Chapter XIV

THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE—CROSSING THE MEUSE RIVER.

On October 25, 1918, the brigade moved to the Les Islettes area with brigade headquarters at Camp Cabaud. On the evening of October 26, 1918, it arrived in the area south of Exermont and bivouacked in the woods there that night with brigade headquarters at Exermont. The brigade remained in bivouac in this area until the night of October 30-31, 1918, when it moved forward into line to participate in the immense Meuse-Argonne offensive which had started on September 26, 1918, the Second Division being assigned as a unit of the Fifth Corps.

Relieving elements of the Forty-Second Division, just south of Landres-et-St. Georges, the Marine Brigade early on the morning of November 1, 1918, jumped-off, following a terrific barrage, for its final operation of the war, the conclusion of which at 11 o’clock on the morning of November 11, 1918, found the Marines firmly established on the heights of the far bank of the Meuse River, after an advance of 30 kilometers.

The splendid work of the Second Division, including the Marines, is described in official reports, and excerpts from some are given below.

In recommending that the Second Division be cited in General Headquarters Orders for its excellent work in the attack of November 1-11, 1918, the commanding general, First Army, wrote on January 16, 1919, in part, as follows:

4. In the First Army attack of November 1, 1918, the Second
Division was selected and so placed in the battle line that its
known ability might be used to overcome the critical part of the
enemy’s defense. The salient feature of the plan of attack was to
drive a wedge through Landres-et-St. Georges to the vicinity of
Fosse. It was realized that if the foregoing could be accomplished
the backbone of the hostile resistance west of the Meuse would
be broken and the enemy would have to retreat to the east of the
Meuse. Success in this plan would immediately loosen the flanks of
the First Army. The Second Division was selected to carry out this
main blow.

5. The Second Division accomplished the results desired in every
particular on the first day of the attack, not only clearing the
hostile defenses of Landres-et-St. Georges and the Bois de Hazios
but continuing its advance to the vicinity of Fosse, i. e., about 9
kilometers. This decisive blow broke the enemy’s defense and opened
the way for the rapid advance of the Army.

With reference to the first day’s attack, the commanding general, Fifth Army Corps, wrote officially on November 2, 1918, in part as follows:

The division’s brilliant advance of more than 9 kilometers,
destroying the last stronghold on the Hindenburg Line, capturing
the Freya Stellung, and going more than 9 kilometers against not
only the permanent but the relieving forces in their front, may
justly be regarded as one of the most remarkable achievements made
by any troops in this war. For the first time, perhaps, in our
experience the losses inflicted by your division upon the enemy
in the offensive greatly exceeded the casualties of the division.
The reports indicate moreover that in a single day the division
has captured more artillery and machine guns than usually falls to
the lot of a command during several days of hard fighting. These
results must be attributed to the great dash and speed of the
troops, and to the irresistible force with which they struck and
overcame the enemy.

The following citation in Fifth Army Corps General Orders No. 26, dated November 20, 1918, gives a further description of these operations:

The Second Division, in line at the launching of the attack, broke
through the strong enemy resistance, and, leading the advance,
drove forward in a fast and determined pursuit of the enemy, who,
despite new divisions hastily thrown in, was driven back everywhere
on its front. This division drove the enemy across the Meuse, and
under heavy fire and against stubborn resistance, built bridges and
established itself on the heights. The cessation of hostilities
found this division holding strong positions across the Meuse and
ready for a continuation of the advance.

An order of the Second Division, dated November 5, 1918, reading in part as follows, tells what occurred subsequent to the first day’s attack:

During the night of November 2-3 the Second Division moved forward
overcoming the resistance of the enemy’s advanced elements, and at
6 a. m., it attacked and seized the enemy’s line of defense on the
ridge southeast of Vaux-en-Dieulet.

Late in the afternoon, the enemy, having reorganized his line on
the border of Belval Forest, was again attacked and defeated.
After nightfall and in a heavy rain, the advanced elements of
the division pressed forward through the forest, and occupied a
position on the heights south of Beaumont, 8 kilometers in advance
of the divisions on our right and left.

