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5 Champagne-marne, July 3–18, 1918 Approximately three miles north of the village of Souain near Châlons-surmarne , a stone marker displays the description “ici fut repoussé l’envahisseur” (here the invader was pushed back).1 it stands across the road approximately five hundred yards from the final resting place of General henri Gouraud,whose body is in a massive ossuary on the old farm of navarin,where the worst fighting occurred in Germany’s July 1918 attempt to take Paris.this stone stands where the 167th infantry validated its reputation for excellent fighting qualities,where the rainbow and the Alabama regiment helped the French turn the tide of victory to theAllies in one of the decisive battles of the GreatWar. the rainbow division and the 13th French division the 167th started its move to the Champagne when its lead elements left the trenches of baccarat on the night of June 18/19.the 2nd and 3rd battalions marched through the city that night, and the last of the Alabama regiment to leave, the 1st battalion, pulled out on the night of June 21.2 the battalions took different routes on their long march to the railhead atthaon-les-vosges.the 1st battalion walked twenty miles fromvacqueville tovaxoncourt, where the men spent the night of June 22 in local barns.3 despite mud and low-hanging clouds, the countryside was open and picturesque. located well behind the front lines, the villages bore no signs of war damage. rabbits and small deer called roebuck abounded. marchers traversed winding roads that followed the contours of the hills,valleys,andflatlandundercultivation.Churchsteeplesweregenerally visible from one village to the next.4 A hike of about three miles on the morning of June 23 took the 1st battalion into the railhead village just north of epinal.the other Champagne-marne, July 3–18, 1918 / 89 two battalions also arrived that day, completing the regiment’s second tour of duty on the lorraine front.5 Spirits were high. General headquarters at Chaumont made staff studies to carefully plan the logistics for the rail and road trips for the entire division, and they went smoothly. historians later praised the order as “a model for such a movement.”6 the division move was on the way on June 21, and macArthur was supervising the loading of the first troops when he received the visit of General Pershing and members of his staff. Pershing was known for the habit of showing up without warning and for putting down his field officers to keep them under pressure .the surprised macArthur, surrounded by his men, had to take the criticism , “this division is a disgrace, the men are poorly disciplined and they are not properly trained.the whole outfit is just about the worst i have ever seen. they’re a filthy rabble.”macArthur tried to defend his men by replying that they had just come out of three months in the trenches.this only added to Pershing’s irritation:“young man,i do not like your attitude.”he further lashed out,“macArthur , i’m going to hold you personally responsible for getting discipline and order into this division—or God help the whole pack of you.”7 despite all this criticism, the 167th regiment had grown expert at moving wagons,equipment,kitchens,ammunition,machine gun carts,and livestock by train or foot. on the afternoon of June 23, the 1st battalion boarded trains and headed northwest on a miserable twenty-four-hour ride tovitry-la-ville in the valley of the marne.the 2nd battalion boarded about midnight,and the 3rd battalion left the next morning.After reachingvitry-la-ville (see fig. 10) the battalions marched to their assigned bivouacs.8 except for daily sessions in gas warfare instruction and intervals of actually wearing a gas mask,the regiment finally rested for four days.there, on June 26, macArthur learned that, despite Pershing ’s outburst, he might be promoted to the rank of brigadier general.9 After two night road marches of about eighteen miles, the regiment reached Camp de la noblette, close to Suippes, where the division was attached to the 13th French division under General de bouillon.10 the 167th’s battalions were scattered around Châlons, a longtime training area for the French army.the 1st and 2nd battalions were at la noblette and the 3rd at la Cheppe (see fig. 11).11 Upon arrival at la noblette, the regiment immediately joined General bouillon’s men...

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