After resting a few days in the region of Lignieres (Meuse), the
regiment entrained en route to the Argonne Forest, arriving
behind the lines on July 6, 1918, the 1st Battalion, under
command of Major Stokes, moving up immediately into the reserve
positions at Brabant (S. Groupement Courcelles) and later into
the front lines in the Center of Resistance de la Foret,
Sub-Sector Hermont.
The 2nd Battalion under command of Major Hunt took station at
Rarecourt, the latter moved up to Locheres (Plateau of Gorgia) at
which place the Major located his Commanding Post. From this
position companies of the 2nd Battalion were sent into the lines
alternately, the companies being relieved after a five days' tour
of duty.
On July 12, 1918, Colonel Franklin A. Denison, who had commanded
the regiment up to this time and had become incapacitated through
illness contracted during the strenuous days incident to the
preparation of the regiment for service in the lines, was
relieved from command on this account and Colonel T.A. Roberts,
cavalry, assumed command of the regiment.
The 3rd battalion under command of Major Williams, was held in
reserve at Vraincourt, and only Company M of that battalion was
sent into the front lines. This company took up positions in the
supporting point at Buzemont on August 7, 1918, and remained
until August 14, 1918.
On August 1, 1918, the Stokes Mortar platoon under command of
Lieutenant Robert A. Ward took position in the lines in the
sub-sector Vaquois, and on August 4, 1918, took an active part in
a coup-de-main arranged by the French. His mission, filling in
the gaps in the French artillery barrage, was so successfully
accomplished that his entire platoon was highly commended for
their work by the commanding general of the division.
Although patrols were operating between the lines nightly and the
positions occupied were under artillery, machine gun and rifle
fire a number of times, the only losses sustained during the six
weeks in the Argonne Forest were 1 killed, 1 captured and 4
wounded.
On the night of August 15-16, 1918, the regiment was relieved
from its positions in the Forest and marched to Rampont and
entrained for villages in the vicinity of Fains (Meuse) for a
period of rest, arriving on August 18, 1918.
Upon arrival at the new stations, instruction was begun again,
more attention being paid to open warfare than to work incident
to trench warfare. This training proved of great value to the
officers and men in the latter days of the war, when the regiment
was actively engaged in the pursuit of the enemy to the Belgian
border.
On September 11, 1918, the regiment left its various stations and
proceeded by train to Betz, where it detrained and marched to
stations in villages in the vicinity of Mareuil-sur-Ourcq
(Meuse). On September 11, 1918, Majors Hunt and Williams having
become incapacitated through illness and injury, were relieved
from command of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, respectively, and
Lieutenant Colonel Otis B. Duncan and Captain John H. Patton were
assigned to the command of those battalions.
The battles of Chavigny, Leury and the Bois de Beaumont having
reduced the effectives of the 59th French Division, the regiment
was placed at the disposition of the division and was assigned as
one of the three infantry regiments thereof. Upon joining this
division the effective strength of the regiment was approximately
double that of either of the two French regiments; and in future
operations a large share of the work of the division fell to our
lot.
On September 15, 1918, the regiment received orders to move again
toward the front. From Mareuil-sur-Ourcq to the region of
St. Bandry (Meuse) the movement was made in motor trucks. On
September 16, 1918, the journey was resumed, the regiment
proceeding by marching. Upon arrival at Tartier, Companies F and
G were sent to Monte Couve (Aisne) to join the 232nd Regiment of
Infantry, and Companies I and L pushed forward to Bagneux (Aisne)
to join the 325th Regiment. The 1st battalion proceeded the next
day to the caves in the vicinity of Les Tueries, the 3rd
battalion moved up into the reserve in the region of Antioch Farm
with the remainder of the 2nd battalion.
As soon as Companies F, G, I and L had moved up and taken
position in the lines opposite Mont des Signes an attack was
ordered. Attacks on the enemy positions on the plateau of Mont
des Signes were almost continuous from the date of arrival of
these companies until about September 21, 1918, when they were
withdrawn and joined their battalions. These companies acquitted
themselves with credit. One platoon under command of Sergeant
Matthew Jenkins, Company F, took a large section of the enemy
works for which the sergeant was awarded both the French Croix de
Guerre and the American Distinguished Service Cross.
