Vols. II. and III. of “_The Americans in the Great War_” complete the
present volume. They are entitled: Vol. II. “_The Battle of Saint
Mihiel_” (Metz, St. Mihiel, Pont-â-Mousson); Vol. III. “_The
Meuse-Argonne Battle_” (St. Menehould, Montfaucon, Clermont).
[Illustration: FROM JULY 27 TO 29 (27/7 TO 29/7) THE GERMANS RETREATED
AGAIN, THEN MADE A STAND UNTIL JULY 31.]
From July 26 to 29.
On the evening of the 26th and on the 27th, in consequence of the
Franco-American push threatening, from the east and south,
Fère-en-Tardenois, with its vital network of roads and railways, the
Germans again retreated, this time on a larger scale, to the south of
the Ourcq and north of the Marne. They were pursued by the Allies who,
on the evening of the 27th, lined the Ourcq as far as Fère and, to the
north of the Marne, occupied the line: Champvoisy, Passy-Grigny,
Cuisles, La Neuville-aux-Larris, Chaumuzy; the British capturing Bligny.
French mounted patrols pushed forward to the line Villers-Agron,
Romigny, Ville-en-Tardenois, where the enemy trenches, lined with
machine-guns, seemed to indicate that a stand was to be made.
On the 28th, the 62nd Division, in _liaison_ on its right with the 42nd
American Division, entered Fère-en-Tardenois. Meanwhile, north of the
Marne, Franco-American forces made good progress in the region of St.
Croix and near Neuville Castle. On the extreme right the Germans were
driven across the Vesle.
Withdrawing their exhausted divisions, the enemy, from the 28th to the
30th, engaging six fresh divisions, supported by numerous machine-guns,
made vigorous counter-attacks which retarded the Franco-American
advance. Only little progress was made on the 29th between Le
Plessier-Huleu and the Ourcq, the extreme points reached being Saponay
and Seringes. However, in the centre, the Ourcq was crossed from Fère to
Ronchères.
From Ronchères to Vrigny progress was again very slow. On the 30th and
31st the Germans counter-attacked north of Fère and in the valley of the
Ardre, where they burnt Poilly Village. However, the Americans captured
Cierges, while the French made progress towards Nesles Wood and in
Meunière Wood.