Boulain Woods, and the 1st Battalion advanced again taking a position along the Meuse River opposite
Stenay and south of Laneuville. In the meantime the 3rd Battalion had cleared Halles, taking up its
position in the Bois de Chenois, one platoon occupying Wiseppe. From these positions the Regiment
could advance no further. The enemy occupied Stenay and had completely wrecked the bridge at that
point, also had dammed the river causing it to overflow the surrounding country. The river under these
conditions was about a kilometer wide. Patrols worked day and night, under enemy artillery and
machine-gun fire in an endeavor to find a place where crossing of the Meuse could be made but without
result.
On the night of November 9th, leaving the 3rd Battalion holding the West Bank of the Meuse
River, the 1st and 2nd Battalions marched back through Montigny and effected a crossing of the Meuse
at Sassey, then up the river to Mouzay, arriving there in the early morning of the 10th. In this night
march the two battalions covered a distance of 22 km. After their steady exposure to the enemy and the
elements since October 17th, this March, on a freezing night, with canteens becoming solid ice and the
steady all-night grind, was perhaps the hardest task the Regiment was asked to do during its entire
history, aside from its actual fighting.
At Mouzay orders were received to jump off and capture Stenay. The jump off was made at 5
hour, 10th November, with artillery support, the 2nd Battalion in the front line and the 1st Battalion with
Machine Gun Co. in support. Upon reaching Stenay the 2nd Battalion under command of Major Sam C.
Souther, met strong enemy machine gun resistance and veered around to the left and went down along
the river to attack Stenay, entering the outskirts of Stenay about 7:30 a. m. the 1st Battalion continued
advancing straight down the Mouzay-Stenay Road. Upon reaching and mopping up the Blanc Fontaine
Barracks the enemy machine gun resistance became so violent and losses so heavy that the advance was
checked. Machine guns were set up in the barrack windows and several enemy machine gun nests
broken up. The positions reached by the battalions were held throughout the afternoon, although subject
to tremendous machine gun fire.
In the afternoon of November 10th, Colonel E. M. Leary, Regimental Commander, proceeded to
the front lines and after telephone conversation with the Brigade Commander at 14 hour 23 minutes,
ordered the Battalions to dig in and hold on to everything they had, also to push out and patrol
intensively Stenay and vicinity. A small detachment of the 1st Battalion in addition to the 2nd Battalion
occupied Stenay the night of the 10th November. In the meantime the 3rd Battalion had effected a
crossing of the Meuse River at Villevranche where they were ordered to hold.
Official information was received about 9:30 p.m. November 10th that the armistice would
become effective at 11 hour on the 11th of November. This word was evidently received by the enemy
also, as about 11:30 p.m. practically all small arms firing had ceased and only the occasional boom of
cannon could be heard. And toward morning these also ceased. The morning of the 11th was devoted
to patrolling the territory already captured and to establishing outpost beyond Stenay. All during the
morning the enemy withdrew from his well-established lines, thus leaving Stenay free and occupied by
the 358th Infantry.
After hostilities ceased the regiment took up a position at Blanc Fontaine Barracks near Stenay,
with the exception of the 1st Battalion which proceeded to Longuyon as Division Advanced Guard. The
Regiment remained in this position until 24th of November, when the 2nd and 3rd Battalions,
Headquarters Company, Machine Gun Company, and Supply Company proceeded by marching to
Charency-Vezin, France. The 1st Battalion moved by marching from Longuyon to Villers Le Rond,
 |
 |
 |