The further opinion of the French as to the results and effect of the Second Division’s operations in Champagne is set forth in the following-quoted extract from Information Bulletin No. 12 of the Fourth French Army dated October 7, 1918:
Up to October 4, at which date the present bulletin is written, the Fourth Army has pushed its advance up to objectives of the very highest importance. A splendid American division, full of dash and ardor, the Second Division, United States, placed at the disposition of the Twenty-first Corps on October 3, made itself master of Massif du Blanc Mont, which dominates the valley of the Arnes and gives us excellent outlook on the valley of the Suippe in rear of the region of Monts. This conquest rapidly brought about the downfall of Notre-Dame-des-Champs and the Grand Bois de Saint Souplet.
The American commander in chief in his first report describes the Battle of Blanc Mont in the following words:
The Second Division conquered the complicated defense works on their front against a persistent defense worthy of the grimmest period of trench warfare and attacked the strongly held wooded hill of Blanc Mont, which they captured in a second assault, sweeping over it with consummate dash and skill. This division then repulsed strong counterattacks before the village and cemetery of St. Etienne and took the town, forcing the Germans to fall back from before Rheims and yield positions they had held since September, 1914.
In his final report the American commander in chief remarked as follows:
The Second Division completed its advance on this front by the assault of the wooded heights of Mont Blanc, the key point of the German position, which was captured with consummate dash and skill. The division here repulsed violent counterattacks and then carried our lines into the village of St. Etienne, thus forcing the Germans to fall back before Rheims and yield positions which they had held since September, 1914.
The citation of the Fifth Regiment of Marines (the citation of the Sixth Regiment being identical) reads as follows:
Après approbation du général commandant en chef les forces expéditionnaires Americaines en France, le maréchal de France, commandant en chef les armées françaises de l’est, cite à l’Ordre de l’Armée:
“Le 5ème Regiment de Marine Americain, sous les ordres du Colonel Logan Feland: