I. and II. Col. Franklin A. Denison and Lt. Col. Otis B. Duncan,
the highest ranking colored officers in France. III. Col. Charles Young,
the highest ranking colored officer in the United States Army. IV.
Major Rufus M. Stokes. V. Major Joseph H. Ward.
Two Colored Women With the American Expeditionary Forces
By ADDIE W. HUNTON
and
KATHRYN M. JOHNSON
Illustrated
BBOOKLYN EAGLE PRESS
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
SSOS06
Dedicated to the women of OUT race, who gave so trustingly and courageously the strongest of their young manhood to suffer and to die for the cause of freedom.
With recognition and thanks to the authors quoted in this volume and to the men of the A. E. F. who have contributed so willingly and largely to the story herein related.
Contents
f FOREWORD 5
fTHE CALL AND THE ANSWER 9
fFiRST DAYS IN FRANCE 15
*THE Y.M.C.A. AND OTHER WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS 22
*THE COMBATANT TROOPS 41
fNON-COMBATANT TROOPS 96
fPiONEER INFANTRIES 112
fOvER THE CANTEEN IN FRANCE 135
•{•THE LEAVE AREA 159
*RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FRENCH 182
*EDUCATION 199
fTHE SALVATION OF Music OVERSEAS 217
*RELJGIOUS LIFE AMONG THE TROOPS 227
f REBURYING THE DEAD 233
fSTRAY DAYS 241
*AFTERTHOUGHT . 253
t By Addie W. Hunton. * By Kathryn M. Johnson.
Foreword
T3EMARKABLE achievements are worthy of remarka- AX ble acclaim. This justifies our desire to add still another expression to those already written relative to the career of the colored American soldiers in the late World War. The heroic devotion and sacrifice of that career have won appreciative expressions from those who, from a personal point of view, know but little of the details. How much more then should they who walked side by side with those brave men in France realize the merit of their service and chant their praises. Surely they should be best able to interpret sincerely and sympathetically, lovingly and gratefully for our sol- diers, as they may not for themselves, something of the vicissitudes through which they passed as members of the American Expeditionary Forces.
We feel, too, that almost fifteen months of continuous service that carried us practically over all parts of France, and afforded a heart to heart touch with thou- sands of men, is a guarantee of the knowledge and de- votion that has inspired this volume.
Memories will ever crowd the mind and cause the eye to kindle with the light of loving sympathy as we recall our months of service at the base of supplies on the coast of France. For there we were privileged to learn something of the life and spirit of the stevedores, labor battalions and engineers- — more than 25,000 of them — who, through all the desolate days of war, never ceased in their efforts to connect America with Chateau Thierry, Verdun, Sedan, St. Mihiel and other great battle centers of France. There we beheld combat troops, filled with the spirit of adventure arriving fresh from America to follow the trail to the already warworn front. And there came also those regiments that we called Pioneer Infantries, the imprints of whose deeds of duty and dar- ing are stamped all over France.
We followed our depot companies and engineers through those isolated stretches and wastes where they performed tasks so essential in the plans for victory.
After many months we went away from the confusion of war to beautiful southern France. There we worked to make happy the days of the men who came for rest and recreation to that wonderful Alpine region of Savoie. There in the Leave Area, by the side of shimmering Lake Bourget, we learned something more of the life of our soldiers as they fought or worked on French soil. Every week, for five months or more, a thousand or so men poured into Chambery and Challes-les-Eaux, and we saw in them the gladness or depression of their service.
Far to the North we took our way, over devastated areas, and dwelt midst the loneliness of poppy-covered fields in "No Man's Land." In those Cities of die Dead, we beheld our soldiers summoned to the supreme test of their loyalty and patience in the re-burying of the fallen American heroes.
Back again to the coast we went to join in the great "Battle of Brest" — the battle for the morale of the tired, anxious soldier waiting for transportation back to home and native friendships. For six weeks, from early morn- ing to midnight, our huts at Pontanezen echoed to the tread of thousands of feet. During that period it is esti- mated that fifty thousand colored soldiers passed through the camp. Battle scenes and war adventures were ended, but the memory was yet deeply poignant, and often silences revealed the depths of experiences beyond the power of all words. Because of all this, we strive to numbly recount the heart throbs of our heroes.
Again the authors have written because to them it was given to represent in France the womanhood of our race in America — those fine mothers, wives, sisters and friends who so courageously gave the very flower of their young manhood to face the ravages of war. That we then should make an effort to interpret with womanly com- prehension the loyalty and bravery of their men seems not only a slight recompense for all they have given, but an imperative duty.
We believe that undervaluation is a more subtle and unkind foe than overvaluation, so that we have not re- frained in our story from a large measure of praise for a large measure of loyal and patriotic service, performed ofttimes under the most trying conditions.
We have had no desire to attain to an authentic history, but have rather aimed to record our impressions and facts in a simple way. But wherever historical facts have been used, it has been largely to justify the measure of praise accorded and to offset the criticisms of preju- diced minds.
This volume is written at a time when, after the shock of terrific warfare, the world has not yet found its balance — when, in the midst of confusion, justice and truth call loudly for the democracy for which we have paid. / If for all time the world is to be free from the murder- ous scourge called war, it must make universal and eternal the practical application of the time-worn theory of the brotherhood of man. May this volume written in all love and truth, though perhaps imperfectly, serve to lift some souls nearer to this ideal.
THE POTENT HOUR
The hour is big with sooth and sign, with errant men at war.
While blood of alien, friend and foe, imbues the land afar,
And we with sable faces pent, move with the vanguard line,
Shod with a faith that springtime keeps and all the stars opine.
GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON.
The Call and the Answer
THE great thrilling, throbbing spirit of war did not reach the United States until that memorable spring of 1918. Then it came in a mighty tidal wave of vitalized force and energy. Our country, woefully late, was at last awakened to terrific speed. Great human cargoes and innumerable tons of supplies held transports and ships to their guards. Cities, towns and villages were suddenly transformed into great inspirational centers of war activity. Meanwhile we were watch- ing the map of France, noting with deep anxiety the stubborn resistance of the war-weary French to the slow but certain advance of the enemy. Once again it moved with pitiless and determined face toward Paris — the heart stream of all France. Although General Joffre had once checked the German raiders and sent them to confusion and death, their lesson was not yet learned and they were again throwing human force against the prin- ciples of right. But now that so many of the heroes of France had fallen, how would the foe be met? Surely there was urgent need of a strong army to stand at the Marne once again.
The American Forces already in France were calling not only for help, but haste. Suddenly, we found ourselves included in this call with pass- port in hand. Not all at once did its full signifi- cance come to us, but in those waiting days, as we sat at our desk and tried to concentrate on
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
war-work at home, quite unconsciously, we would find the passport in our hands and our eyes search- ing the war map on the wall. Slowly we began to realize that we were to make an effort to reach "over there" where thousands of our own men had gone and other thousands must go.
Then one dark afternoon, as the rain came down in torrents, the buzz of the telephone at our elbow told us our time had come. We asked no questions, for those were days of deep secrecy, but looked for the last time at the war map in the office — studied it as never before, wondering where in that war- wrecked country across the Atlantic we would find our place of service. We breathed a little prayer, said good-bye to our fellow workers, knowing that tomorrow we would be on the ocean eastward bound and went out to meet her who was to try the unknown with us and who would prove the faithful companion of all our "overseas" life. There was no sleep that night for us; friends came and went, and two ever faithful ones lingered lov- ingly for the last possible service.
Of necessity, in those days, there were strict laws and many sentries at the docks, so that when we entered there was little hope of rejoining our loved ones for a second adieu. We took the pre- caution, however, to beg them to wait for a final sign of parting and while going through the ordeal of having baggage examined and passed, learned that our sailing time had been delayed four hours. We determined upon an effort to rejoin those waiting so patiently outside the dock. Making
10
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
a wide detour, we passed quietly by the sentry who was striding to and fro with gun on his shoulder. Now whether he could not quite grasp the fact that colored women were really going to join the American Expeditionary Forces, or had seen the close clinging hug given one of the women by the little lad and lassie near him — or whether the twinkle in our eye did it, we do not know — but we passed, and in that very act much of the sad- ness of our parting was removed. We rode across Fourteenth Street, a jolly party, had our lunch and returned to the dock, where from an upper pier with smiles and tears all mingled, we waved a final adieu.
How wonderful is love at such a time! There they stood lovingly and lingeringly — the cousin of one of us who had come all the way from the Middle West for this leave-taking; two brave children with the dear little woman whose true and tried devotion made us know that she would mother them as her own till we came back to take her place; and that other friend with whom we had crossed in peaceful days, joyously roaming over England and the Continent. That last picture remained with us, to cheer us for all the months of our absence.
And now there was no turning back. Months ago the war zone was just six hundred miles from the coast of France — but now the United States was at war, and as we stepped on the gang plank, war- zone passes were surrendered. We were crusaders
11
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
on a quest for Democracy! How and where would that precious thing be found?
What a spectacle was that sun-lit bit of New York harbor that June afternoon! All about us were transports filled with khaki-clad men, crowding port holes, every bit of deck and perched on every beam. These thousands of youths of fearless and deathless spirit, would quickly follow us over there, and many of them, in war's thunderous tumult, quickly pay the supreme sacrifice. How they whistled, sang and cheered as our little French liner, Espagne, steamed slowly away from them to brave alone the sea peril of that time!
First to the south and then to the east we sailed over seas of glass, with never a storm or gale, but tremendous speed. They were cheerful days, although they were ever-watchful ones, with life- belts close at hand. No lights showed on deck at night nor on the whole horizon. Yes, just once! By the big blazing cross at the foremast, we saw the form of a hospital ship, bringing its toll of human wreckage to the waiting hands and hearts of its native heath.
For all the trip there was no anxious face or word that revealed the danger that so constantly lurked near us. Even the frequent summons for life-boat drills were answered with mirthful banter. An unfailing, kindly courtesy, and, in many cases, real comradeship marked the fellow-workers with whom we crossed. Perhaps it was due to the quiet but wonderful personality of the leader of this group. Mr. William Sloane, Chairman of the
12
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. f.
War Council of the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion. The four hundred Polish recruits entertained us with song, verse and dance; while usually we had music and movies in the salon. Our Sunday after- noon at sea, we sat in the dining salon with the sun's rays stealing through the closed portholes and fall- ing upon us in long, flickering, gold lines. Dr. Henry S. Coffin talked to us in his forceful way of heroes of old. Some one sang "Speed Away," and then there was a triumphal outburst of "Eternal Father Strong to Save!" The morning of the ninth day we entered the Gironde River and steamed slowly between vine-clad heights, overtopped by stately chateaux; between flowering meadows, with picturesque villas, up to Bordeaux. It was thus we "Answered the Call."
13
That for which millions prayed and sighed, That for which ten thousands fought,
For which so many freely died, God cannot let it come to naught.
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON.
14
First Days in France
THERE are many American boys now who are quite familiar with the Louvre, Boulevards, Notre Dame and Napoleon's Tomb at Paris but who know absolutely nothing of the Metropolitan Museum, Fifth Avenue and its Cathedral, or Grant's Tomb. The many ports of France were particu- larly the home of the colored soldiers, so that landing at Bordeaux it did not seem strange to be greeted first of all by our own men. But it did seem passing strange that we should see them guarding German prisoners! Somehow we felt that colored soldiers found it rather refreshing — even enjoyable for a change — having come from a country where it seemed everybody's business to guard them.
Bordeaux was singularly the home of colored soldiers. They were in the camps there by the thousands. In fact, as we landed at Bordeaux, it seemed every man's home. So crowded and varied was its population, one could almost believe that during the nine days of silence on the ocean, Paris had been passed by the enemy. There were many Colonial troops, Chinese laborers and, more or less maimed French soldiers. The French gov- ernment had been removed to that city in which the blending of the finest in old and new architecture made it a charming substitute for Paris. Sitting in the park that evening, looking out upon the teeming life about us, with crowds of black-robed women
2 15
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
and helpless soldiers' filling in the picture, there came to us. our first definite realization of the cost of war.
Our first dinner in France, with butter and real ice cream, was an unfortunate delusion, for it in •no way prepared us for all the lean days to follow. Especially not for the war-breakfast the next morn- ing— a thick piece of dark bread, a hard-boiled egg and a cup of black coffee — all thrown at us in unsweetened confusion; for while we waited for sugar, we were informed that for the future we must use a liquid substitute supplied us in bottles.
But Paris was our destination, and we rode all day over that part of France so full of historical memories — past Tours with its Cathedral of Royal Staircase and Towers; past Blois with its chateau of historical pre-eminence; past Orleans, over which the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc eternally hovers — on to Paris.
Rue d'Aguesseau! Who does not know it now! That short, narrow street made famous by the Young Men's Christian Association. For there were the Headquarters of that organization for all its vast service to the American Expeditionary Forces. It was to 12 Rue d'Aguesseau that the precious letters from home were sent. There, in the crowded foyer, they were read and often answered. There friends were met and conferences held. How can any Y secretary who went through it all ever forget the intricate processes of "Movement Orders" and "Transportation" that somehow carried one all over the building and
16
1. The Park at Bordeaux. 2. The Foyer at the Y. M. C. A. Head- quarters, Paris.
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
included several excursions from the first to the fifth floor, with the perverse little elevator generally out of order! Really it was far better named ascenseur, for when on rare occasions it did re- spond to the push of the button and take one up, there was always the warning sign not to descend in it.
It was always necessary to report to the Paris Headquarters in changing one's base of service. Hence, we have several distinct pictures of the city as we saw it at different intervals during our fifteen months in France. We remember Paris at Chris- mas time, 1918, when President Wilson had but recently arrived there; when the forces that had for so long fought against cold and darkness were triumphant at last. Warmth and light flooded the very soul of the city. The American was the dominating figure, but the French were riotously happy, for peace had come — a Victorious Peace! We remember, too, the Paris of the late summer of 1919, when after her great victory parade — in which all the victors participated except our own colored soldiers — she began to realize her real condition. The foreigners had mostly gone and the lights were less brilliant than in winter. It was a quiet but wise Paris, bravely facing her tremendous work of reconstruction. But the saddest picture was our first. It was the summer of 1918, Paris was again in the war zone. We entered a city of darkness and our taxicab literally felt its way to the hotel. Here and there dim green lights, heavily hooded, peeped out at us, and we learned that
17
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
they were simply guides to caves for those unhappy wayfarers caught beneath the enemy's shell. On that June night, the great Gare d'Orsay was a seething mass of aristocracy, peasantry and sol- diers. The same was true of all other railroad stations, for soldiers were forcing their way to the front and refugees their way to the rear. But all life seemed concentrated in those terminals; over the city itself there was deep silence. Even the days were heavy with dark forebodings. The French went quietly to their business by day and to their cellars by night, as the Germans menaced and shattered with shell and bomb. The day of the British and Belgian soldiers in Paris had almost passed — that of the American scarce begun. The many French soldiers one saw there were, for the most part, heartbreaking in their poor torn bodies. We had just seen the children at Bordeaux who used to play among the flowers and marble statues of the parks and look from the windows now close- shuttered. We looked in vain in the Louvre, Notre Dame and other repositories for their priceless treasures, but they were hidden, and ugly sandbags hugged the architecture against the ruthless attacks of the foe. True, the shop-keeper tried to extol and press her wares upon us as of old, but, with the above picture before us, bread tickets in our hands and meatless days, we felt most keenly that it was not the Paris in which, just ten years before, we had lived so joyously for many weeks. It was a bleed- ing, war-harassed city with its deadly foe pressing upon it. But faith at Paris was not wholly dead;
18
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
the spirit of Jeanne d'Arc still lived and Saint Genevieve still kept faithful vigil through the long dark hours of waiting. To such a Paris we went, and somehow seemed a part of it. The warning of the siren, air-battles by night and "Big Bertha" bombs by day were accepted as a part of grim war. Meanwhile we prepared for work in the camp.
Those last days in America and first days in France brought us into close touch with the fine spirits who guided the women's work for the War Council of the Young Men's Christian Association. In the United States, we had gathered inspiration and vision for our service from the highly efficient and spiritual chairman — Mrs. F. Louis Slade. Closely associated with Mrs. Slade was Mrs. Elsie Meade, whose warm sympathy and steady hand was such a comfort, first, to the out-going women in America, and later in France with its ever- changing camp life. There was Miss Crawford, whose alert service and cheerful word in the office at home and in France meant so much to the Y woman who sought information. Our first assign- ment in France was made by Mrs. Theodore Roose- velt, Jr., and the second by Miss Ella Sachs, both of whom gave to the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation a wealth of devoted service — purely for the love of their country. There was Miss Martha McCook, who for so long stood so faithfully at the head of the women's personnel abroad. Who of the secretaries will ever forget Dr. Cockett? Giving herself first to pioneer work in the camp, she
19
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
afterwards stood as a tower of strength and knowl- edge to the newly-arrived secretary. Last but not least came Mrs. W. L. Wright, with her under- standing and appreciation of the colored unit in France.
The colored women who served overseas had a tremendous strain placed upon their Christian ideals — but the officials whom we have mentioned, one and all, as did now and then a regional secre- tary like Miss Susanne Ridgeway at St. Nazaire, Miss Harris at Aix-les-Bains or the Misses Watson and Shaw at Brest, helped them to keep their faith in the democracy of real Christian service.
A whole volume of interest centers about those two weeks in Paris. The conferences from which we gathered facts and details that would find prac- tical expression on the field; the meeting of old friends and the making of new; the full realization of the restrictions of the army and its penalties for disobedience; the fortitude and fineness of the French — all this and more crowded upon us in those days and wonderfully strengthened us for our task. And then, one day, one of us faced toward Brest and the other toward St. Nazaire to love and serve our men at those ports.
20
All honor is due the faithful men and women of both races at home, who by a great expenditure of time, money and energy, made possible the operation of the great plan of bringing comfort and relief to the soldiers through the Welfare Organizations overseas. And while there was disappointment in the hopes of many an honest heart, in that there were prejudices and discrimina- tions often shown to the colored race, and sometimes in- justices to the soldiers of both races, still, the army would have been a barren place had these institutions not existed. The great good that was done gives much hope for the possibilities of organized welfare effort in the future.
21
The Y. M. C. A. and Other Welfare Organizations
IT was our privilege to go overseas as welfare worker under the auspices of the Y. M. C. A., and from the time we entered active duty until we finished our work at Camp Pontanezen, we can conscientiously say that we had the greatest oppor- tunity for service that we have ever known; service that was constructive, and prolific with wonderful and satisfying results.
The contact with a hundred thousand men, many of whom it was our privilege to help in a hundred different ways; men who were groping and dis- couraged; others who were crying loudly for help, that they might acquire just the rudiments of an education, and so establish connection with the anxious hearts whom they had left behind ; and still others who had a depth of understanding and a breadth of vision that was at once a help and an inspiration.
It was a wonderful spirit that prompted the Y. M. C. A. to offer its vast facilities to this service ; to cheer and encourage; to administer to the spir- itual and physical needs; and to establish a con- necting link between the soldier and the home; that home which ever kept for him a beckoning candle in the window, and a fire that was ever aglow.
And no less wonderful was the spirit of the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Knights of Colum-
22
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
bus, the Jewish Welfare Board, and the Y. W. C. A.
For the privilege of serving in this capacity we shall ever be grateful, and not only for the privi- lege of service, but for the privilege of contact with a wonderful and soulful people; for the privi- lege of seeing their beautiful gardens, their fertile fields, their snowcapped mountains and winding rivers; for the privilege of gathering inspiration from their wealth of architectural beauty, their wonderful art galleries and cultural centers; and for the privilege of serving in even the smallest way to help in the preservation of the treasures of this wonderful civilization, for the generations of the future.
But to help to mar the beauty and joy of this service was ever-present war, with its awful toll of death and suffering; and then the service of the colored welfare workers was more or less clouded at all times with that biting and stinging thing which is ever shadowing us in our own country, and which marked our pathway through all our joyous privilege of giving the best that was within us of labor and devotion.
j Upon our arrival in Paris we met Mr. Matthew Bullock and his staff of four secretaries, includ- ing the first colored woman, who had been ordered home as persona non grata to the army; this was done on recommendation of army officials in Bor- deaux, who had brought from our southland their full measure of sectional prejudice.
This incident resulted in the detention of many secretaries, both men and women, from sailing for
23
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
quite a period of time, and no more women came for nearly ten months, thus leaving three colored women to spread their influence as best they could among 150,000 men.
An incident, in some respects similar, occurred in connection with the work in the city of Brest. During the days when it became the greatest em- barkation port in France, at times there were as many as forty thousand men of color, at Camp Pontanezen, waiting for transportation home, and up until about the 18th of June, 1919, there was only one colored Y man there and no women. This, too, at a time when Paris had as many as forty colored men and women, who had returned from their posts of duty, and were willing and anxious for reassignment. This spectacle would no doubt have continued until the close of the work, had not the writers remained in Paris for a period of ten days, requesting continuously that they be permitted to go to Brest. They were finally ad- mitted through the intercession of Mr. W. S. Wal- lace, who had become the head of the personnel department. When they arrived they were told by the secretary at the head of the woman's work for that region, that she had tried repeatedly to get colored women, but for some reason the Paris office had refused to send them. But the Paris office had said each time, upon being questioned with regard to the matter, that the office at Brest did not desire colored women secretaries. This misunderstand- ing came about, no doubt, when, one year previous, the first colored woman sent there had been re-
24
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
turned to Paris. With the necessary tact and investigation on the part of the proper authorities, the matter could no doubt have been very easily adjusted, when the original men in authority at Brest had been replaced by others who were more reasonable, and who had more sympathy for the colored men; in that case we would not have been confronted with the spectacle of numbers of colored workers idle in Paris for a period of from four to six weeks, just one night's ride from thousands of colored soldiers, who were necessarily centered at the great home-going port. Had they been there they could have been of wonderful service, at a time when waiting was a task that tried men's souls.
Commendable things were accomplished, how- ever, through the limited number of colored sec- retaries, the sum total of whom finally became seventy-eight men and nineteen, women, the rank and file of whom were splendid, giving excellent service in whatever portion of the A. E. F. to which they happened to be assigned.
Among those who gave especially valiant service were Mr. Matthew Bullock, of Boston, Mass., who served with the 369th Infantry; Mr. H. 0. Cook, of Kansas City, Mo., who served with the 371st; and Mr. E. T. Banks, of Dayton, Ohio, who served with the 368th. All of these men were cited for brav- ery as a result of their services with the combatant troops. Mr. Banks went over the top with his men in the Vienne, La Chateau sector, of the Argonne Forest. Mr. Cook gave gallant service
25
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
in the Champagne offensive, working tirelessly until he was gassed; while Mr. Bullock could be seen at all times making his way under tremendous shell fire that he might reach his men with necessary supplies; all of these men won high praise for their services in giving first aid to the wounded.
While there is very little exception to the rule that the colored soldiers were generally and won- derfully helped by the colored secretaries, and while the official heads of the Y. M. C. A. at Paris were in every way considerate and courteous to its colored constituency, still there is no doubt that the attitude of many of the white secretaries in the field was to be deplored. They came from all parts of the United States, North, South, East and West, and brought their native prejudices with them. Our soldiers often told us of signs on Y. M. C. A. huts which read, "No Negroes Allowed" ; and some- times other signs would designate the hours when colored men could be served; we remember seeing such instructions written in crayon on a bulletin board at one of the huts at Camp I, St. Nazaire; signs prohibiting the entrance of colored men were frequently seen during the beginning of the work in that section; but always, when the matter was brought to the attention of Mr. W. S. Wallace, the regional secretary, he would immediately see that they were removed.
Sometimes, even, when there were no such signs, services to colored soldiers would be refused. One such soldier came to the Leave Area, and one day,
26
GROUP OF Y.M.C.A. WORKERS, INCLUDING THE THREE SECRETARIES WHO WERE CITED FOR BRAVERY
1. Miss Turner. 2. Mr. Matthew Bullock. 3. Mrs. Craigwell. 4. Misses Edwards and Rochon, and Mr. Owens. 5. Misses Phelps and Suarez. 6. Mr. H. O. Cook. 7. Miss Hagan. 8. Mr. E. T. Banks.
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
while on a hike to Hannibal's Pass, he confided to the writer that he was beginning to see the Y. M. C. A. from a different view-point, since he had been where there were colored secretaries. That at one time, up at the front, he had been marching for two days, was muddy to the waist, cold and starving, because he had had nothing to eat during the entire journey. He came across a Y. M. C. A. hut, went in, and asked them to sell him a package of cakes. They refused to sell it to him under the plea that they did not serve Negroes.
The writer remembers an appeal that came to her one Sunday morning while at St. Nazaire. A Sergeant in the Medical Corps desired her to use her influence to help to get him out of the guard house. On investigation she learned that he had been placed there for doing violence to a Y. M. C. A. secretary. This secretary served in a hut just two blocks from the one in which the writer served. It happened to be immediately across the street from the dispensary, where the sergeant was on duty. Instead of coming to the colored hut, he went across the street to the one nearer. The sec- retary, with much indignation, told him that he did not serve Negroes. The sergeant went back to the dispensary, feeling outraged. The next day this same Y. M. C. A. secretary went into the dis- pensary and asked for some medicine. The ser- geant told him he must wait until those ahead of him were served; but the secretary persisted that he was in a hurry, and must be served at once;
27
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
whereupon the sergeant, still smarting under the insult of the day before, unceremoniously ejected him from the building.
One secretary had a colored band come to his hut to entertain his men. Several colored soldiers followed the band into the hut. The secretary got up and announced that no colored men would be admitted. The leader of the band, a white man, by the way, immediately informed his men that they need not play; whereupon all departed and there was no entertainment. Some huts would per- mit colored men to come in and purchase supplies at the canteen, but would not let them sit down and write, while others received them without any dis- crimination whatever.
Quite a deal of unpleasantness was experienced on the boats coming home. One secretary in charge of a party sailing from Bordeaux, attempted to put all the colored men in the steerage. They rebelled and left the ship ; whereupon arrangements were made to give them the same accommodations as the others.
On another boat there were nineteen colored welfare workers; all the women were placed on a floor below the white women, and the entire colored party was placed in an obscure, poorly ventilated section of the dining-room, entirely separated from the other workers by a long table of Dutch civil- ians. The writer immediately protested; the reply was made that southern white workers on board the ship would be insulted if the colored workers
28
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
ate in the same section of the dining-room with them, and, at any rate, the colored people need not expect any such treatment as had been given them by the French.
