THE AMERICAN OFFENSIVE OF SEPTEMBER, 1918
It has been seen in the Michelin Illustrated Guide: “The Americans in the Great War,” Vol. I., that the 1st and 3rd American Corps, under the respective commands of Major-Generals Liggett and Bullard, reached the Vesle at the beginning of August, 1918. General Pershing’s intention at that time was to use these two army corps to form the American First Army which, under his personal command, was to relieve the French 6th Army (General Degoutte). However, the Germans having given proof of their intention to defend the Vesle line at all cost, Marshal Foch decided to attack at another point of the front, and entrusted the task of flattening out the salient to the American Army.
FLIREY VILLAGE (Sept. 14, 1918)
American Sappers pulling down the walls of the ruined houses to fill in the German trenches across the roads in the salient.
This operation had already been carefully studied by the American Staff, for it was in this region that the first American divisions were trained in active warfare.
The 1st Division was holding the sector extending from Ailly Wood to Mortmare Wood, when it was relieved by the 26th Division on April 2, 1918, and despatched to the Somme, where it covered itself with glory by the capture of Cantigny. On April 20, the 26th Division withstood a powerful surprise attack at Seicheprey, where, after losing part of the village, it succeeded in fully re-establishing its front. On July 10, it was sent from the Woëvre district to take part in the Battle of the Ourcq.
From January, 1918, the 2nd Division held that part of the front lying between Eparges and Spada Pass, where it received a thorough training, the effects of which the Germans were destined to feel around Château-Thierry in June, 1918.
On August 30, General Pershing took over the command of the First Army, with Headquarters at Ligny-en-Barrois. At that time, the front line of the salient ran as follows: from Eparges Crest it descended in an almost straight line to St. Mihiel, along the Meuse Heights; passing thence round St. Mihiel, the great bend in the Meuse and the Camp-des-Romains, it described a vast semicircle; then turning sharply eastwards, it proceeded towards Pont-à-Mousson, passing through the woods of Apremont, Ailly, Mortmare and Le Prêtre.
The total length of the salient front was about 65 km., and its width along the German lines between Eparges and Regniéville (near Prêtre Wood) about 39 km. It penetrated the French lines to a maximum depth of 22 km.
ST. MIHIEL SALIENT PRIOR TO THE OFFENSIVE OF SEPT., 1918
It measured 39 km. across its greatest width, 22 km. in depth, and about 65 km. along its front.
Since 1916 this important salient had been fairly quiet, and beyond intermittent bombardments—which showed that the lines on both sides were defended and that the artillery was on the alert—and a few local attacks, the communiqués had nothing to report. This salient, however, greatly hampered the French lines of communication, cutting as it did the railway between Verdun and Toul. This line, which runs as far as Epinal and Belfort, linked up these four great eastern fortresses before the war.
The Defences of the Salient
(See map below.)
Through aerial observations and prisoners taken during raids, the American High Command knew that the enemy possessed several lines of defences, one behind the other, in the salient, and that beyond the first line of trenches facing the front was a second line known as the Schroeter Zone, which formed a second salient about 5 km. within the first. This line began north-east of Eparges, and went southwards across the Meuse Heights, then descending eastwards near Varvinay as far as Buxières, afterwards passing behind the deep valley of the Rupt-de-Mad, and lastly going in a north-easterly direction through Nonsard, Lamarche, Beney and Xammes, where it joined up with the Michel line. The latter formed part of the system of defences known as the Hindenburg Line or Kriemhilde Position—considered impregnable by the Germans, and of which they said to the Allies: “Thus far, and no further”—and it was there that the final enemy stand in the salient was to be made.
THE GERMAN DEFENCE WORKS IN THE SALIENT
The German lines of defence extended in échelons over the whole depth of the salient, and rested on the zone of the advanced forts of Metz.
The Opposing Forces
(See map below.)
Lieutenant-General Fuchs, Commander of the German forces in the salient, had eight divisions in the line and five divisions of reserves.
These divisions formed part of the forces of General von Gallwitz, commanding the army group, and it was he who really opposed the Americans.
On this front General Pershing had four army corps disposed as follows:—
The 1st Corps, comprising the 82nd, 90th, 5th and 2nd Divisions, commanded by Major-General Hunter Liggett, operated from Clémery, east of the Moselle, to Limey.
The 4th Corps, consisting of the 89th, 42nd and 1st Divisions, commanded by Major-General Joseph T. Dickman, operated from Limey to Xivray.
THE OPPOSING FORCES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1918 OFFENSIVE
To these two Corps was assigned the task of carrying out the main attack, their objective being the Vigneulles-St. Benoit-Xammes line, which was to be reached in three successive rushes.
The 5th American Corps, composed of the 26th and 4th Divisions under Major-General George H. Cameron, and supported by the French 15th Division, carried out a secondary attack from Mouilly to Watronville, the objectives being, first the capture of the crests of Eparges and Combres, then the Combres-Vigneulles line. The Corps was to join hands in the latter village with the troops engaged in the main attack.
The French 2nd Colonial Corps, first under General Blondlat and afterwards General Claudel, operated in the centre of the salient, from Xivray to Mouilly, with orders to protect the flanks of the two American attacks.
The attacking forces consisted of some 216,000 Americans and 48,000 French, in addition to the American Reserves (190,000 men), who were ready at a moment’s notice to take part in the battle.
In his official report General Pershing stated that he had mustered a body of troops three times as large as General Grant’s Army of the Potomac in 1864-1865.
