ost become veterans
overnight. The enemy had taken every advantage of the terrain, which
especially favored the defense by a prodigal use of machine guns manned
by highly trained veterans and by using his artillery at short ranges.
In the face of such strong frontal positions we should have been unable
to accomplish any progress according to previously accepted standards,
but I had every confidence in our aggressive tactics and the courage of
our troops.

PROGRESS UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

On October 4 the attack was renewed all along our front. The Third Corps
tilting to the left followed the Brieulles-Cunel road; our Fifth Corps
took Gesnes, while the First Corps advanced for over two miles along the
irregular valley of the Aire River and in the wooded hills of the
Argonne that bordered the river, used by the enemy with all his art and
weapons of defense. This sort of fighting continued against an enemy
striving to hold every foot of ground and whose very strong
counter-attacks challenged us at every point. On the 7th the First Corps
captured Chatel-Chehery and continued along the river to Cornay. On the
east of Meuse sector one of the two divisions co-operating with the
French captured Consenvoye and the Haumont Woods. On the 9th the Fifth
Corps, in its progress up the Aire, took Fleville, and the Third Corps,
which had continuous fighting against odds, was working its way through
Brieulles and Cunel. On the 10th we had cleared the Argonne Forest of
the enemy.

FORMATION OF SECOND ARMY.

It was now necessary to constitute a second army, and on October 9 the
immediate command of the First Army was turned over to Lieut. Gen.
Hunter Liggett. The command of the Second Army, whose divisions occupied
a sector in the Woevre, was given to Lieut. Gen. Robert L. Bullard, who
had been commander of the First Division and then of the Third Corps.
Major General Dickman was transferred to the command of the First Corps,
while the Fifth Corps was placed under Maj. Gen. Charles P. Summerall,
who had recently commanded the First Division. Maj. Gen. John L. Hines,
who had gone rapidly up from regimental to division commander, was
assigned to the Third Corps. These four officers had been in France from
the early days of the expedition and had learned their lessons in the
school of practical warfare.

Our constant pressure against the enemy brought day by day more
prisoners, mostly survivors from machine gun nests captured in fighti