But Y. M. C. A. secretaries were not always responsible for discriminations that occurred in the Y. M. C. A. huts. In some places, commanding officers would order signs put up. On another page is a picture of a hut located at Camp Guthrie, near St. Nazaire. The small sign just on the right of the picture says, "Colored Soldiers Only." The hut secretary here was a colored man, the Rev. T. A. Griffith, formerly of Des Moines, Iowa, and Topeka, Kan. To this hut came many white soldiers to listen to his sermons, and to get into the ice cream line at the canteen. At the same time many of the colored soldiers went to the other hut, where there was a white secretary, to be served in the ice cream line. In time these boys were told that they must get out of the line and be served at their own hut. Simultaneously Rev. Griffith was told to keep the white men out of his line, and let them be served where there were white secretaries. Rev. Griffith did not do this, but left the order to be enforced by the colonel who had made it. When the colonel saw that his order was not being recog- nized at the colored hut, he had the sign put up as shown in the picture. Rev. Griffith made a num- ber of efforts to get the sign removed, but to no avail.
The following is a copy of an order issued in another section:
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
HEADQUARTERS CONCENTRATION CAMP S. 0. S. TROOPS — REMACOURT
Memorandum Y. M. C. A.
There are two Y. M. C. A.'s, one near the camp, for white troops, and one in town, for the colored troops. All men will be instructed to patronize their own Y. By order of COL. DOANE.
JOHN A. SCHWEITZER, 1st Lt. Inf., May, 1919. Adjutant.
But there were splendid men among both secre- taries and army officials, who honestly and actively opposed discrimination. Mention already has been made of our personal knowledge of Mr. W. S. Wallace at St. Nazaire, who was always on the alert to see that the colored soldiers had a square deal; while at Brest we found an equally fine spirit in the person of Major Roberts, the army wel- fare officer.
While welfare organizations other than the Y. M. C. A. did not employ colored workers, still, we had the opportunity of observing the attitude they assumed toward the colored troops. It was a part of the multiplicity of the duties of colored Y women to visit the hospitals; here they found colored soldiers placed indiscriminately in wards with white soldiers, while officers were accorded the same treatment as were their white comrades. However, we learned that in some places, colored officers would be placed in wards with private sol- diers, instead of being given private rooms, as was
30
HUTS SHOWING SCARCITY OF COLORED SECRETARIES AND SOME DISCRIMINATIONS PRACTICED
1. Hut 5, Camp Lusitania, St. Nazaire. The largest Y. M. C. A. hut in
France, with full staff of three secretaries.
From left to right — J. C. Croom, Kathryn M. Johnson, F. O.
Nichols, traveling Lecturer on Civics, said Walter Price.
2. Last Y. M. C. A. hut built in France, showing sign in upper right
corner, reading, "Colored Soldiers Only."
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
their military right; and one soldier tells how, after being twice wounded in the Argonne drive, he was taken to Base Hospital No. 56; here he, and others, waited three days before they could secure the attention of either a doctor or a nurse; but when these attendants finally came, the colored soldiers were taken from the hospital beds and placed on cots which were shoved into one end of the room where there was no heat; they then re- ceived medical attention, always after the others had been well attended, and were given the food that remained after the others had been served.
There was one notable incident of discrimina- tion on the part of the Knights of Columbus. It occurred at Camp Romagne, where there were about 9,000 colored soldiers engaged in the heart- breaking task of reburying the dead. The white soldiers here were acting as clerks, and doing the less arduous tasks. The Knights of Columbus erected a tent here and placed thereon a sign to keep colored soldiers away. The colored soldiers, heartsore because they, of all the soldiers, Ger- man prisoners, etc., that there were in France, should alone be forced to do this terrible task of moving the dead from where they had been tem- porarily buried to a permanent resting place, im- mediately resented the outrage and razed the tent to the ground. The officers became frightened lest there should be mutiny, mounted a machine gun to keep order, and commanded the four colored women who were doing service there to proceed at once to Paris.
3 31
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
As a rule, only words of praise were heard for the Salvation Army, whose field of service was very small but very excellent.
The Y. W. C. A. was another welfare organiza- tion with overseas workers; their field of service was among the women welfare workers of other organizations, and the French war brides who were waiting to come to America with their American soldier husbands. No colored repre- sentative of this organization was sent over, as the number of colored women was so small that she would have had no field in which to operate. Few, if any, of the white Y. W. C. A. workers gave any attention to this little colored group, notwithstand- ing the fact that they were women, and Americans, just like the others. One, however, remembers a greeting of much insulting superiority and snob- bishness, by one of its representatives whom she met on the street. After that she always felt it neces- sary to keep in places where they were not to be seen. Of course, all of them were not of this type, but there was no way of being sure of those who were not. As an organization there is no doubt that much good was accomplished by them, espe- cially in furnishing reasonable and comfortable hotel accommodations for women welfare workers in Paris, and also in caring for the wives of sol- diers who were waiting to come home, in the crowded seaport cities.
The largest Y. M. C. A. hut in France was one built at Camp Lusitania, St. Nazaire, for the use of colored soldiers. It was the first hut built for
32
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
our boys, and for its longest period of service was under the supervision of Rev. D. Leroy Ferguson, of Louisville, Ky. It reached its highest state of efficiency and cleanliness under Mr. J. C. Groom, of Goldsboro, N. C. It did service for 9,000 men, and had, in addition to the dry canteen, a library of 1,500 volumes, a money-order department which sometimes sent out as much as $2,000 a day to the home folks; a school room where 1,100 illiter- ates were taught to read and write; a large lobby for writing letters and playing games ; and towards the close of the work, a wet canteen, which served hot chocolate, lemonade and cakes to the soldiers.
To this hut one of us was assigned, and served there for nearly nine months. The work was pleasant and profitable to all concerned, and no woman could have received better treatment any- where than was received at the hands of these 9,000 who helped to fight the battle of St. Nazaire by unloading the great ships that came into the harbor. Among the duties found there were to assist in religious work; to equip a library with books, chairs, tables, decorations, etc., and establish a system of lending books; to write letters for the soldiers; to report allotments that had not been paid; to establish a money order system; to search for lost relatives at home; to do shopping for the boys whose time was too limited to do it them- selves; to teach illiterates to read and write; to spend a social hour with those who wanted to tell her their stories of joy or sorrow.
All of this kept one woman so busy that she
33
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
found no time to think of anything else, not even to take the ten days' vacation which was allowed her every four months. In a hut of similar size among white soldiers, there would have been at least six women, and perhaps eight men. Here the only woman had from two to five male associates. Colored workers everywhere were so limited that one person found it necessary to do the work of three or four.
Just on the suburbs of St. Nazaire, about two miles from Camp Lusitania, was another hut, the second oldest for colored men in France. Here the other one of the writers spent six months of thrilling, all-absorbing service; while about six miles out, in the little town of Montoir, where thousands of labor troops and engineers had per- manent headquarters, the third of the colored women to come to this section ran a large canteen, supplying chocolate, doughnuts, pie and some- times ice cream to the grateful soldiers. This hut was far too small for the number of soldiers it had to entertain, but it was made large in its hospi- tality by the genial, good-natured, energetic Mr. William Stevenson, its first hut secretary, now Y. M. C. A. secretary, Washington, D. C. He started the work in a tent, and built it up to a veri- table thriving beehive of activity.
There were several other localities in the neigh- borhood of St. Nazaire, where one colored secre- tary would be utilized to reach an isolated set. They usually worked in tents. Other places where Y. M. C. A. buildings, huts or tents for colored
34
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
soldiers were located, were Bordeaux, Brest, Le Mans, Challes-les-Eaux, Chambery, Marseilles, Joinville, Belleau Wood, Fere-en-Tardenois, Orly, Is-sur-Tille, Remacourt, Chaumont, and Camp Romagne near Verdun.
Rolling canteens ran out from some places, reaching points where the soldiers had no Y. M. C. A. conveniences. This was a small automobile truck, equipped with material for serving chocolate and doughnuts, and operated by a chauffeur, and a Y woman who dispensed smiles and sunshine to the ofttimes homesick boys, along with whatever she had to tempt their appetites.
The last, and perhaps the most difficult piece of constructive work done by the colored workers, was at Camp Pontanezen, Brest. It has been told in another chapter how one of the writers received Brest as her first appointment, and how she was immediately informed upon her arrival that be- cause of the roughness of the colored men, she would not be allowed to serve them. That woman went away with the determination to return to Brest, and serve the colored men there, if there was any way to make an opening; so after finish- ing her work in the Leave Area, she and her co- worker, who had been relieved from duty at Camp Romagne, were finally permitted to go there, as has been previously explained.
Upon their arrival, they were told that they would be assigned to Camp President Lincoln, where there were about 12,000 S. 0. S. troops. Here there were several secretaries and chaplains, and the
35
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
need was greater at Camp Pontanezen, where there were 40,000 men, and only one colored secretary. The writers requested that they be located there. The appointment was held up for one day, and finally they became located at Soldiers' Rest Hut, in the desired camp.