About the 22nd of September, the regiment for the first time took
over a full regimental sector, the Battalion Stokes relieving the
Battalion Garnier in the positions outlined by La Folie-l'Ecluse
on the Canal l'Oise-l'Aisne and the Farm Gulliminet, the
Battalion Patton going into the support positions at Mont des
Tombes and the Battalion Duncan going into reserve at Tincelle
Farm. Colonel Roberts located his commanding post at Antioch
Farm. From the date of arrival in these positions until the enemy
began to retreat on October 12, 1918, the entire area occupied by
the regiment was almost constantly shelled, gas being used
frequently. The front lines were almost constantly under the fire
of enemy minnenwurfers and numerous machine guns located in the
Bois de Mortier, a very dense wood north of the canal.
On the night of September 26-27, 1918, the Battalion Patton was
ordered to relieve with like units one-half of each of the
companies of the Battalion Stokes in the front lines and soon
after the relief was completed an attack along the l'Oise-l'Aisne
Canal was ordered. By the extreme of effort the remainder of the
Battalion Patton was brought up and having completed the relief
of the Battalion Stokes, the attack began as ordered. The attack
continued until October 4th, on which date all objectives had
been gained and the enemy pushed back across the canal. On
September 30th the Battalion Duncan was thrown into the fight and
two companies of the Battalion Patton withdrawn to the support.
The Battalion Duncan was ordered to make a frontal attack which
necessitated an advance across the open fields. This was
successfully accomplished, the battalion being subjected to
intense artillery, machine gun and rifle fire continuously. The
Battalion Duncan, having gained its objectives, the Farm de la
Riviere and the railroad south of the canal, held on tenaciously
in spite of the intense fire of the enemy and held the positions
gained until the pursuit began on October 12, 1918, when it
passed into the reserve of the division.
During the occupancy of the sector, from September 22, 1918, to
October 12, 1918, patrols from the three battalions were out
night and day between the lines making necessary reconnaissances.
On October 4, 1918, a volunteer patrol of twenty men under
command of Captain Chester Sanders in an effort to discover
whether the enemy had abandoned the woods, penetrated the Bois de
Mortier to a point about 100 yards behind the enemy positions and
having been discovered were fired on from all sides by numerous
machine guns. The patrol returned to our lines intact. For this
exploit Captain Sanders was awarded the French Croix de Guerre
and the patrol received the commendation of the commanding
general of the division. On October 7, 1918, after 5 minutes
violent bombardment by our artillery, three raiding parties from
Company F made a dash for the triangle formed by the railroad,
the L'Oise-l'Aisne canal and the Vauxaillon road. One of these
parties gained the enemy trenches along the canal, ejecting the
enemy after a hand grenade fight. All parties returned to our
lines intact though several were wounded. Lieutenant William
Warfield of the Battalion Duncan single-handed took an enemy
machine gun nest which had been harassing his company, and after
disposing of the enemy machine gunners returned to our lines with
the gun. Numerous other acts of gallantry were performed in this
sector for which officers and men received both French and
American decorations.
At 9:20 a.m. on October 12, 1918, the alert was given for a
general advance by the entire division and the battalions
assembled at the zones of assembly previously designated. The
Battalion Stokes was given the mission of clearing the Bois de
Mortier and the Battalion Patton was placed at the disposition of
Lieutenant Colonel Lugand of the 232nd Infantry, and the 3rd
battalion was placed in the divisional reserve. At about 11:00 a.
m. the pursuit began, the 1st battalion clearing the Bois de
Mortier and successfully reaching its first objective,
Penancourt, the same date, and continuing the pursuit the next
day to a point west of Molinchart.
The Battalion Patton, having been assigned as the support
battalion of the 232nd Regiment of Infantry, took up the pursuit
via Anizy le Chateau, Cessieres and the Bois de Oiry, bivouacing
the night of October 13th in the vicinity of the Bois.
These battalions were commended by the commanding general. The
Battalion Stokes for its passage of the exceedingly strong
position in the Bois de Mortier and the 2nd for its well
conducted march in pursuit via Anizy le Chateau.
