I like to think that our men did not fight for Crosses; that they fought for their cause and their manhood. A battalion which did not take a hill may have fought as bravely as one which did, and deserve no less credit for its contribution to the final result. So I have resisted the temptation to make a gallery of fame, and set in its niches those favored in the hazard of action, when it was the heroism and fortitude of all which cannot be too much honored. I have written of the "team-play" rather than the "stars"; of the whole--a whole embracing all that legion of Americans at home or abroad who were in uniform during the war. If I have been discriminate about regulars and reserves, and frank about many other things, it is in no carping sense. We fought the war for a cause which requires the truth, now that the war is over. I regret that it is not possible for me to give due acknowledgment to the many officers of our army who, during the actual campaign and since their demobilization, have facilitated the gathering of my material. For the preparation of the book I am indebted to the continued assistance, both in France and at home, of Mr. George Bruner Parks. FREDERICK PALMER. September, 1919. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I A CHANGE OF PLAN 1 II INTO LINE FOR ATTACK 19 III NEW AND OLD DIVISIONS 42 IV THE ORDER OF BATTLE 51 V ON THE MEUSE SIDE 65 VI WE BREAK THROUGH 75 VII IN THE WAKE OF THE INFANTRY 95 VIII THE FIRST DAY 109 IX THE ATTACK SLOWS DOWN 129 X BY THE RIGHT FLANK 147 XI BY THE LEFT 168 XII BY THE CENTER 194 XIII OVER THE HINDENBURG LINE 223 XIV DISENGAGING RHEIMS 249 XV VETERANS DRIVE A WEDGE 266 XVI MASTERING THE AIRE TROUGH 280 XVII VETERANS CONTINUE DRIVING 294 XVIII THE GRANDPRÉ GAP IS OURS 309 XIX ANOTHER WEDGE 324 XX IN THE MEUSE TROUGH 340 XXI SOME CHANGES IN COMMAND 355 XXII A CALL FOR HARBORD 376 XXIII THE S. O. S. DRIVES A WEDGE 391 XXIV REGULARS AND RESERVES 413 XXV LEAVENWORTH COMMANDS 433 XXVI OTHERS OBEY 449 XXVII AMERICAN MANHOOD 472 XXVIII THE MILL OF BATTLE 485 XXIX THEY ALSO SERVED 501 XXX THROUGH THE KRIEMHILDE 515 XXXI A CITADEL AND A BOWL 540 XXXII THE FINAL ATTACK 571 XXXIII VICTORY 589 TABLE OF MAPS FACING PAGE 1.--American Offensives and other Offensives in which American troops participated, May-November, 1918 2