They were told that they must retain a room in the city, as the woman's dormitory at Camp Pon- tanezen was filled to its capacity. But they con- tended that to do so would take them away from the soldiers at a time in the evening when they could be of the greatest service. Finally, it was arranged for them to stay in the hut, much to the dissatisfaction of the white secretary in charge.
The next morning before they left their room, a message was received, telling them that trans- portation would be at the door at any moment they desired, to take them back to Brest; that Major Roberts, the Camp Welfare Officer, had said that they must not stay in the hut. Upon investigation by Mr. B. F. Lee, Jr., the lone colored secretary at this tremendous camp, it was learned that Major Roberts had been told that the women were uncom- fortable, and did not wish to stay.
Mr. Lee explained that such was not true. The Welfare Officer then visited the hut, talked with the women, recognized the situation, gave his consent to their staying, and assured them that he was willing and ready to do anything in his power to make them comfortable, and assist in equipping the hut. The white secretary, seeing that the women were going to stay, acquiesced in the situa-
36
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
tion, instead of moving out, and did everything he could to assist.
After this there was no difficulty experienced at Camp Pontanezen. The camp secretary and his staff put every means at our disposal to assist us in the work, while the head of the women's work was at all times helpful and sympathetic. From the time she received us at Brest, until our depart- ure, she showed us every consideration and cour- tesy due Y. M. C. A. secretaries.
During the nearly seven weeks there, the chief of the women's work for France paid the city a visit, in order that she might, among other things, visit the colored work.
The two women remained in the same hut about two weeks, when Major Roberts gave one of the most beautiful huts in the camp to the colored soldiers. It had been occupied by the 106th Engineers, and had been built for their own private use. It contained a beautiful stage; a large audi- torium, seating 1,100 people, with a balcony and boxes for officers. It also had a beautiful library and reading room, as well as a wet canteen. To this hut came Mr. B. F. Lee, Jr., and one of the women, while the other remained at Soldiers' Rest Hut, and became its hut secretary. To join them came two other women from Paris, one of whom was placed in each hut, making the total number of women secretaries, four.
The new hut was quickly gotten in order, sleeping quarters being arranged, a new library built, and
37
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
a game room made by removing partitions from under the balcony.
There were several other large huts at Camp Pontanezen, that were used for long periods ex- clusively by colored soldiers; but in the absence of colored women, white women, sometimes as many as five in a hut, gave a service that was necessarily perfunctory, because their prejudices would not permit them to spend a social hour with a homesick colored boy, or even to sew on a ser- vice stripe, were they asked to do so. But the very fact that they were there showed a change in the policy from a year previous, when a colored woman even was not permitted to serve them.
In nearly all the Y. M. C. A. huts, in every sec- tion of France, moving pictures would be operated every afternoon and evening. Many times before the movies, some kind of an entertainment would be furnished by the entertainment department of the Y. M. C. A. There were shows furnished by French or American dramatists; concert parties by singers and musicians of all nationalities, and fre- quently a lecture on health and morals. The movies and shows were the most popular forms of entertainment, and on these occasions the huts would always be crowded, as all entertainments given by the Y. M. C. A. were free.
The organization also did much to promote clean morals among the men, by the free distribution of booklets, tracts, and wholesome pictures. This literature would be placed in literature cases, and the men would select their own material, while the
38
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
pictures would be placed in parts of the hut where they would be easily visible. Some of the booklets which were unusually popular among the men were "Nurse and Knight," "Out of the Fog," "When a Man's Alone," "The Spirit of a Soldier," and "A Square Deal"; while quantities of other stories with sharply drawn morals were distributed by the thousands and thousands of copies.
All told, the Y. M. C. A., with a tremendous army of workers, many of whom were untrained, did a colossal piece of welfare work overseas. The last hut for the colored Americans in France was closed at Camp Pontanezen, Brest, on August 3, 1919, by one of the writers; the two of them hav- ing given the longest period of active service of any of the colored women who went overseas.
39
"These men are high of soul, as they face their fate on the shell-shattered earth, or in the skies above, or in the waters beneath; and no less high of soul are the women with torn hearts and shining eyes; the girls whose boy lovers have been struck down in their golden morn- ing, and the mothers and wives to whom word has been brought that henceforth they must walk in the shadow."
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, in "The Great Adventure"*
* By permission of Charles Scribner's Sons. 40
The Combatant Troops
IT was our greatest hope, when we left that great city of the Middle West, in May, 1918, that we might have the privilege of serving those sol- diers whom we had seen march proudly away about six months before, and entrain for the city of the South, there to prepare to take their part on the great western front, in the world's greatest war. It was at once a joyous and heart-aching privilege to follow them from the spacious 8th Regiment Armory, through the penetrating breeze from Lake Michigan, in order that we might see them bid a last adieu to those who loved them most; the mothers, wives, and sweethearts who clung to the car windows and steps for a last tear- ful embrace, as the train prepared to move slowly away, bearing its burden of human freight, some of whom were not to return, but were to remain resting in those fields whose blood-red poppies seemed death's perfect emblem of crimson beauty. But failing to have the privilege of serving them, we desired in all earnestness of heart to serve whatever other colored regiments were marshaled in battle array against the foe; those who were facing the shot and shell; the poison gas and liquid flame; the bombs from above and the mines from beneath; who were struggling through barbed wire entanglements, and sleeping in trenches and dugouts; who were suffering in all possible ways from the wicked ingenuity of the Germans; who
41
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
went for days without food and drink; and who offered themselves as a supreme sacrifice to help to make the world safe for democracy.
To these troops we owe much for our splendid record in the World War. They summoned with superhuman strength the courage to overcome the galling and heart-breaking discriminations which they had known before they crossed the seas; the open and public discussion as to whether colored men should be allowed to fight; the tragedy of Houston, and the resulting discouragement at Des Moines;1 the impudence of the commanding officer at Camp Funston, and the pre-arranged and in- famous plan to discredit colored officers on the battlefields; all this was sufficient to sap their very life blood before it had a chance to crimson the soil of Flanders Fields; and it was to these troops that we felt we owed all that could be given of service and devotion.
But we were not permitted to do this ser- vice for which we longed so much, and conse- quently our chapter on Combatant Troops must be a record of facts which we have gathered from officers and men of the different organizations who have so kindly and willingly come to our assist- ance. True, it is a brief record; the full record must be left to those who write the histories; but we hope it is quite sufficient to establish for all time the fact that these troops lived up to the full measure of their opportunity; that whether under white or colored leadership, they fought bravely and with undaunted courage; that their spirit of
42
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
patience and long suffering enabled them to over- come even the battle of prejudice, which had fol- lowed them even into that war-torn country, and which at times was more ominous and terrible than any war- weary conflict; and finally that they won for themselves a crown whose glory and beauty will increase with the passing of the years.
COLORED OFFICERS AND THE 92ND DIVISION
The American colored men had very small opportunity to get training that would fit them for officers before going overseas; there was only one graduate of West Point available, Col. Charles Young, of Wilberforce, Ohio; unfortunately the army found him physically unfit, and retired him from active service just one day before a long list of brigadier generals was made, among whom he was sixth in line for promotion. He was finally called back into active service, and since the war has ended has been sent to Africa. A white colonel remarked in his introduction of Colonel Young to a large meeting held at St. Mark's M. E. Church, 53rd Street, New York City, in December, 1919, and in the hearing of the writer, that it was very plain that the only reason why this dark- skinned military officer had been retired, was that the army did not want a black general.
For a number of years preceding our entrance into the war, no colored students had been admitted to West Point, and graduation was ever refused
43
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
them at the Annapolis Naval Academy. One colored school, however — Wilberforce University — had maintained for a number of years a de- partment of military tactics supported by the gov- ernment. Here Colonel Young, and other regular army officers had been kept from time to time as instructors. During the war 65 men, graduates and undergraduates of the school, received com- missions as officers.
The small number who had received limited training here, however, was quite inadequate to be of much service among any considerable number of troops ; and the problem of how to train colored officers became quite a vexation; the camps that gave six weeks' training to white men did not wish to admit them, and there were many who argued that colored men should not be allowed to become soldiers, and that therefore there would be no need for colored officers. Southern congressmen were particularly alarmed over any prospects of colored men learning to use guns.
After some weeks of agitation, however, the war department decided to establish a training camp at Des Moines, Iowa, where about 1,100 men entered for the three months' course. Over six hundred received commissions as 2nd Lieutenants, 1st Lieu- tenants, or Captains. There seemed to be a rule that no colored man in training should receive a commission higher than that of captain. Most of these men were college graduates, and on the whole were of a very high type.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
They were assigned to the 92nd Division, and to any other units where colored officers were allowed to serve, and were needed; but the record of the 92nd Division shows more than that of any other organization the ability of the officers of the Des Moines Training School.
The 92nd Division was composed of the 365th and 366th Infantries, and the 350th Machine Gun Battalion, which made up the 183rd Infantry Brigade, commanded by General Barnum; and the 367th and 368th Infantries, together with the 351st Machine Gun Battalion, which made up the 184th Infantry Brigade, commanded by General Hay. These two Brigades, commanded by colored officers as high as the rank of captain, together with the 167th Artillery Brigade, commanded with few exceptions, by white officers, made up the 92nd Division, which was under the command of Major General Ballou.
