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.
