orders failed to materialize before instructions were issued for the movement to the St. Mihiel front.
During the brief stay in Massigny, however, training was taken up intensively. Officers and non-commissioned officers attended schools both with the Battalion and at Chatillon, where the Second Corps school on automatic weapons had been established. On the 18th Lieutenant Bacharach was ordered home as an instructor and Lieutenant Nelson received a well-earned advance in rank to first lieutenant and was ordered to Battalion Headquarters as advance observation officer. Lieutenant Carroll, who had served with Battalion Headquarters as Gas and Intelligence Officer, was returned to the Company. Captain Sheldon was ordered to duty as liaison officer with the 102d Infantry, taking command of C and D Companies under the plan used in action whereby the two senior officers in the Battalion acted with the commanders of the two infantry regiments in the brigade to coördinate the work of machine gunners and infantry.
In spite of the casualties the Company had suffered and the number of men it had lost through transfers, but few replacements had been received. With but three officers in the command, one of whom had been but recently attached, Lieutenant Paton was authorized to appoint three sergeants as acting lieutenants. Curtiss, Rogers and A. H. Viebranz were selected and Tom Reilly was again added to the roster after an absence of four months, most of which he had spent at home in the interests of the Third Liberty Loan campaign.
Moving out on the morning of August 29, the Company accomplished the journey to Latrecey, the entraining point, in two days, and bivouacked there until the morning of the following day, because a derailed engine prevented train movements. After riding all day toward the north, the trains were unloaded at Nancois-Trouville in the department of the Meuse. It was during this trip that "Ted" Lewis, cited for gallant work during the advance from the Marne, fell from the train and was severely injured.
Hiking to Longville, about seven kilometers distant, shelter tents were pitched and mess served. The march was again taken up after a two hour rest and the Battalion hiked ten kilometers in a typical French drizzle to shelter in the Bois Jenvoi on the right of the road to Erize. With orders to make all movements at night and keep in the shelter of woods during the day, the Battalion marched during the night of September 1 to woods on the road between Courouvre and Neuville en Verdunnois, where it camped until the fifth. Twenty-nine men were received from replacement camps at this place.
Two more days of hiking took the men to barracks at Camp Nivolette in the Ravin de la Vignotte, northeast of Rupt en Wœvre, about six kilometers from the "line" in the heights of the Meuse on the western side of the St. Mihiel salient. French soldiers, always well informed concerning impending movements, told of "beaucoup, beaucoup" artillery being put into position every night. Thus the fact became generally known that the Division was to take an active part in driving the Hun from the salient he made in 1914 when he attempted to isolate the fortress of Verdun, force him to abandon the great defensive works he had erected during his four years' occupation of the line in that region and crush his forces in a turning movement which would prevent their withdrawal.
Assembling the Battalion Sunday morning, September 8, Major Murphy read the orders from Divisional Headquarters citing many of the officers and men for their work during the Chateau Thierry offensive. Dr. Johnson, the Battalion's Y. M. C. A. secretary, read President Wilson's Fourth of July speech and gave a short address. The men sang the first verse of "America" and the services were concluded with the Lord's Prayer.
Officers and section leaders of the Company reconnoitered during the following day the ground over which the advance was to be made. Orders were issued for the 51st Brigade to advance through the Ravin de France along the Rue des Feuilles to the Grand Tranchee de Calonne road in a southeasterly direction parallel to the road, the left flank keeping in touch with it at all times, for the Grand Tranchee was named as the axis of liaison with the 52d Brigade, which was to advance along its left side. The objective of the first day was designated as the Rue de Vaux.
After a seven hour bombardment by a volume of artillery without rival in American operations up to that time, the advance began, A and B Companies of the Battalion in the first wave while C and D remained in reserve, proceeding leisurely with guns loaded on the carts. Arriving at Moyilly on the American side of the old line, the column was halted for three hours while the 101st Engineers repaired as best they could the damage shell fire had done to the Rue des Feuilles. Almost obliterated, the route of the Company was blocked by barbed wire, shell holes and destroyed trenches, but in a comparatively short time the path was cleared and the advance proceeded to a point where the rolling barrage following the first concentration of fire had stopped and then travelling was easy.