Major General Ballou had had charge of the Training School at Des Moines, at which time his rank was that of colonel. Through the influence of friends, some colored men included, he was pro- moted, and given charge of this large body of colored troops ; but before he left for France, even, he caused an order to be issued, known as Bulletin No. 35, which must have operated in no small degree to destroy his influence with his men, and cause a humiliation of spirit among them which would take away whatever desire they might have had to lay down their lives that Democracy might live. The following is the text of the Bulletin:
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
HEADQUARTERS 92ND DIVISION,
CAMP FUNSTON, KAN.
March 28, 1918.
Bulletin No. 35.
1. It should be well known to all colored officers and men that no useful purpose is served by such acts as will cause the "Color Question" to be raised. It is not a question of legal rights, but a question of policy, and any policy that tends to bring about a conflict of races, with its resulting animosities, is1 prejudicial to the mili- tary interests of the 92nd Division, and therefore preju- dicial to an important interest of the colored race.
2. To avoid conflicts the Division Commander has re- peatedly urged that all colored members of his com- mand, and especially the officers and non-commissioned officers should refrain from going where their presence will be resented. In spite of this injunction, one of the sergeants of the Medical Department has recently precipitated the precise trouble that should be avoided, and then called on the Division Commander to take sides in a row that should never have occurred, and would not have occurred had the sergeant placed the general good above his personal pleasure and convenience. This sergeant entered a theatre, as he undoubtedly had a legal right to do, and precipitated trouble by making it possi- ble to allege race discrimination in the seat he was given. He is entirely within his legal rights in the matter, and the theatre manager is legally wrong. Nevertheless the sergeant is guilty of the greater wrong in doing any- thing, no matter how legally correct, that will provoke race animosity.
3. The Division Commander repeats that the success of the Division with all that that success implies, is de-
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
pendent upon the good will of the public. That public is nine-tenths white. White men made the Division, and can break it just as easily as it becomes a trouble maker.
4. All concerned are again enjoined to place the gen- eral interest of the Division above personal pride and gratification. Avoid every situation that can give rise to racial ill-will. Attend quietly and faithfully to your duties, and don't go where your presence is not desired.
5. This will be read to all organizations of the 92nd Division.
By Command of Major General Ballou.
ALLEN J. GREEK,
Lieutenant Colonel General Staff, Chief of Staff.
Official:
EDW. J. TURGEON,
Captain, Assistant Adjutant, Acting Adjutant.
Nothing that General Ballou could do in the way of prosecuting the theatre manager, which he is said to have done, could alleviate the moral effect of this order upon men who were being sent to another country to fight for the preservation of the very privileges of which they at that very moment were being denied.
The 92nd Division as a complete unit received no training as such in the United States, but arrived in France by regiments, the entire number having
4 47
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
landed at Brest by June 20, 1918. The four infantry regiments went into training at Bourbon les Bains, where they remained seven weeks, when they were sent to the Vosges Sector; they remained there from August 23 to September 20, and were then sent into the region of the Argonne Forest, where they were partially engaged in the great Meuse-Argonne Drive. It was here that the 368th Regiment was sent over the top, without being equipped with rifle grenades, instruments that were absolutely necessary for use in the de- struction of German machine-gun nests. Very few of the officers and none of the enlisted men had ever seen such a grenade, and the absence of this weapon in warfare where guns alone were practi- cally useless, caused a retreat which resulted in several of the colored officers being arrested and sent to prison for cowardice. Capt. Leroy Godman, a colored attorney from Columbus, Ohio, secured a record of the facts, and after his return to America, was instrumental in having them pre- sented to the War Department; this action resulted in the release and exoneration of the officers, and the stigma of cowardice was removed from the entire regiment, and public notice of it was given in the newspapers throughout the entire country.
The 92nd Division was never permitted until two days before the signing of the Armistice to function in battles as an entire unit. The follow- ing bulletin by Brigadier General Erwin shows how certain parts were at all times kept in reserve:
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
HEADQUARTERS 92ND DIVISION
A. P. 0. 766
A. E. F.
Bulletin No. 13. January 27, 1919.
1. Participation of the 92nd Division in Major and Battle operations during the war.
St. Die Sector, Vosges, Aug. 23, 1918— Sept. 20, 1918. Entire 92nd Division, less Division Artillery.
Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Sept. 26, 1918 — Sept. 20, 1918. Entire 92nd Division (less Division Artillery and Train, 368th Infantry, 3d Battalion 365th Infantry, 1st Battalion 366th Infantry, 3d Battalion 367th Infantry, 1st Battalion 317th Military Police) in reserve. 1st Army Corps.
92nd Division (less 183d Brigade, 317th Engineers and Train, Division Artillery, Det. Co. A 317th M.P.) in re- serve. 38th Army Corps.
Sept. 20— Oct. 4, 1918.
368th Inf. and Companies A. & B. 351st M. G. Bn., as liaison troops between 1st Army (American) and 4th French Army operating in the Provision Brigade with llth Cuirassiers, under command Colonel Durand. Sept. 26-30, 1918.
MARBACHE SECTOR Oct. 9-Nov. 11, 1918.
Entire 92nd Division to be centered as date of actual arrival in sector.
Offensive Operation 2nd Army, Nov. 10-11, 1918.
Entire 92d Division in Marbache Sector, attacking di- rection Corny.
Patrols, raids, and defense of raids are not mentioned here. They are local in character, and concern only the
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
units involved. These entries are to be made by company commanders, in strict compliance with the following ex- tracts from G. 0.
Discretion must be used by company commanders.
Dates and locations of some minor operations as de- scribed above are the following, — (to be entered only by elements actually engaged).
Repulse of enemy raid, C. R. Mere Henry, 23 hours. 25-26 Aug., 1918. St. Die Sector
Repulse of enemy raid, Trapelle, Sept. 1-2, 1918.
Repulse of enemy raid, C. R. Palon,
6 to 8 hours. Sept. 9, 1918.
St. Die Sector, Vosges.
Repulse of enemy raid, Trapelle,
Sept. 19, 1918. St. Die, Vosges Sector.
In case where units have operated under independent command, as in the case of the 317th Engineers, in the Meuse Argonne Offensive, appropriate notation should be made under supervision of organization commanders concerned.
By command of BRIGADIER GENERAL ERWIN.
C. K. WILSON, Col. General Staff, Chief of Staff.
Official:
EDWARD J. TURGEON, Maj. Infantry, Adj.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
This bulletin shows that from September 26 to 30, 1918, the entire 368th Infantry, and one battalion each of the 365th, 366th, and 367th were engaged in action in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, and that, from September 30 to October 4, the 183rd Brigade, composed of the 365th and 366th Infantries, was actively engaged in the same offen- sive. But at no time is the entire 92nd Division shown to be in active service except on November 10 and 11, when it is reported to be attacking in the direction of Corny.
During its activities the Division lost 248 men and 7 officers killed and died of wounds. There were a number of individual citations for bravery, and one entire battalion belonging to the 367th Infantry was awarded the Croix de Guerre. On the morning of the signing of the Armistice the 365th Infantry had taken several hundred yards of the battle front, the 366th had captured and was still in possession of several kilometers of terri- tory, and the 367th was nearest to the coveted stronghold of Metz of any of the units of the Allied Armies. Had the war lasted another day, the entire Division, along with six other divisions, had been selected to absorb the first shock of the battle.
Because of some unusually interesting things that happened in connection with the 367th Infan- try, and because it has the distinction of having the only entire unit of the 92nd Division that was awarded the Croix de Guerre, its full history fol- lows in some detail:
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
THE 367TH INFANTRY
The 367th Infantry came into existence at Camp Upton, N. Y., during the latter part of October, 1917. Sixty per cent of the soldiers who composed this regiment were from the State of New York, the South furnished 20 per cent, while the re- mainder came from New England and the West. It was commanded by Colonel Moss, a regular army man, originally from Louisiana, and an authority on military tactics, having published several books on the subject. He took charge of the regiment on November 2, 1917, and spent the winter in giving it what is said to have been the most thorough training of all the drafted regiments. He also christened the organization with the name of Buf- faloes ; this name had been given to colored soldiers by the Indians, in the early western pioneer days, when colored troops made it so interesting for the Red Men in frontier warfare, as to remind them of the buffaloes of their own great western plains. The name was finally adopted by the entire 92nd Division.
On June 10, 1918, the regiment embarked for France, landing at Brest on June 19. They rested for a few days in dog tents, pitched on the cold wet ground at Camp Pontanezen, and then entrained for Haute Saone, where they were given seven weeks' intensive training in trench warfare and gas instruc- tion, along with the other regiments of the 92nd Division. Several officers, both white and colored,
52
SCENE OF DEVASTATION IN WAR-TORN FRANCE
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
were given additional training in the American Training School at Gondre Court.
