On October 7, the 1st Corps drove the Germans out of Chatel and Chéhéry, and from the heights to the west of the Aire, as far as the outskirts of Cornay, which they took on the following day. But with the arrival of numerous reinforcements the German resistance increased, and the advance became more and more difficult. An extension of the attacking front was then decided upon, and the French 17th Corps (Claudel), which was keeping watch on the right bank of the Meuse, was placed at General Pershing’s disposal. This army corps was reinforced by the French 26th Infantry Division and the American 33rd Infantry Division, which were already operating on the right bank of the river. These dispositions having been completed a fresh attack was launched from the Argonne as far as Beaumont, to the west of the Meuse. On October 8, the German positions were violently bombarded, and on the 9th the troops advanced to the assault. On the right, the French 17th Corps advanced as far as the southern outskirts of the Haumont and Consenvoye Woods, but could not get beyond these positions, which had been very strongly fortified by the Germans. [Illustration: VARENNES. TELEPHONISTS OF THE 108TH REGT. (28TH D.I.) WITH GAS MASKS] Along the Meuse the American 3rd Corps entered Brieulles, while the 5th Corps reached the main German line of resistance between Cunel and Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, and captured Fléville. On the left wing the 1st Corps occupied the heights south of Marcq and the woods of Cornay. Meanwhile the troops of the French 4th Army on the left bank of the Aisne swept the Montcheutin--Vaux-lez-Mouron Plateau and, on the right bank, took Lançon, Grand-Ham and Senuc. The capture of the latter village gave them one of the gates of the Grandpré Pass. The junction of the French and American armies was effected at Lançon. On that day the Americans, from the Argonne to Chaume Wood, on the east of the Meuse, captured more than 2,000 prisoners, and the French 600, besides many guns. On the 10th, the French crossed the Aisne opposite Termes, which they captured; they then occupied the railway-station of Grandpré, taking numbers of prisoners. The enemy, in danger of being cut off, evacuated the forest, pursued by the Americans, who, after progressing beyond Marcq and Chevières, linked up with the French before Grandpré. Further east, their line passed north of Sommerance and through the northern outskirts of Romagne Wood and Gesnes. The arrival of American reinforcements in ever-increasing numbers enabled Pershing to extend his operations. The American Second Army, which had just been constituted under the command of General Bullard, lined up on the right of the First Army (which had now passed under the command of General Liggett). To his command were joined the 33rd and 17th French Corps, wedged between the two American armies.