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April 11, 1918 - Don Martin returns to Paris via Chaumont


Don Martin diary entry for Thursday, April 11, 1918: 
Traveling. Traveling – all the time. Back to Paris today. Rode as far as Chaumont with Major Riggs and McKenna, a Canadian correspondent. Took the train at Chaumont. Got in Paris at 11 and went to the Hotel Crillon and to bed.  
Weather sun shining.
      Don Martin went by auto to Chaumont-en-Bassigny, where  AEF General Headquarters was established on September 1, 1917. The town was a main railroad node.
      Don Martin missed the award of the Croix de Guerre in Chaumont on April 11 to Lt. Dwight C. Hardin, 2nd Field Battery, who received the first such award and was the first officer wounded, earlier in the month. 
(National Archives photo no. 111-SC-10917, Chaumont, April 11, 1918)   
      Don Martin cabled a second writeup of the encounter of American forces near Toul, probably from Neufchateau before he left for Paris. It was published in the New York Herald on Friday, April 12, 1918.
AMERICAN BATTERIES DEAL DEATH TO PREPARED GERMAN ATTACK ON FRONT LINES NORTHWEST OF TOUL
By DON MARTIN
[Special cable to the Herald]
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, Thursday
        Prompt and effective fire of the American batteries yesterday frustrated a carefully prepared attack of the Germans on the American sector northwest of Toul.
        Two Germans were captured, one of whom died from his wounds. The prisoners said a force of eight hundred men rehearsed the attack on the sector but were stunned by the severity of the American fire.
        Preceding the advance the German artillery laid down a tremendous barrage. The American batteries responded quickly and reached their maximum fire the instant when the hostile German infantry attacked.
        The attack might have been serious but for the alacrity of the American answer. No Americans were lost.
        This attack may be regarded as part of the programme of the Germans to attack the American forces while the big drive is on against the British and allied armies in the vicinity of Amiens. 

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