TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DAILY ARKANSAS GAZETTE MARCH 3, 1919 P. 3
A continuous attack upon the Americans and French began at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. While daylight lasted the Germans were repulsed with great slaughter, but with nightfall they began crossing in swarms. During the conflict on the south bank of the Marne 33 Bavarian and Saxon divisions and eight Prussian divisions were identified, making a total of 550,000 men who actually crossed the Marne.
Outnumbered six to one the Americans were gradually pressed back out of their lines. Morning found the Germans in possession of the fire trench all along the Marne from Vaux to Gannat. The line was bending slowing but not broken, and conscious that the eyes of the civilized world were on them that morning the Yankees fought on even while messages were coming from Foch at headquarters advising retreat. History had recorded how the commander of one battalion frenzied by what he considered as the disgrace of being forced to give way, led his men in a gallant but hopeless flank attack. Out of the battalion only 60 escaped without wounds.
When the Kaiser and his cohorts figured the line of least resistance would be the untried Yankee fighters they overlooked the Marine. The Marine had no machine guns and no hand grenades. The rifle and bayonet sufficed them. Pouring into Etampes and Fossoy they captured the two towns with a rush. Leaving these in the hands of advancing infantry they rushed the bridges. Less than two hours from the moment of attack they had driven the Germans out of a strip two and three-eights miles wide, had crossed the Marne and thrown themselves flat in the mud on the outskirts of Chateau Thierry.
Ensued what was probably the most remarkable battle of the great war. To understand the battle it is necessary to study the conditions. The steep hill sloping up from the river confronted the Marines. On the hill was Chateau Thierry. In Chateau Thierry every street crossing, every basement, every tower in every building held a concealed machine gun. It is not known how many machine guns were there, but the Marines captured 600 when they took the town.
The battle was a conflict between machine guns and men and the men won. No one imagined it could be done but it was done. With no barrage, no explosives of any kind, the soldiers of the sea conquered the death-spitting pill boxes.
How did they do it? Marksmanship is the answer. Before ever the Marine saw a battlefield he received training with the rifle that was not given to any other soldier. At the conclusion of this training he was tried out on six different ranges. At Chateau Thierry only 90 out of 8,000 had not reached the grade of marksman. Nearly 6,000 were marksman, 1,200 were sharpshooters, and the rest were expert riflemen.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Jacob William Kersey about the battle of Chateau Thierry. He was serving as a Pvt in the 13th Regiment Marines. He enlisted on July 18, 1917 and was discharged on February 12, 1920. He was born on May 21, 1893 in Russellville, Arkansas and died on June 24, 1945. He is buried in the Oakland Cemetery in Russellville. He was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
A continuous attack upon the Americans and French began at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. While daylight lasted the Germans were repulsed with great slaughter, but with nightfall they began crossing in swarms. During the conflict on the south bank of the Marne 33 Bavarian and Saxon divisions and eight Prussian divisions were identified, making a total of 550,000 men who actually crossed the Marne.
Outnumbered six to one the Americans were gradually pressed back out of their lines. Morning found the Germans in possession of the fire trench all along the Marne from Vaux to Gannat. The line was bending slowing but not broken, and conscious that the eyes of the civilized world were on them that morning the Yankees fought on even while messages were coming from Foch at headquarters advising retreat. History had recorded how the commander of one battalion frenzied by what he considered as the disgrace of being forced to give way, led his men in a gallant but hopeless flank attack. Out of the battalion only 60 escaped without wounds.
When the Kaiser and his cohorts figured the line of least resistance would be the untried Yankee fighters they overlooked the Marine. The Marine had no machine guns and no hand grenades. The rifle and bayonet sufficed them. Pouring into Etampes and Fossoy they captured the two towns with a rush. Leaving these in the hands of advancing infantry they rushed the bridges. Less than two hours from the moment of attack they had driven the Germans out of a strip two and three-eights miles wide, had crossed the Marne and thrown themselves flat in the mud on the outskirts of Chateau Thierry.
Ensued what was probably the most remarkable battle of the great war. To understand the battle it is necessary to study the conditions. The steep hill sloping up from the river confronted the Marines. On the hill was Chateau Thierry. In Chateau Thierry every street crossing, every basement, every tower in every building held a concealed machine gun. It is not known how many machine guns were there, but the Marines captured 600 when they took the town.
The battle was a conflict between machine guns and men and the men won. No one imagined it could be done but it was done. With no barrage, no explosives of any kind, the soldiers of the sea conquered the death-spitting pill boxes.
How did they do it? Marksmanship is the answer. Before ever the Marine saw a battlefield he received training with the rifle that was not given to any other soldier. At the conclusion of this training he was tried out on six different ranges. At Chateau Thierry only 90 out of 8,000 had not reached the grade of marksman. Nearly 6,000 were marksman, 1,200 were sharpshooters, and the rest were expert riflemen.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Jacob William Kersey about the battle of Chateau Thierry. He was serving as a Pvt in the 13th Regiment Marines. He enlisted on July 18, 1917 and was discharged on February 12, 1920. He was born on May 21, 1893 in Russellville, Arkansas and died on June 24, 1945. He is buried in the Oakland Cemetery in Russellville. He was described as being of medium height and build with brown eyes and hair.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT