Don Martin diary entry for Friday, September 13, 1918:
With [Edwin] James [New York Times] went to
various headquarters. Wrote considerable of a cable for New York. Censor’s
office in famous Stanislaus Square where we have club rooms, etc. Alert given
for air raid tonight. No raid but everyone excited. Germans withdrawing from
salient Americans decided to close. Not heavy fighting.
Don Martin reported on the second day of the American's 'great offensive' at St. Mihiel on Friday, September 13. It was published in the New York
Herald on Saturday, September 14.
AMERICAN WAR MACHINE
WORKS PERFECTLY ON SECOND DAY
OF FIRST ARMY’S
GREAT OFFENSIVE
French Are Elated at Spirit
With Which Men Are Clearing Up Ground
TANKS NOT NEEDED BY DASHING INFANTRY
Foot Soldiers Go Through Three Lines of Defense,
Each of Which Was Thought Impregnable
By DON MARTIN
Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France
(Special Cable to the Herald)
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, Friday
The
Americans and French under General Pershing are forging steadily ahead and are
overcoming all enemy opposition. Last night our average penetration of the
German lines was to a depth of five miles. To-day we have materially bettered
this.
 |
| St.-Mihiel Operation Map No. 9, September 12-13 National Archive Photo Identification No. 595272 |
There
are indications that the Huns are withdrawing from the St. Mihiel salient under
conditions similar to their withdrawal from the Marne last July. To-day their
artillery was silent, while, on the other hand, our guns continually are mowing
up the territory over which the foe is retreating.
Thousands
of prisoners have been taken by us. Among them are officers of all ranks,
including a regimental commander, Major Count von Schenesing.
One
of the reasons for the large number of captives taken is that our men are
profiting by experience in carrying out the pincer tactics of Marshall Foch’s
magnificent strategy, instead of plunging ahead, as they formerly did,
regardless of consequences.
In
their storming operations the Germans appear to lack ambition and evidently are
trying to make a hurried escape from this salient. This is regarded as another
indication that Germany is in even a worse state than is generally believed.
Three Lines of Strong Defenses
The
amount of territory which has been won by us in the two days of General
Pershing’s first great major offensive is generally considered as remarkable,
especially in view of the fact that our forces have had to advance through
three lines of enemy defenses that the Germans regarded as impregnable. In
front of each of these three lines the Huns had erected a maze of barb wire
entanglements, which in ordinary circumstances would have been extremely
difficult to overcome.
Last
night the Americans and the French consolidated many of their positions and
meanwhile continued to spatter the retreating Huns with shrapnel.
We have retaken many villages which for four years have been
under German domination. Throughout this whole section of France the people are
rejoicing at this and are strong in their praise of the Americans. They are
preparing to celebrate our victory next Sunday, and to give thanks for what our
troops have done.
The
tanks helped materially here and there along the line of attack, but at
hundreds of points the American troops had no such protection as tanks afford.
However, they valiantly cut their way through the wires. I saw an instance where it was necessary for our men to go through
a field that was closely wired in order to get at the enemy, who was in a
strong position in a wood a quarter of a mile distant. The attacking force here
had to advance under the play of German machine guns—a costly operation.
Undaunted, however, they did it, taking the very shortest cut through the field
toward the enemy position.
A
group of forty Americans plunged into the field, cutting the wire as they
advanced. They crawled a hundred yards out of the clear path through the field,
thus enabling the unit to reach the objective with the minimum loss of men.
Finally they reached an abandoned trench which led directly to the wood. From
there it was but a short dash and they were on the enemy, who was quickly put
out of business. It was a short and splendid piece of work.
Communication Lines Quickly Installed
Last
night and again to-day I called at all our divisional headquarters and also at
the headquarters of many smaller units and I was able to see to what a high
degree of perfection our war making machinery had been developed. Even last
night our telephone communication between all headquarters and the front had
been installed and was working perfectly. As a result of the efficiency all
along the line we are able to treat the Huns to a bitter dose of bombing—a mode
of warfare which the enemy was the first to use. Now we are paying him back
with big interest.
American
and French airplanes by the score are in the air, their motors buzzing
constantly, they are dropping many tons of bombs on enemy positions and roads
over which he is moving his troops. The extent of the damage that our flyers do
can be easily judged by what I have seen in the regions over which the men
moved yesterday and to-day, and over which our airmen flew on Wednesday on
bombing expeditions.
I
saw holes in the ground where their bombs had struck that were sixty feet in
diameter and fifteen feet deep. They were everywhere—at many vital points in
the German line and back areas. To-day our flyers are doing similar work, and
their bombs are falling on the retreating Germans, whose only means of egress
from the salient is by two main high roads.
The
presence of Austrian troops on the western front is fast changing the feeling
of American soldiers with regard to Austria-Hungary. The French declare that
these Austrians have but recently been put in the line by the German high
command and that while they have no wish to fight they have no alternative.
They are forced to do it.
The
American First Army machine now is in full operation. It is all that the home
folks desire it to be. The brilliant fighting quality of our doughboys has a
counterpart in the mastery of detail as exemplified by the men at their head.
 |
| St. Mihiel battle map, New York Herald, September 14, 1918 |
Don Martin's dispatch about a German nobleman's surrender was featured on the first page of the New York
Herald on Saturday, September 14.
HUN NOBLEMAN AND STAFF
FOUND WITH BAGGAGE READY;
WERE WILLING CAPTIVES
By DON MARTIN
Special Correspondent of the Herald with the American Armies in France
(Special Cable to the Herald)
Nancy, Friday
Among
the prisoners captured in General Pershing’s first offensive in France was
Major Count von Schenesing, a German nobleman and regimental commander, whose
conduct is regarded as indicative of the changed enemy morale.
Major
Count von Schenesing was found sitting in his headquarters, which the enemy
believed was bomb proof and shell proof. His dress was immaculate, his gorgeous
uniform was new and his boots were polished. His entire staff stood around him,
and at a distance were five orderlies—all his own.
Without
the least show of resistance he and his entire staff surrendered to the French
soldiers. At their approach he arose and saluted them, at the same time showing
every willingness to be made a captive.
Their
baggage was packed and ready for transportation to our lines. Apparently Major
Count von Schenesing and his staff were waiting to be captured.
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