On August 22, the regiment took over its first trenches at the front in the Vosges Sector, where they remained until September 18, during which time numerous raids, patrols, etc., were planned and executed.
One of the interesting things that happened to them while in this sector, was the dropping of propaganda literature from German aircraft. The following circular was picked up by them on September 3, 1918:
TO THE COLORED SOLDIERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
"Hello, boys, what are you doing over here? Fighting the Germans? Why? Have they ever done you any harm? Of course some white folks and the lying Eng- lish-American papers told you that the Germans ought to be wiped out for the sake of humanity and Democracy. What is Democracy? Personal freedom; all citizens en- joying the same rights socially and before the law. Do you enjoy the same rights as the white people do in America, the land of freedom and Democracy, or are you not rather treated over there as second class citizens?
Can you get into a restaurant where white people dine? Can you get a seat in a theatre where white people sit? Can you get a seat or a berth in a railroad car, or can you even ride in the South in the same street car with the white people?
And how about the law? Is lynching and the most horrible crimes connected therewith, a lawful proceeding in a Democratic country? Now all this is entirely differ- ent in Germany, where they do like colored people;
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
where they treat them as gentlemen and as white men, and quite a number of colored people have fine posi- tions in business in Berlin and other German cities. Why, then, fight the Germans only for the benefit of the Wall Street robbers, and to protect the millions that they have loaned to the English, French, and Italians?
You have been made the tool of the egotistic and rapacious rich in America, and there is nothing in the whole game for you but broken bones, horrible wounds, spoiled health, or death. No satisfaction whatever will you get out of this unjust war. You have never seen Germany, so you are fools if you allow people to make you hate us. Come over and see for yourself. Let those do the fighting who make the profit out of this war. Don't allow them to use you as cannon fodder.
To carry a gun in this service is not an honor but a shame. Throw it away and come over to the German lines. You will find friends who will help you."
After leaving the Vosges Sector, the organization was sent to the Marbache Sector, where it joined the other regiments of the 92nd Division just out- side of Toul. It was here that the First Battalion distinguished itself by coming to the rescue of the 56th Infantry on the left. Captain Morris, and Lieutenants Hunton, Dabney, and Davidson were instrumental in having the terrific fire which was being directed at the regiment, turned onto their own organization, thus enabling the suffering troops to retire to safety; they were at the same time able to hold their own ground and take over the terri- tory of the retiring soldiers. For this action the Battalion was cited in glowing terms by a French General, and awarded the Croix de Guerre. It was
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
also given special mention by Major General Ballou.
Staff officers of this regiment tried very hard to prevent entrance of men into French homes. One medical sergeant tells of order issued in French and English, fixing penalty for such at living on bread and water in pup tents for 24 hours, and being forced to hike 18 miles with pack.
After the signing of the Armistice, the regiment was sent to the forwarding camp at Le Mans. Here some interesting things happened by way of race discrimination. On January 21, 1919, General Pershing made a visit to the camp for the purpose of reviewing the troops. Following is a memo- randum posted for the benefit of the colored troops:
HEADQUARTERS FORWARDING CAMP AMERICAN EMBARKATION CENTER.
A. P. 0. 762.
Memorandum: No. 299— E. 0.
To All Organizations. January 21, 1919.
1. For your information and guidance. PROGRAM REFERENCE VISIT OF GENERAL PERSHING
9:30 A.M. Arrive Forwarding Camp. All troops possible, except colored to be under arms.
Formation to be designed by General Longan.
Only necessary supply work an^ police work to be performed up to the time troops are dismissed in order that they may prepare for reception of General Pershing. As soon as dismissed, men to get into working clothes and go to their respective tasks in order that Commander-
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
in-Chief may see construction going on. (Work of dry delousing plant not to be interrupted.) Colored troops will be passed through wet delousing process as planned.
Colored troops will furnish usual police details, and their work not interrupted.
Colored troops who are not at work, to be in their quarters, or in their tents, kitchens, delousing plants, etc>, to be inspected.
Route followed to be designated by General Longan.
Plan of Forwarding Camp as planned to be in pos- session of General Longan to show Commander-in-Chief.
11:00 A.M. Leave Forwarding Camp going to Classi- fication Camp by way of Spur.
Officers not on duty will assemble at these Headquar- ters at 9:15 A.M.
By Command of BRIGADIER GENERAL LONGAN.
RICHARD M. LEVY, Major C. A. C., U. S. A., Camp Adjutant.
HEADQUARTERS, 367TH INFANTRY,
A. P. O. 766, A. E. F.
January 21, 1919.
To Organization Commanders for their information, guidance and compliance.
Men will be kept busy at all times. Area formerly used for tents will be levelled, ditches filled in, ditches along road will be carefully policed.
By Order of COLONEL BASSETT.
ELMER A. BRUETT.
When General Pershing came, he noted the absence of the colored troops, and asked for them. He was told that they were at work. Whereupon
56
I
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he set another day for a return trip, in order that he might review them also.
Another order prescribing the eating place for colored officers at the Le Mans Evacuation Camp was as follows:
HEADQUARTERS AREA D.
January 25, 1919. Memorandum C. 0. 367th Infantry:
White officers desiring meals in their quarters will have their orderlies report to Lieutenant Williams at the tent adjoining Area Headquarters for cards to present at Officers' Mess.
All Colored Officers will mess at Officers' Mess in D.-17.
F. M. CRAWFORD, 1st Lt. Infantry, Area "D"
THE EFFICIENCY BOARD
Several references have been made to efficiency boards and their efforts to remove colored officers from the 92nd Division and other colored organi- zations. In order that a clear idea may be con- veyed as to the type of men who suffered from these injustices, as well as how these boards operated, the life, training, and experience of the first officer of the 92nd Division to undergo such an ordeal, follows in detail:
Captain Matthew Virgil Boutte was born in New Iberia, Louisiana, of Creole parentage; his father was a sugar planter, of the type that used to strap
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
his gun on his saddle girth for protection, and go to the poles and vote, in the days when guns were used to maintain white supremacy in that State.
He sent his son to Straight University, New Orleans, from 1898 to 1903, where he received the rudiments of an education. Afterwards young Boutte went to Fisk, where he finished a high school course, and a four years' college course; thence to the University of Illinois, where he graduated as a chemist and pharmacist; he then taught quantita- tive chemistry at Meharry Medical College, and opened a drugstore in Nashville, Tenn. This he disposed of after receiving his commission at the Des Moines Training School. While in Nashville, he joined the Tennessee National Guard, the only Colored National Guard Company in the South. With six months' training there as a private, he entered the Des Moines School, and was one of the few who received the commission of captain.
On November 1, 1917, he went to Rockford, 111., where he attended Machine Gun School at Camp Grant, and organized Company 350, Machine Gun Battalion. His company was well trained not only in military tactics, but also to such a high degree of athletic efficiency, that it received a loving cup for wnning a cross country run; also won cup for individual running in whole brigade. The winner, Sergeant Bluitt, was afterward commis- sioned lieutenant.
On June 6, 1918, Captain Boutte sailed for France, with the advance officers' party of the 92nd Division. They landed at Brest where the colored
58
GROUP OF OFFICERS OF 92ND DIVISION
1. Capt. Matthew Virgil Boutte. 3. Lieut. Benjamin H. Hunton. 4. Lieut. Frank L. Chisholm. 6. Lieut. Ernest M. R. Daly.
2. Lieut. J.
Frank L.
Williams Clifford. Drye. 5. Lieut. Gould. 7. Lieut. Victor
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officers received a taste of the American segrega- tion that afterwards became so annoying in France. Rooms for the entire party, white and colored, had been reserved at the Hotel Continental, but the colored officers were told to go to Camp Pontanezen, where they would find barracks; there they were to sleep on boards with no mattresses, and only one blanket apiece. Captain Boutte pro- tested, and the party returned to Brest, where they discovered that the white officers had not made the French people understand that the rooms held in reserve were for them, and consequently had gone elsewhere. Captain Boutte, being able to speak French quite fluently, was able to get the reserved rooms for the six colored officers. He was sent from Brest to Bourbon les Bains to serve as billet- ing officer. Here he was told not to take the French people's kindness for friendship, but to treat them just as he had been taught to treat white people at home. When they found that his ability to speak French gave him ready entree into French homes, they relieved him of all work as billeting officer, so that he would have no occasion for going among the French people.
On July 7 he was returned to his company. He instructed his men to such a point of efficiency that the inspector of machine-gun tactics com- mended his work. On July 24 he was placed under close arrest. While under arrest he was forced to ride from one town to another in an open wagon, and between two armed guards, in order that his spirit might be thoroughly crushed, and
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
his humiliation made complete. Twenty-three specifications under the 96th Article of War were placed against him. These dealt with duties im- posed upon the Commanding Officer of the Com- pany by the Commanding Officer of the Battalion. After he had been under close arrest for eight days, the charges were submitted to him; following are samples of specifications:
"Why did you command your first sergeant to remain at home instead of having him on the field of drill, as commanded from headquarters?"
"Why did your mess sergeant not have his bill of fare posted on a certain day?"
