The Battle of Cantigny
May 28th, 1918
The battle of Cantigny was a part of the first American offensive launched during the war and in itself was a minor action. This battle was fought on the second day of the last great German offensive launched in the war at a German observation point heavily fortified at the village of Cantigny. Leading the attack was the American 1st division under the command of Robert Lee Bullard. With this force of 4,000 U.S. troops along with French tanks, trench mortars, Flamethrower teams, and a 2-hour artillery strike, they managed to capture the village held by the German 8th army under the command of General Oskar von Hutier. With this victory, the Americans added about one mile to their front. This battle however, was over shadowed by the 3rd battle of Aisne 55 miles to the north-west. With a series of German counter-attacks in the following days, U.S. troops managed to hold their positions with around 1,067 casualties capturing 100 Germans prisoners.