Arriving at the Grand Tranchee without mishap with all the area cleared of enemy troops, the Companies continued along that road in column formation and were only halted when machine guns located along the Rue de Vaux began to endanger the leading units in the advance. A few well-directed shots from mortars silenced these and the infantry added the personnel and officers serving the guns to the total it had bagged during the day.
This cleared the day's objectives but the desire was strong with those in command to gain contact with the rear guard of the fleeing Huns before they could organize defensive positions, so the advance continued through the night along the Grand Tranchee road, on both sides of which could be seen the cabins and gardens established by the Germans during their stay in the sector. Hiking on through the woods more than one man complained of "this man's war" not being nearly as interesting as the one at Chateau Thierry. When at last the cover of thewoods was left, before them, all along the skyline could be seen the flames from burning villages, the funeral pyres of the hopes the German high command had entertained early in the war of going direct to Paris from Metz.
Crossing the plateau on which it emerged, the Company entered the village of Hattonchatel, located on the edge of the table land, beyond which they could see villages in flames all through the valley. Descending a long, winding road into the lowland, guns were taken from the carts in preparation for action, as it was reported the enemy was making a stand in Vigneulles, a short distance ahead. Proving to be members of a military band left behind by the retreating Germans to destroy the town, the men and officers were captured without effort or casualties. Then the Company slept for the night after hiking during the greater part of the preceding twenty-four hours and helping to attain an objective which had been thought beyond the range of possibilities.
There was no rest for the second platoon, however, for with Lieutenant Paton in command, that group of men was taken toward the south with I Company of the 102d Infantry to the village of Creue, where it was rumored Hun artillery was stationed. Fifty-one men and three officers were taken prisoners in this manœuver, and the men in the raiding party were rewarded with a rich supply of souvenirs. Mess the next day was served to the Company in Vigneulles, supplemented by a supply of beer the Huns had been forced to abandon. The town was a rich field for sightseers with its theater and other appurtenances provided in rest camps, as it was the recreation center for the sector.
A "whizz-bang" (Austrian 88 millimeter field piece) left behind at a sacrifice post by the retreating army entertained during the next day, but was silenced by a party of infantrymen. Bombs were distributed about the town by a Hun airplane during mess time but failed to produce casualties.
In the afternoon the Battalion marched out to Longeau Farm by way of Hattonchatel, a German divisional headquarters, a trip more interesting because the men could see for the first time the north side of the stronghold of Montsec, the south side of which had loomed up before American troops during their occupation of the Toul sector with a forbidding appearance.
The first platoon took positions in the town of Hannonville-sous-les-Cotes during the night of the 14th and the following day the Company marched on a short distance north to Herbeuville with the first platoon moving out on the plains of the Wœvre to Wadonville. Lieutenant Nelson, who had finished his duties as advance observation officer with Battalion Headquarters, was returned to the Company on the 21st. That night, with a part of the second platoon, he relieved guns of C Company, 103d Machine Gun Battalion, stationed in Saulx, slightly to the north of the rest of the Company.
With preparations for the American operations about to start in the Argonne practically complete, it was ordered that divisions occupying the line resulting from the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient start enough activity on their front to prevent the Hun moving his divisions to the more threatened parts of the line. One of the first of these actions was conducted on the night of September 22, when part of the 101st Infantry, with B Company of the Battalion, raided the enemy lines. They succeeded in taking thirteen prisoners and drawing an intense artillery bombardment over the entire divisional sector. On the 25th the first battalion of the 102d Infantry with A Company of the Battalion attacked and took the village of Marcheville as part of a concerted movement all along the line in one of the costliest engagements of the drive. It was during this operation that Private Richard Butler, acting as a runner for Captain Humbird, accompanied that fearless soldier as a volunteer on an expedition to silence a pill-box which had been causing trouble. He received a mortal wound while disarming prisoners after the task had been successfully completed.
As the attempted advance was a diversion to keep the enemy troops occupied on that front, troops in Marcheville were withdrawn when the Germans counter attacked, for that was the original plan. Taking place on the day the drive started north of Verdun, this action was considered in official records as a part of the Meuse-Argonne battle which ended the war.
Line officers and men had to die or court death, in order to receive special commendation, at the same time producing beneficial results to the troops in action, but a premium was set on the bravery and coolness of staff officers during this operation when distinguished service crosses were awarded to several whowere caught in an enveloping wave of the enemy at a point they considered safe, and who endured, without giving way to their emotions, a barrage which was the ordinary portion of the fighters.
