Scrimmage for War by Bill McWilliams

Author:Bill McWilliams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Published: 2019-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

By 1 August, the division settled into its training area in the French department of Haute Marne. The town of Montiguy-le-Roi, where divisional headquarters was established, was near surrounding villages where the troops were billeted, and the surrounding terrain could not have been more perfect to train for conducting open warfare, in which they would be participating later. What’s more, the weather cooperated, providing the right conditions to whip the men into the best possible physical condition. The training schedule for the balance of the month of August was filled with incessant drilling, long marches, and frequent military exercises for the entire division.

On 29 August, Brigadier General Foltz returned to command of the 182nd Brigade when Major General William H. Johnston came to the division as its commanding general. The division left the training area for “the front” on 7 September, moving to the vicinity of Gondrecourt where they were placed under what was called an army post of command—a PC, a higher-headquarters command, in this instance, the 1st American Army, in which the division was part of the reserve in the planned reduction of the St.-Mihiel salient. The Allied counteroffensive to reduce the salient began five days later.

The next PC was reached by marching the division from Gondrecourt to the vicinity of Void, Pagny-sur-Meuse, and Sorcy-St.-Martin, where it was established in Sorcy on September 11 and remained through the 13th. While there, they were prepared to support the 4th American Corps or the 2nd French Colonial Corps. When the drive from the south to reduce the salient was determined successful, the division moved at night, by truck train, to the Vavincourt area, west of St.-Mihiel, passing to command of Major General Hirschauer, 2nd French Army. In just three days, the St.-Mihiel salient had been reduced, and there was no further reason to hold the 91st in reserve. The division’s headquarters moved from Vavincourt on 17 September to Autrecourt under orders from the new PC, the 2nd French Army, placing it under Major General Garvier Duplessix, 9th French Corps.

In Autrecourt, the division staff became acquainted with the big task ahead, the Allied offensive that would include the 91st’s role in Meuse-Argonne, where they would go over the top in the coming drive. On 19 September, PC went from Autrecourt to Vraincourt, 5th Army Corps, and Major General George H. Cameron, U.S. Army, then just six miles from the front line held by the French. The Wild West Division’s troops moved by night marches with great secrecy until all were safely bivouacked in the woods of Foret de Hesse surrounding Cote 290, Bertrame Farm. The new PC was now Cote 290, as of 20 September, while the administrative staff remained at Vraincourt.

To assist in ensuring surprise, troops necessarily had to move as guardedly as possible. When aircraft approached overhead, bugles sounded the alarm, and troops took cover. The staff were located in dugouts on the southern slope of the hill.

The Americans would initiate the coming assault, but General Cameron directed that

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