On account of the straightening out of the lines due to the
retreat of the enemy, the 59th Division was withdrawn on October
14th and sent back for rest, the regiment being sent into the St.
Gobain Forest and vicinity for this purpose. Ten of the twelve
days in this locality were spent in hard work on the roads and
the last two were given over to the re-equipping of the
regiment.
On October 22, 1918, Major Rufus M. Stokes was relieved from
command of the 1st battalion and assigned to duty as
administrative officer of the Regimental Combat and Supply
Trains. Captain John T. Prout was assigned to the command of the
1st battalion.
On October 27th, 1918, the regiment was again ordered into the
lines and at midnight on that date the 2nd battalion moved up
into support positions in the vicinity of Grandlup.
The 1st battalion on October 29, 1918, moved up into support
positions in the vicinity of the same village. During this time
the 3rd battalion was located at Manneaux Farm in reserve. The
battalions remained in various positions in the vicinity of
Grandlup until November 5, 1918, on which date the enemy again
began to retreat, and while thus occupied were subjected to
severe shelling and those units occupying front line positions to
much machine gun and rifle fire; casualties were few except in
Company A stationed in the vicinity of Chantrud Farm, where an
enemy shell fell in the midst of the company at mess, killing
thirty-five men and wounding fifty, thus causing the company to
be withdrawn from the lines.
On the morning of November 5th, a general advance was ordered and
the enemy retreated before it. The retreat of the enemy was so
rapid that our troops did not catch up with them until about
November 8th, on which date a general attack by the division was
ordered. The 2nd battalion on the left of the division was given
the task of clearing out the enemy from positions along the
Hirshon railroad and the Heights of Aubenton. After an all day
fight the battalion reached its objective about nightfall. The
French division on the left did not advance as anticipated, owing
to enemy resistance on their front, and the 2nd battalion having
advanced about two kilometers to the front suffered severely on
account of the exposed flank, three men being killed and two
officers and thirty-three enlisted men being wounded. On the
morning of the 9th the enemy again retreated and the 2nd
battalion continued the pursuit to Goncelin, resting there for
the night and on the morning of the both was ordered to
cantonment at Pont d'Any, where it was located at the taking
effect of the armistice.
On November 6th the 1st battalion took up the pursuit in support
of the Battalion Michel of the 325th Regiment of Infantry,
advancing via Brazicourt and Rapeire to Hill 150 near St.
Pierremont. Company C having passed on into the front lines at
the Brazicourt Farm, upon arrival near St. Pierremont were
ordered on the morning of November 6, 1918, to attack and occupy
St. Pierremont, cross the Serre River and take up a position
along the railroad track. The mission of the company was
successfully accomplished in spite of the strong resistance of
the enemy, St. Pierremont being occupied, the river crossed and
three pieces of enemy artillery as well as several machine guns
taken. For this operation Company C was cited and awarded the
French Croix de Guerre with a Palm, the highest French citation
received in the regiment. The battalion continued the pursuit
until arrival at Mont Plaisir, when it was ordered back to
Fligny, where it was in cantonment at the taking effect of the
armistice.
The 3rd Battalion took up the pursuit on November 5th, resting in
the open fields the nights of the 5th and 6th. The battalion in
moving up advanced via Bosmont and Mont Plaisir and passed on
into the front lines at the Rue Larcher on November 7, 1918. In
the afternoon of the 8th orders were received to deliver a cover
fire for French units which were to make an attack on the village
of Logny, which was strongly held by the enemy. Company M, having
been assigned for this work, moved out from Hurtebise and
advanced to a position where the cover fire could be effectively
delivered, and opened fire. About this time word was received
from the French commander that his troops could not advance on
account of the severe shell and machine gun fire, and Company M
having arrived at a position where it was safer to go ahead than
to retreat, attacked the town and drove the enemy therefrom. For
this action Lieutenant Osceola A. Browning, commanding Company M,
and several others received the French Croix de Guerre and
Sergeant Lester Fossie both the Croix de Guerre and the American
Distinguished Service Cross. On November 10, 1918, the advance
and pursuit was continued. At Etignieres the battalion was
temporarily stopped by intense shell fire. On November 11, 1918,
the pursuit was again taken up with Resinowez as the principal
objective. Later the objective was changed to Gue d'Hossus,
Belgium, which objective was reached a few minutes before the
taking effect of the armistice, an enemy combat train of about 50
vehicles being captured about this time.
