of the 26th Division of the U.S. Army
during World War I
| The History of the 103rd Regiment of the 26th Division of the U.S. Army during World War I |
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On the assumption of the offensive your position in the line demanded an
important and diiiicult maneeuver. Your success in this was immediate and
great, and the way in which you executed it elicited high praise from the French
Army Commander. The eight days from July 18th to 25th, marking the first
great advance against the enemy in which American troops bore proportionately
a considerable share, are sure of historical setting. Your part therein can never
be forgotten. In those eight days you carried your line as far as any part of the
advance was carried. Torcy, Belleau, Givry, the Beuresches VVoods, Rochet
Wo0Is, Hill 190 overlooking Chateau-Thierry, Etrepilly, Epieds, Trugny, and
finally La Fere Woods and the objective, the Jaulgonne ~—Fere-en-Tardcnois
Road, belong to your arms. You are the recipient of praise, thanks, and con-
gratulations of our Commander-in-Chief. You went unafraid into the face of
the enemy’s fire; you forced him to withdraw before you, or to accept the alter-
native of hand to hand combat, in which you proved yourselves morally and
physically his superior; you gave frcely and gave much of your strength, and of
your blood and your lives, until pushed beyond mere physical endurance, fight-
ing night and day, you still forced yourselves forward, sustained almost by spirit
a one.
These things are now part of your own consciousness. Nothing can detract
from them. Nothing that I can say can add to them. But I can testify in this
way to my pride in commanding such troops, so capable of achieving success in
every undertaking; and this testimony I give to each of you gladly and with
deep gratitude.
C. R. EDWIARDS,
Major General, Commanding.
The Commanding General of the VIth Army takes pleasure in transmitting
these congratulations to the troops of his army.
G1·:NaRAL DEGOUTTE.
Army, July 29, 1918.
Vlth Army
N 0. 2353/3
From: GEN|·:uAL DEGOUTTE, Commanding the Vlth Army.
T0: GENERAL EDVVARDS, Commanding the 26th American Division.
The operations carried out by the 26th American Division from July 18th to
July 2-ith demonstrated the fine soldierly qualities of this unit and the worth
of its leader, General Edwards. _
Cooperating in the attack north of the Marne, the 26th Division fought bril-
liantly on the line Torcy — Bellcau, at Montbiers, Epieds, and Trugny and in
the Forest of Fére, advancing more than 15 kilometers in depth in spite of the
desperate resistance of the enemy. I take great pleasure in communicating to
General Edwards and his valiant division this expression of my great esteem
together with my heartieet congratulations for the manner in which they have
served the common cause.
DEGOUTTE.
By command of Major General EDWARDS:
Ojicial: VV. S. Bowmz, Licut.»C0l., G. S.,
C. A. Srnvnws, Adj.—Gen., Acting (Yhicf af Sta]?.
Avljulzml.
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