During the night of November 4-5, the division again pressed
forward, occupied Beaumont and Letanne and threw the enemy on its
front across the Meuse.

An order of the Second Division, dated November 12, 1918, describing the historic crossing of the Meuse River on the night before the armistice became operative, reads as follows:

1. On the night of November 10, heroic deeds were done by heroic
men. In the face of a heavy artillery and withering machine gun
fire, the Second Engineers threw two foot bridges across the Meuse
and the first and second battalions of the Fifth Marines crossed
resolutely and unflinchingly to the east bank and carried out their
mission.

2. In the last battle of the war, as in all others in which this
division has participated, it enforced its will on the enemy.

The commanding general of the Fifth Army Corps has this to say about the crossing of the Meuse by the Marines, who were assisted by the Artillery, Engineers, and other troops of the Second Division:

Especially I desire to commend the division for the crowning
feat of its advance in crossing the Meuse River in face of heavy
concentrated enemy machine gun fire, and in driving the enemy’s
troops before it, and in firmly establishing itself upon the
heights covering the desired bridgehead. This feat will stand among
the most memorable of the campaign.

With reference to the crossing of the Meuse River the American commander in chief reported as follows:

On the night of November 10, the Fifth Corps forced a crossing
of the Meuse against heavy enemy resistance between Mouzon and
Pouilly, and advanced to the Inor-Mouzon road with two battalions
holding the high ground northwest of Inor.

The general success achieved by the Second Division in the Argonne-Meuse offensive is well described by the words of the order citing Maj. Gen. John A. Lejeune, of the Marines, for an Army distinguished service medal, reading in part as follows:

In the Meuse-Argonne offensive his division was directed with such
sound military judgment and ability that it broke and held, by the
vigor and rapidity of execution of its attack, enemy lines which
had hitherto been considered impregnable.

During this fighting the headquarters of the Fourth Brigade was successively established at Exermont, one-half kilometer north of Exermont, Sommerance, Bayonville-et-Chennery, Fosse, Belval-Bois-des-Dames, and Beaumont.

The following self-explanatory memorandum was sent out by the Commanding General of the Fourth Brigade:

HEADQUARTERS 4TH BRIGADE,
MARINES, AMERICAN E. F.,
_11th November ’18—8.40 a. m._

PEACE MEMORANDUM NO. 1.

The following telephone message received from _Surprise_ 1 at 8.35
a. m. this morning forwarded for compliance.

8.40 a. m. message from 5th Corps; Armistice signed and takes
effect at 11 this morning. Accurate map showing locations of front
line elements, including patrols and detachments, will be sent to
these Headquarters without delay.

On “the eleventh hour, the eleventh day of the eleventh month, of the year 1918,” Brig. Gen. Wendell C. Neville, commanding general of the Fourth Brigade of Marines, published the following tribute to the officers and men of the Fourth Brigade:

Upon this, the most momentous hour in the history of the World
War, the undersigned wishes to express to his command his sincere
appreciation of their unfailing devotion to duty and their heroic
and courageous action during the recent operations.

The time, when the results of our efforts during the past year are
shown, is here. The hour has arrived when the convulsion which
has shaken the foundations of the civilized world has ceased. The
enemy is defeated and the principles of freedom and democracy have
triumphed over barbarism and autocracy. We may all feel justly
proud of the extent of our participation which has forced the
enemy to a cessation of hostilities. It is fitting, at this time,
to think of those of our comrades who have fallen on the field of
honor and rejoice in the fact that they did not give their lives in
vain.

Your display of fortitude, determination, courage, and your ability
to fight has upon more than one occasion been a determining factor
in making history, and your work has had a direct bearing upon
the remarkable chain of events which have this day culminated
in such a satisfactory manner. Along the fronts of Verdun, the
Marne, the Aisne, Lorraine, Champagne, and the Argonne, the units
of the Fourth Brigade Marines have fought valiantly, bravely, and
decisively. They have nobly sustained the sacred traditions and
have added glorious pages to the already illustrious history of the
United States Marine Corps. It is a record of which you may all be
proud.