A few days after the armistice, the regiment began to move
southward, taking station in villages in the vicinity of
Verneuil-sur-Serre.
On December 12, 1918, the regiment formally passed from the
French command and to Brest via Soissons and Le Mans, arriving at
the latter place on January 10, 1919.
On February 2, 1919, the regiment embarked on the S.S. La France
IV, en route to the U.S., arriving on February 9, 1919, and
taking station at Camp Upton, Long Island, N.Y.
On February 17, 1919, the regiment left Camp Upton for Camp
Grant, Illinois, via Chicago, where it was accorded a wonderful
and never-to-be-forgotten reception by the citizens of
Chicago.
After arrival at Camp Grant, work incident to the demobilization
of the regiment was commenced. The majority of officers and
enlisted men were discharged from the service during the latter
part of February, and finally on March 12, 1919, orders were
issued declaring that the regiment had ceased to exist.
The health of the regiment while in the service was exceptional.
The Medical Detachment, under command of Major James R. White,
worked incessantly to protect the health of the command. Before
departure for France a number of cases of pneumonia of a very
severe type developed, but only two deaths resulted. The Medical
Detachment was divided among the various units, Captain Spencer
C. Dickerson having charge of the detachment attached to the 1st
battalion, Lieutenant James F. Lawson that of the 2nd battalion,
and Lieutenant Claudius Ballard that of the 3rd battalion. The
work of these detachments was at all times of a high order of
excellence, and during engagements both officers and men in
numerous instances went out into the open and rendered first aid
to the wounded after terrific fire. Each man wounded, however
slightly, was given an injection of anti-tetanic serum and as a
result no cases of tetanus were reported, nor were any cases of
gas baccilus infection reported. During the severe fighting
around the Guilliminet and de la Riviere Farms, more help was
needed and Lieutenant Park Tancil, dental surgeon, volunteered to
take charge of one of the first aid stations which was daily
receiving showers of shells from the enemy batteries. Lieutenant
Claudius Ballard, though wounded during the fighting, refused to
be evacuated and continued his duties administering to the
wounded. Major James R. White made daily rounds of the first aid
stations in the lines, disregarding the intense fire of the enemy
and personally dressing numbers of wounded. For their heroic
conduct in administering to the wounded under fire, Major White
and Lieutenants Tancil and Ballard as well as several enlisted
men of the Medical Detachment, were awarded the French Croix de
Guerre, and Private Alfred Williamson of the detachment was
awarded both the French Croix de Guerre and the American
Distinguished Service Cross.
* * * * *
ROSTER OF OFFICERS OLD 8TH ILLINOIS (370th Infantry)
(All Negroes unless otherwise designated.)
Field and Staff—F.A. Denison, commanding until July 12,
1918, invalided home; Col. T.A. Roberts (white), commanding after
July 12, 1918; Major James R. White, surgeon; Major W.H. Roberts
(white), operation officer; Capt. Charles W. Fillmore, personnel
officer; Capt. John H. Patton, commanding 2nd battalion; Capt.
James E. Dunjil, assistant to adjutant; 1st Lieut. George Murphy,
assistant to adjutant; 1st Lieut. Louis C. Washington,
administrative officer; 2nd Lieut. Noble Sissle, assistant to
administrative officer; 1st Lieut. Park Tancil, dentist; 1st
Lieut. John T. Clemons, chaplain.
First Battalion—Major Rufus M. Stokes, commanding; 2nd
Lieut. M.F. Stapleton (white), battalion adjutant; Capt. Spencer
C. Dickerson, medical officer; 1st Lieut. Harry W. Jones,
battalion supply officer.
Company A—Capt. Stewart A. Betts, 1st Lieut. John L.
McDonald, 1st Lieut. Robert L. Chavis, 2nd. Lieut. Wycham Tyler,
2nd Lieut. Howard F. Bell, 2nd Lieut. Willis Stearles.
