Page:History of the Sixth Regiment, United States Marines.djvu/43

38 38 History of Sixth Reciment, U. S. Marines. From : CO. 3rd Battalion. 4 Oct. 18. 4:35 P.M. No. 3. By runner. To CO. 6th Regiment. It is impossible to clean out Blanc Mont without adequate artillery preparations. There has teen no real heavy artillery fire put in the wcods up to the present lime. They are now firing an occasional seventy-five, which is not effective. Machine guns are firing from there all the time. It is strongly held. I have ordered CO. 97th Co. to use his judgment about taking machine gun nests. It will require a heavy concentration to properly prepare for an attack. A concentration of one half kilometer around the words 'Blanc Mont* (Tachurc map 1/20,000) would be right. Will call you up as soon as phone is working. Shuler." Verbal messages were delivered to the companies near Blanc Mont "Fall back to road; if possible at 6:30 P.M." The companies fell back, but only after they had captured some machine gun nests. The assault was deferred until the next day, and during the night a harassing fire was kept up in order to demoralize the enemy. At 5:15 a con- centration of 155s, lasting an hour, was placed in the woods. The following order was issued at 9:27 P.M ., October 4, 1918: "Headquarters, 6th Regiment, Marine Corps, A.E .F ., France, 4 Oct. 18. FIELD ORDERS 1. The enemy has established a machine gun nest on Blanc Mont. 2. The 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, will attack and drive the enemy from thi3 position. 3. (a) Artillery preparation with 155's and 75's will be given between 5:15 A.M. and 6:15 A.M., 5 October, firing on the area included between the points 265.79—281.0; 266.04—281.12; 265.9 — 280.3; 266.2 —280 .4; and after 6:15 A.M. artillery will rake woods to the north of this area. (b) The 3rd Battalion will be in position to attack at 6:15 A.M. and will attack as soon as the artillery fire shifts to the north of the occupied area. 4. Messages to present P.C of 3rd Battalion and thence by tele- phone to Regimental P.C Lee. Copies to: CO. 1st Bn. 6th Marines; CO. 2nd Bn. 6th Marines; CO. 3rd Bn. 6th Marines; CG. 4th Brigade; CO. 5th Mannes; CG. 22nd Div. (French); 170th Inf. (French)." In accordance with this order the 3rd Battalion attacked at 6:15 A.M ., advancing on left flank from the east; 97th, 82nd and 83rd on