On the morning of 24 July 1918, the 104th Regiment again faced the task of retaking Epieds. "While a small force stayed in front, drawing the fire of the Germans from the village and hills, other troops of the 104th moved against the machine gunners from the rear. The troops the 104th in front of the village and on both sides attacked together, forcing the Germans to evacuate quickly." "Of the fighting here the French Communique the evening of July 24, 1918 said: 'Fierce combats were fought in the sector of Epieds. Those combats, bloody and severe, were fought by Americans whose indomitable energy the Germans fell back the afternoon of July 24, 1918 giving Americans an average advance of three kilometers'. While the actual advance was not marked by such bitter fighting, it was the fierce combats up to morning of July 24, 1918 which resulted in the advance." "The New York Times", in a caption for its related news article, proclaimed that the "Capture of Epieds a Test of Fighting Quality Under the Hardest Conditions." "In a week of fighting the 26th Division had captured 17 kilometers of ground in the first real advance made by an American division as a unit, but at a cost of 20% casualties (the greatest number of battle casualties it would experience in a single operation). Counted among the Division’s casualties were 1,930 gas cases." "The fight for Epieds was one of the most severe and costly in which the Americans have engaged."