Company B—Capt. Stuart Alexander, 1st Lieut. Robert P.
Hurd, 1st Lieut. Franklin McFarland, 1st Lieut. Samuel Ransom,
2nd Lieut. Fred K. Johnson, 2nd Lieut. Samuel Block.
Company C—Capt. James H. Smith, 1st Lieut. Samuel S.
Gordon, 1st Lieut. Harry N. Shelton, 1st Lieut. Arthur Jones, 2nd
Lieut. Elmer J. Myers, 2nd Lieut. Roy B. Tisdell.
Machine Gun Company—Captain Devere J. Warner, 1st Lieut.
George C. Lacey, 2nd Lieut. Thomas A. Painter, 2nd Lieut. Bernard
McGwin, 2nd Lieut. Homer C. Kelly, 2nd Lieut. Julian D.
Rainey.
Second Battalion—Capt. John H. Patton, commanding; 1st
Lieut. Samuel A. McGowan, battalion adjutant; 1st Lieut. James F.
Lawson, medical officer; 1st Lieut. Rufus H. Bacote, medical
officer; 1st Lieut. William Nichols, battalion supply
officer.
Company F—Capt. Rufus Reed, 1st Lieut. Carter W. Wesley,
2nd Lieut. Edward Douglas, 2nd Lieut. Robert A.D. Birchett.
Company G—Capt. George M. Allen, 1st Lieut. Durand Harding,
1st Lieut. Gerald C. Bunn, 1st Lieut. Harvey E. Johnson, 2nd
Lieut. Clarence H. Bouchane.
Company H—Capt. James C. Hall, 1st Lieut Harry L. Allen,
1st Lieut. George L. Amos, 1st Lieut Binga Dismond, 2nd Lieut
Lawrence Willette, 2nd Lieut. John A. Hall.
Machine Gun Company No. 2—Capt. Lilburn Jackson, 2nd Lieut.
Frank T. Logan, 2nd Lieut. Junius Walthall, 2nd Lieut. William A.
Barnett.
Third Battalion—Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan, commanding; 2nd
Lieut. Stanley B. Norvell, battalion adjutant; 1st Lieut.
Claudius Ballard, medical officer; 1st Lieut. William J.
Warfield, battalion supply officer.
Company I—Capt Lorin O. Sanford, 1st Lieut. Howard R.
Brown, 2nd Lieut. D. Lincoln Reid, 2nd Lieut. Edmond G. White,
2nd Lieut. Oswald Des Verney, 2nd Lieut. Harry J. Douglas.
Company L—Capt. William B. Crawford, 1st Lieut. Frank
Robinson, provost officer; 1st. Lieut Frank W. Bates, 2nd Lieut.
James H. Peyton, 2nd Lieut Luther J. Harris.
Company M—Capt. Edward W. Spearman, 1st Lieut Osceola A.
Browning, 1st Lieut. Jerome L. Hubert, 2nd Lieut. Lawson Price,
2nd Lieut. Irving T. Howe, 2nd Lieut. Larkland F. Hewitt.
Machine Gun Company No. 3—Capt. Matthew Jackson, 1st Lieut.
William C.P. Phillips, 2nd Lieut. Charles C. Jackson, 2nd Lieut
Clyde W. Donaldson, 2nd Lieut George F. Proctor.
Special Units
Headquarters Company—Capt. Lewis E. Johnson, 1st Lieut
Robert A.J. Shaw, 1st Lieut. Benote H. Lee, 2nd Lieut Elias F.E.
Williams, pioneer officer; 2nd Lieut. Rufus B. Jackson, Stokes
mortar; 2nd Lieut. Reginald W. Harang, signal officer.
Supply Company—Capt. Lloyd G. Wheeler, 1st Lieut. Harry
Wheeler, 1st Lieut. James A. Riggs, 1st Lieut. Dan M. Moore,
medical officer; 2nd Lieut Augustus M. Fisher, veterinary
surgeon.
Depot Company K—Capt Wm. H. Lewis, commanding; 2nd Lieut.
