is hard action never before had been in an active
sector, while green troops, fresh from home, were poured in as
replacements.

"The Associated Press dispatches from day to day told what these men
did; how the enemy was slowly pushed back from his strongest and most
vital positions, through one defense system after another, using his
finest selected troops, which had been withdrawn in many instances from
other portions of the line, in an effort to hold an enemy which he
derisively said last spring could not be brought to Europe, and if so
would not fight, and even if he tried to fight would not know how to do
so."

As they advanced, they were obliged to cross the Meuse and capture the
town of Dun. This is a simple statement and might be passed over as
not very significant, but in its few words, it contains a story of one
of the bravest deeds of any army in any war.

The Germans knew, of course, that if they could prevent the crossing of
the river at this point, the Americans could not capture Sedan and cut
their line of communications. It may be that the Americans took them
completely by surprise when they attempted the crossing here, and that
if the Germans had in the least expected the attempt would be made,
they would have been better prepared to defeat it. As it was, however,
the Americans were met by a frightful and deadly fire from the enemy
behind natural defenses so strong that they believed no army would
think of attacking them.

The river at this point is about 160 feet wide. Beyond it lies a half
mile of mud, and then a canal 60 feet wide with perpendicular walls
rising several feet above the surface of the water.

On Monday afternoon, just one week before the war ended, the order was
given to cross the river, the mud, and the canal and to occupy the west
bank. The officers had hesitated to give the command for they realized
what it meant in dead and wounded; but the privates also knew and they
hoped they would be allowed to make the attempt, which with American
soldiers means to succeed. They were there to bring the war to an end,
and to press on against every danger was the sure way to end it quickly.

Those who could swim the river were first called out. Each one was
given the end of a rope long enough to reach across the river; then
they jumped in and swam exposing as little of their heads and bodies as
possible. The German machine guns were so placed as to cover by their
fire every foot