SHOWING THE AMERICAN-FRENCH ADVANCE FROM SEPT. 12 (12/9) TO NOV. 11 (11/11), 1918
Two secondary attacks on Sept. 12 held the enemy at the bottom of the salient, while the main attacks on the flanks crushed in the latter, as in the jaws of a vise. On Sept. 13, the Germans, in danger of being cut off, were forced to evacuate the salient.
Flattening out the Salient, Sept. 12, 1918
(See map above.)
Despite all the precautions taken by General Pershing to ensure the secrecy of his troops’ movements in the St. Mihiel sector, the Germans expected the attack, and as early as the beginning of September began to withdraw their heavy guns, and to make active preparations for the total evacuation of the salient. However, General Pershing did not give them time to do this, and ordered the attack to be made on September 12, at 5 a.m. for the 1st and 4th Corps, and at 8 a.m. for the 5th Corps.
The attack had been worked out in minute detail, and the time-table of the advance exactly laid down. Everything took place as arranged. After an artillery preparation lasting four hours, the American divisions advanced, supported by a certain number of tanks, half of them driven by Americans and the other half by Frenchmen. Accompanied by soldiers whose duty it was to cut the barbed wire, and by men armed with “bangalore torpedoes,” the Americans advanced in successive waves. They soon reached the enemy trenches and fell unexpectedly on the demoralized foe in the middle of a fog.
On September 12 (12/9) the 1st Corps quickly took Thiaucourt, whilst the 4th Corps, operating on the left, advanced beyond Montsec and reached Nonsard, further north. At the point of the salient, the 2nd French Colonial Corps gradually attained the objectives assigned to it. The 2nd Cavalry Division captured more than 2,500 prisoners with a loss of only fourteen men killed and 116 wounded. At the other end, the 5th American Corps carried the crests of Eparges and Combres, repulsed a counter-attack, and quickly joined hands with the patrols of the 4th Corps at Vigneulles.
On the morning of September 13 (13/9), Generals Pershing and Pétain entered St. Mihiel. In the evening the new front line ran as follows: Herbeuville, Thillot-sous-les-Côtes, Hattonville, St. Benoit, Xammes, Jaulny, Norroy.
It was a fine victory: 16,000 prisoners, 443 guns of all calibres, and huge quantities of stores and munitions were captured, with a loss of only 7,000 killed and wounded.
The German retreat continued on September 14 and 15 (14/9 and 15/9) to the line Fresnes—Hautmont—Rembercourt.
The offensive was finished; the jaws of the vise had closed on the salient, and the latter had disappeared. From the American advance-posts the out-works of Metz were now plainly visible, and Wagner Fort, situated in front of the town, was already under the fire of the American guns.
German Comments on the Attack
A German report on the American attack of the St. Mihiel salient contains the following:—“The Americans made a clever use of their machine-guns. They are stubborn in defence, and rely greatly upon this weapon, of which they have large numbers.
“The artillery preparation, which preceded the attack, was well carried out. The objectives were efficiently bombarded. The American gunners were able to change their targets in the minimum of time, and with great accuracy. The liaison between the infantry and the artillery was faultless. Whenever the infantry were stopped by a nest of machine-guns, they immediately fell back, and their artillery promptly shelled the nest of machine-guns.
“Numerous tanks were ready, but only a few actually used; the masses of infantry alone ensured the victory.”
COMRADES IN ARMS
MARSHAL FOCH
GENERAL PERSHING
France’s Congratulations
Immediately after the first American successes in the salient, the President of the French Republic cabled his warmest congratulations to President Wilson for the victory of “General Pershing’s magnificent divisions, fraternally seconded by French troops.”
The praise was well deserved, as in two days the Americans had liberated 150 square miles of French territory which had been occupied four years by the enemy.
THE OPPOSING FORCES ON ARMISTICE DAY
A crushing offensive was on the eve of being launched. The enemy, incapable of effectual resistance, hauled down their flag and capitulated.
St. Mihiel Front from Sept. 15 to Armistice Day
During the great Meuse-Argonne Battle, fought by General Pershing’s troops after September 26, the operations on the St. Mihiel front were limited to intermittent bombardments and local attacks.
When the Armistice was signed on November 11, General Pershing was making dispositions to invest Metz by an offensive towards Longwy with the 1st Army, and towards Briey with the 2nd Army, while a detachment of six American divisions was to co-operate on the right bank of the Moselle with General Mangin’s Army, in an attack on Château-Salins. Meanwhile, the Germans had already begun to evacuate Metz. The Allies’ advance began on November 10 and 11, but the general capitulation of the Germans, on terms dictated by the Allies, robbed the Americans of a new and crushing victory, which would have fittingly crowned their fine success at St. Mihiel.
A VISIT TO THE BATTLEFIELDS
IN THREE ITINERARIES
FIRST ITINERARY (p. [22])
Distance: 80 km. (See [pp. 23-71])
VERDUN to COMMERCY, via Calonne Trench, Eparges, Apremont
Forest, Ailly Wood and St. Mihiel, including
A VISIT TO ST. MIHIEL (pp. [55-69])
SECOND ITINERARY (pp. [72-137])
Distance: 142 km. (See pp. [72-137])
COMMERCY to METZ, via Pont-à-Mousson, including
A VISIT TO PRÊTRE WOOD (pp. [102-119])
A VISIT TO METZ ([120-137])
THIRD ITINERARY (pp. [138-145])
METZ to VERDUN, via Etain (pp. [138-145])
FIRST DAY—VERDUN TO COMMERCY
Follow the roads indicated by the continuous black lines, in the direction of the arrows. See sheets 7 and 12 of the Michelin Touring Map.
FAÇADE OF THE HÔTEL-DE-VILLE, OVERLOOKING THE PUBLIC GARDENS
(From the Michelin Guide: The Battle of Verdun.)