Relieved by the machine gun company of the 102d Infantry on the night of September 28, the Company marched through the ever-present mud and water to take up reserve positions in the woods back of Herbeuville. Quarters here were unsatisfactory but afforded some rest for men who had seen too much of the line during the past eight months. Constant duty under shell fire always dangerous, if not severe, had begun to show its effects in the faces and bearing of the men, but they kept up an unbeatable morale, singing and whistling on the march and seeing always the element of humor which lurked in odd corners for those with the ability to view events from the right angle.
An announcement made at this time through theStars and Stripesgave the information that any organization could become the foster parent of a French orphan by depositing five hundred francs with the Red Cross. This brought a quick response and Company D was soon listed as one of the A. E. F. units to take a share in this enterprise.
Upon occasion the Hun would send over a few gas shells in the hope of getting the unwary in the vicinity of the Company's quarters, but his efforts proved unfruitful and most of the remaining days in that sector were comparatively quiet.
Inured to the effects of rumors the men scoffed at reports of impending peace, and the news that Bulgaria had surrendered was received with little enthusiasm. The report early in October that Austria-Hungary had given Germany a day in which to accept the Allied peace terms was barely noticed by the men. Constant attention to the details of waging the war had a tendency to confine the soldier's outlook on the prospects of peace to his own immediate world and such an outlook only emphasized in his mind what a huge task it was, producing a certain doggedness to see it through, endless as it seemed. On the contrary, folks at home were able to grasp the end toward which all the operations were moving and the great successes which General Foch's tactics were bringing strengthened in their minds the idea of an early peace.
PhotographsLeft, top to bottom—Concrete dugout, filled with water, Ormont.—View toward German lines, Ormont.—Ruins of Ormont Farm.—Elephant iron shelter, Ormont.Center, bottom—Destroyed trees on the road to Ormont.Right, top to bottom—Shelter in the Ormont.—Cross roads near Ormont.—Portion of trench in which Capt. Paton and Wilfore were killed, Ormont.—Charcoal brazier in trench, Ormont.
Left, top to bottom—Concrete dugout, filled with water, Ormont.—View toward German lines, Ormont.—Ruins of Ormont Farm.—Elephant iron shelter, Ormont.Center, bottom—Destroyed trees on the road to Ormont.Right, top to bottom—Shelter in the Ormont.—Cross roads near Ormont.—Portion of trench in which Capt. Paton and Wilfore were killed, Ormont.—Charcoal brazier in trench, Ormont.
PhotographsLeft, top to bottom—Cpl. T. W. Quinn, Cpl. C. Conroy.—Battalion football team, Divisional champions.—Sgt. A. H. Viebranz.—P. F. C. Hogan, Medical Dept.Center, top to bottom—Sgt. J. J. Hunihan.—Sgt. M. E. Kondrat, Sgt. C. M. Kelley.—Pvt. J. I. McAviney, first member of company killed in action.Right, top to bottom—Pvt. W. H. Standen and Sgt. M. Shea.—1st Sgt. W. E. Bell, Cpl. D. H. Wickwire, Sgt. J. A. Sullivan, Sgt. E. W. Viebranz.
Left, top to bottom—Cpl. T. W. Quinn, Cpl. C. Conroy.—Battalion football team, Divisional champions.—Sgt. A. H. Viebranz.—P. F. C. Hogan, Medical Dept.Center, top to bottom—Sgt. J. J. Hunihan.—Sgt. M. E. Kondrat, Sgt. C. M. Kelley.—Pvt. J. I. McAviney, first member of company killed in action.Right, top to bottom—Pvt. W. H. Standen and Sgt. M. Shea.—1st Sgt. W. E. Bell, Cpl. D. H. Wickwire, Sgt. J. A. Sullivan, Sgt. E. W. Viebranz.
Relieved by a unit of the divisional machine gun battalion ofthe 79th Division during the night of October 7, the Company hiked to Vaux, where the men found that B Company had preceded them by a short time and had taken possession of all available shelter, so D Company disposed itself for sleeping in the open in the customary rain of moving days.
Deluded too many times to think that furloughs might be in sight, there was little comment on hopes for a rest and it was no surprise to the men when the hike which started at 5 o'clock on the afternoon of October 8 headed the Company northward in the general direction of the area where the fiercest fighting of the war was taking place,—the Argonne Forest.