Alvin M. Jordan, adjutant; 1st Lieut. Norman Garrett, 1st Lieut.
Napoleon B. Roe, dentist; 1st Lieut. George W. Antoine, medical
officer; 2nd Lieut Avon H. Williams; 2nd Lieut. Edward L.
Goodlett, 2nd Lieut Frank Corbin, 2nd Lieut Frederick L. Slade,
2nd Lieut. Walter H. Aiken, 2nd Lieut. Rufus A. Atkins, 2nd Lieut
James T. Baker, 2nd Lieut. John S. Banks, 2nd Lieut. Marcus A.
Bernard, 2nd Lieut. Charles E. Bryant, 2nd Lieut Henry H. Carr,
2nd Lieut. Horace E. Colley, 2nd Lieut. Ira R. Collins, 2nd
Lieut. Charles H. Conley, 2nd Lieut. Bernie B. Cowan, 2nd Lieut.
Flenoid Cunningham, 2nd Lieut. Frank P. Dawson, 2nd Lieut. Samuel
A. Dillard, 2nd Lieut. John W. Harris.
ROLL OF HONOR
Heroes of Old 8th Illinois
Negro National Guardsmen known in France as the 370th Infantry,
who were decorated with the Croix de Guerre. The exploits of some
of these men and also of some of those in the appended list
decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, are mentioned in
the chapters devoted to the regiment.
Col. T.A. Roberts (white)
Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan
Major James R. White
Capt. John H. Patton
Capt. Chester Sanders
Capt. John T. Prout
Capt. Samuel R. Gwynne
Capt. Devere J. Warner
Capt. Wm. B. Crawford
Capt. George M. Allen
Capt. James C. Hall
Capt. Stuart Alexander
Capt. Mathew Jackson
Capt. James H. Smith
Lieut. Park Tancil
Lieut. Osceola A. Browning
Lieut. George C. Lacey
Lieut. Frank Robinson
Lieut. Claudius Ballard
Lieut. Charles C. Jackson
Lieut. William J. Warfield
Lieut. Samuel S. Gordon
Lieut. Robert P. Hurd
Lieut. Henry N. Shelton
Lieut. Henry P. Cheatham
Lieut. Stanley B. Norvell
Lieut. Roy B. Tisdell
Lieut. Thomas A. Painter
Lieut. Lawson Price
Lieut. Lincoln D. Reid
Lieut. Elmer J. Myers
Sergt. Norman Henry
Sergt. Clarence T. Gibson
Sergt. Matthew Jenkins
Sergt. Cecil Nelson
Sergt. Howard Templeton
Sergt. Chas. T. Monroe
Sergt. Derry Brown
Corp. James R. Brown
Corp. Lewis Warner
Corp. Joseph Henderson
Corp. Maceo A. Tervalon
Corp. William Stevenson
Corp. Emil Laurent
Corp. Charles T. Brock
Pvt. Nathaniel C. White (deceased)
Pvt. Robert Pride
Pvt. George B. White
Pvt. Howard Sheffield
Pvt. Cornelius Robinson
Pvt. Ulysses Sayles
Pvt. William Cuff (deceased)
Pvt. Hugh Givens
Pvt. Arthur Johnson
Pvt. Rufus Pitts
Pvt. Olbert Dorsey
Pvt. William Hurdle
Pvt. Bee McKissic
Pvt. Jonas Paxton
Pvt. Harry Pearson
Pvt. Paul Turlington
Pvt. Reed J. Brown
Pvt. Paul Johnson
Pvt. Reedy Jones
Pvt. Alonzo Keller
Pvt. Leroy Lindsay
Pvt. Lavern Massey
Pvt. Josiah Nevees
Pvt. Ira Taylor
Pvt. Jesse Ferguson
Pvt. William M. Robinson
Awarded Distinguished Service Crosses by General Pershing:
Capt. William B. Crawford
Lieut. William J. Warfield
Sergt. Norman Henry
Sergt. Ralph Gibson
Sergt. Robert Barnes
Sergt. Charles T. Monroe
Sergt. Emmett Thompson
Sergt. Lester Fossie
Sergt. Matthew Jenkins
Pvt. Tom Powell (deceased)
Pvt. Andrew McCall
Pvt. Wm. Cuff (deceased)
Pvt. Spirley Irby
Pvt. Alfred Williamson
Pvt. William G. Hurdle
Pvt. Harry Pearson
Pvt. Alonzo Walton
Pvt. Leroy Davis
Pvt. James Fuquay
Pvt. Nathaniel C. White (deceased)
Pvt. Arthur Johnson
CHAPTER XVIII.
BLOOD OF THE BLACK AND WHITE IN ONE RIVULET OF DEPARTING LIFE.
LINCOLN'S PROPHETIC WORDS—NEGROES ALONGSIDE BEST SOLDIERS
IN THE WORLD—HOLD THEIR OWN—THE 372ND
REGIMENT—BRIGADED WITH VETERANS OF THE MARNE—FAMOUS
"RED HAND" DIVISION—OCCUPY HILL 304 AT VERDUN—NINE
DAYS BATTLE IN "BLOODY ARGONNE"—ADMIRATION OF THE
FRENCH—CONSPICUOUS COMPONENTS OF 372ND—CHRONOLOGY OF
SERVICE.
They will probably help in some trying time to keep the jewel of
liberty in the family of freedom.—Abraham Lincoln.
Prophetic words uttered by the Great Emancipator concerning the
Negroes of America. The Negroes helped. They would have helped in
much greater measure had they been given the opportunity.
Fighting for the first time on the soil of the world's most
famous battleground—Europe—and for the first time
brought into direct comparison with the best soldiers of the
world, they proved themselves able to hold their own where tests
of courage, endurance and aggressiveness were most severe.
They fought valiantly in the vicinity of Chateau Thierry, on the
Vesle, on the Aillette, in the Argonne, and various other
sectors; and in the final drive at Metz. They vanquished the
Germans who opposed them; the heaviest fire of the enemy failing
to stop their advance.
No part of the 93rd Division made a more gallant record than the
372nd regiment. Throughout its service in France it was a part of
the famous French 157th Division known as the "Red Hand"
division, under the command of General Goybet. It was this
division which first opposed the Huns at the Marne in 1914. To
brigade the Negro soldiers with such famous veterans was a rare
mark of distinction and placed the black men on their mettle at
all times.
The 372nd arrived in France on April 14 and went into training
with the French eleven days later. On May 29 the regiment took
over a sector in the Argonne and on June 20 was sent to the
trenches just west of Verdun, occupying the famous battle-swept
Hill 304, and sections at Four de Paris and Vauquois. On Hill 304
thousands of French and Germans had fallen as the battle line
swung back and forward. That this hill was given to the Negroes
to hold demonstrated that as soldiers they had already won the
confidence of the French.
The regiment's first engagement was in the Champagne sector with
Monthois as an objective. Here came the real test. The Negroes
were eager to get into the fight. They cheered and sang when the
announcement came that their opportunity had arrived—but
the question was; back of their enthusiasm had they the staying
qualities drilled into European troops through centuries of
training in the science of warfare.
The answer was that some of the heaviest and most effective
fighting of the day was done by the Negro regiment. From June 6th
to September 10th, the 372nd was stationed in the bloody Argonne
forest or in the vicinity of Verdun. On the night of September
25th they were summoned to take part in the Argonne offensive and
were in that terrific drive, one of the decisive engagements of
the war, from September 28th to October 7th.
In the nine days' battle the Negroes not only proved their
fighting qualities in an ordeal such as men rarely have been
called upon to face, but these qualities in deadly striking power
and stubborn resistance in crises, stood out with such
distinction that the coveted Croix de Guerre was bestowed upon
the regiment.
The casualty list of the 372nd in this and previous fighting
carried 500 names of men killed, wounded and gassed. For their
achievements they were at once cited for bravery and efficiency
in General Orders from the corps commander transmitted through
their French divisional chief. It was dated October 8th and read
as follows:
In transmitting you with legitimate pride the thanks and congratulations of General Garnier Duplessis, allow me, my dear friends of all ranks, American and French, to address you from the bottom of the heart of a chief and soldier, the expression of gratitude for the glory you have lent to our good 157th Division. During these nine days of hard fighting you have progressed eight kilometers (4.8 miles) through powerfully organized defenses, taken 600 prisoners, captured 15 heavy guns, 20 minenwerfers and nearly 150 machine guns, secured an enormous amount of engineering material and important supplies of artillery ammunition, and brought down by your fire three enemy aeroplanes. The "Red Hand" sign of the division, has, thanks to you, become a bloody hand which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy. You have well avenged our glorious dead. GOYBET.
In a communication delivered to the colonel of the regiment on
October 1st, General Goybet said:
Your troops have been admirable in their attack. You must be proud of the courage of your officers and men, and I consider it an honor to have them under my command. The bravery and dash of your regiment won the admiration of the Moroccan Division, who are themselves versed in warfare. Thanks to you, during these hard days, the division was at all times in advance of all other divisions of the Army Corps. I am sending you all my thanks and beg you to transmit them to your subordinates. I call on your wounded. Their morale is higher than any praise.
The high honor of having its flag decorated with the Croix de
Guerre was bestowed upon the regiment in the city of Brest just a
few days before it embarked for the return to America. Vice
Admiral Moreau, the French commander of the port of Brest,
officially represented his government in, the ceremony. It was
intended as France's appreciation of the services of these Negro
fighters.
The decoration took place at one of the most prominent points in
the city and was witnessed by thousands of French soldiers and
civilians, as well as by sailors and soldiers of several
nations.
One of the conspicuous components of the 372nd was the battalion,
formed from what formerly was known as the 1st Separate Battalion
of the District of Columbia National Guard. This famous old
Washington organization has a long, proud history. Many of the
members were veterans of the Spanish-American war. At the close
of the European war, the organization numbered 480 men from the
city of Washington, twenty of whom had been decorated one or more
times for individual bravery under fire.
The battalion was first assembled at Potomac Park on the Speedway
in Washington, shortly after the declaration of war. The men
spent almost half a year at the camp, during which time they had
the important assignment of guarding railway and highway bridges
and adjacent points around the National Capitol. They also had
the proud distinction of guarding the secret archives and
departments at Washington, a duty which required unquestioned
loyalty and for which the Negroes were well selected.
It seemed at the time an inconspicuous bit of war time
soldiering, and they were long trying days to the men. But it was
a service which required intelligence and nerve, as the
likelihood was great that the enemy's agents in this country
would strike in the vicinity of the seat of government. That such
responsible duty was delegated to the Negroes was a high
compliment from the military authorities. The manner in which
they discharged the duty is shown in the fact that no enemy
depredations of any consequence occurred in the vicinity of
Washington.
After a period of training at Camp Stewart, Newport News, Va.,
the battalion was sent to France. Its colored commander was dead.
Other colored officers were soon superseded, leaving the
chaplain, Lieutenant Arrington Helm, the only colored officer
attached to the organization.
Arriving at St. Nazaire, France, April 14, 1918, the battalion
was soon sent to Conde en Barrois, where it underwent a period of
intensive training with special preparation for sector warfare.
The instructors were French. Lessons were hard and severe, but
the instructors afterwards had much cause for pride in their
pupils.
From the training camp the battalion and regiment proceeded to
the Argonne front, at first settling in the vicinity of La
Chalade. It was there the soldiers received their first taste of
warfare, and it was there their first casualties occurred.
September 13th the outfit withdrew and retired to the rear for a
special training prior to participation in the general attack
from Verdun to the sea. On the morning of September 28th the
District of Columbia battalion was sent to the front to relieve a
regiment of famous Moroccan shock troops. It was at this time
that the Champagne offensive took such a decided turn and the
Washington men from that time on were taking a most active and
important part in the general fighting. They distinguished
themselves at Ripont just north of St. Menehold. They suffered
greatly during their valiant support of an advanced position in
that sector. Despite its losses the battalion fought courageously
ahead. Prior to that it had occupied Hill 304 at Verdun. It had
the distinction of being the first American outfit to take over
that sector. The battalion fought doggedly and bravely at Ripont
and succeeded in gaining much valuable territory, as well as
enemy machine guns and supplies and ninety Hun prisoners.