Boutte's answer was that in order to be respons- ible for his company he must have full control of his officers, as was his military right; and as for the mess sergeant's bill of fare, it could easily have blown away after having been put in its ac- customed place. In due time he was called before the Efficiency Board, in order that reasons might be given why he should not be court-martialed. At the trial Major Raborg withdrew all specifications but six, saying that he had found that the others were not true. Subsequently it was learned that he had written a letter to the commanding officer, asking that all colored officers be removed. Upon being questioned as to the efficiency of Captain Boutte, he replied that he was mentally and morally efficient, but otherwise he was not. It then became evident that it was such a clear case of prejudice,
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that Captain Boutte was returned to his company, and Major Raborg removed as commander of the battalion. But a number of officers became victims of this now notorious efficiency board, and while no one would suppose that all colored officers were above criticism, and must know that some of them were justly removed, still, there is no doubt that many of them were as innocent as the subject of this sketch. Captain Boutte retained Captain Leroy Godman, of Columbus, Ohio, as his attorney, and says he owes much to him for his acquittal and exoneration. All officers on trial were not so fortunate in being able to secure a good colored lawyer, while others were simply condemned as inefficient, and removed, without being given a chance for defense. Capt Boutte was afterwards for six months a member of General Pershing's staff, with headquarters in Paris.
THE 325TH SIGNAL BATTALION
Attached to the 92nd Division was the first colored Signal Corps ever organized. It was known as the 325th Signal Battalion. They were assem- bled during the months of December and January, 1917-18, respectively, and after five months' train- ing were sent to France. After an additional period of training at Voisey, Haute Marne, they were sent to the Vosges Mountains, and afterwards to the Argonne, where they engaged in actual warfare; they were in the Marbache Sector, near Metz, when the Armistice was signed. They were commended
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
highly both by the French and American High Command, and some of them were cited for bravery, and decorated with the Croix de Guerre. In the 92nd Division a total number of 14 officers and 42 men were cited for bravery.
THE 167TH FIELD ARTILLERY
The 167th Field Artillery Brigade was composed of the 349th, 350th, and 351st Regiments of Artillery; the first two handled light equipment, and received their training at Camp Dix, while the latter had heavy equipment and was trained at Camp Meade. They also had attached to them the 317th Ammunition Train, whose 36 officers were all colored but three. In this organization there were several officers promoted, among them being Major Milton Dean, of Washington, D. C., the only colored man to be promoted to such a rank overseas, with the exception of Major Joseph Ward, of Indianapolis, Indiana, whose ability and ser- vices as a physician were thus recognized; very few other promotions of colored officers were made in France; a small number of dental lieutenants were made captains after the signing of the Armis- tice, when they were relocated in the Ser/ice of Supply sections; but the majority came back with the same rank with which they went over, even though they had shown marked ability, and had been cited and decorated for bravery.
Early in October, 1918, 33 colored officers, who were to have been attached to the 167th Field
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Artillery, landed in St. Nazaire; they were second lieutenants, who had been trained to take the places of some of the white officers of that organization; but instead, they were first sent to La Corneau, near Bordeaux, where they remained about a week; they were then ordered to leave there, and after about three weeks' junketing about they became stationed at Camp Meurcon, near Vannes. At this place they were attached to the 63rd American Artillery Brigade, composed altogether of southern white men; they were required to drill these men, even though their prejudices were so strong that they would not salute their colored officers if there was any possible way to avoid it; but the officers stuck to their task, and had started to the front with the regiment when the Armistice was signed. They were then ordered to Brest to embark for home; here they were detached from the regiment and returned to Camp Meurcon, near Vannes, where they were attached to another white outfit; they remained there another three weeks, and were then sent to Nancy in search of the 167th Artillery, to which they were originally to have been attached; finding that the Brigade had left, they proceeded to the Evacuation Camp at Le Mans, where they found the organization stationed in camps located in the neighborhood of the city; they then became a part of the official family of the Brigade, but some were detached on the eve of their return to the States, and made to return home as casuals; this seemed to be a part of the policy of those who had charge of the transportation of troops. The
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
writer remembers several incidents during her period of service at Brest, where colored officers had made all preparations to return with their organizations, and within a few hours of sailing would be detached; some contended vigorously for what they considered their rights, while others resigned themselves to their fate; then frequently when they would have sailing orders to return home as casuals, they would be turned back, when it would be discovered that they were colored; some- times this occurred even after they had gotten on the gang plank. On July 16, 1919, the 184th Casual Company, together with the 323rd Ordi- nance Battalion, about 300 in number, were sent back after half of them had gotten aboard the boat, as a result of a protest against their color. Some of these men came to the writer sick at heart, and said that such treatment seemed more than they could bear.
The 167th Field Artillery, the first of its kind that was ever organized, was under the command of Brigadier General Sherburne, of Massachusetts, who seemed in every way to have the interest of the troops at heart; they landed at Brest, June 26, 1918, and after being attached to the 92nd Division, were engaged in action at Pagny, Bois Frehart, Cherimo, and Bois La Cote; and it was under the barrage of this Brigade that the Division while on the Lorraine Front, between Toul and Nancy, was able to advance, capture a number of towns, and stand ready to enter the coveted stronghold of Metz, when the Armistice was signed.
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During their period of action, they gave excel- lent service, and the following words of commenda- tion were given the 351st Regiment by their com- mander:
HEADQUARTERS 351sx FIELD ARTILLERY
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
GENERAL ORDER No. 3.
December 27, 1918.
When you landed in France you were acclaimed as comrades in arms, brothers in a great cause. In the days that have passed, no man, no little child, has had cause to regret that first glorious welcome. Surrounded by new and unusual conditions, beset by subtle tempta- tions, you have kept your hearts high, and with purpose fixed on the high ideal of service, you have put away those things that did not contribute strength for the task at hand. You have been men.
Through rain and in tents, or in cold billets, you have cheerfully pushed on to fit yourselves for the final test, and at length you came to the front lines. There under fire by day and night you served the pieces, sending back gas for gas, and shell for shell, two for one. The orders reached the guns because you maintained the con- nections; the ammunition was there because neither the elements nor enemy stopped you. The mission has been accomplished and you have been what America expects her sons to be — brave soldiers'.
Your first six months of service on foreign soil have ended; accordingly, all officers and enlisted men of the 351st Field Artillery are authorized and ordered to wear one Service Chevron. As surely as this chevron stands
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for something accomplished, just as surely it imposes an added obligation; it sets a new standard of soldierly qualities; it is a reminder of what manner of men you are. As you have earned it fairly and well, so you will strive to be worthy of it, and of the things for which it stands', every man a guardian of the good name of the regiment.
By Command of COLONEL WADE H. CARPENTER.
GEORGE C. MATHER, Capt. F. A., U. S. A., Adj. 351s/ Field Artillery.
In taking his farewell of the 167th Field Artil- lery Brigade, Brigadier General Sherburne re- corded the following:
1. In leaving the 167th Field Artillery Brigade to take up other duties, the Brigade Commander wishes to record in General Orders the entire satisfaction it has given him to have commanded the first brigade of Negro Artillery ever organized. This satisfaction is due to the excellent record the men have made. Undertaking a work that was new to them, they brought it faithfulness, zeal, and patri- otic fervor. They went into the line and conducted themselves in a manner to win praise of all. They had been picked for important work in the offensive which had been planned to start after November llth.
2. The Brigade Commander will ever cherish the words of the Commander in Chief, the compliments he paid in all sincerity to this Brigade while he watched it pass in review last Wednesday. He wishes the Brigade to understand that these words of appreciation were evoked only because each man had worked conscientious- ly and unflaggingly to make the organization a success.
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3. The Brigade Commander feels that he should also make acknowledgment in General Orders of the re- markable esprit-de-corps displayed by the officers of the Brigade. They were pioneers in a field, where at the start, success was problematical. This being the first Brigade of its kind ever organized, it has been only natural that the work of the men should have been fea- tured prominently, yet the same prominence and the same praise should be accorded the officers. While the Bri- gade Commander takes this occasion to speak of their splendid work, he believes that their greatest praise will come from the men themselves, not only now, but ever in greater measure when they have returned to civilian life and have secured the perspective of time and experience that will teach them how fortunate they were in making the race's initial effort as artillerymen under officers who were both skilful artillerymen, and sympathetic leaders.
By Command of BRIGADIER GENERAL SHERBURNE.
HENRY KING TOOTLE, 1st Lieut., F. A., U. S. A., Acting Adjutant.
In concluding the story of the 92nd Division, nothing could be said of more significance than the farewell words used by Major General Ballou, who had crushed the spirit of the officers and men in the very beginning of its existence by the notori- ous Bulletin No. 35, and who had continued his policy of catering to southern prejudice up until the time he was removed from the organization; the memorandum is signed by Col. Allen J. Greer, who had used his good offices in every way pos- sible to get all the colored officers removed from the Division.2
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HEADQUARTERS 92ND DIVISION, AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES,
A. P. 0. 766. Memorandum: November 18, 1918.
Five months ago to-day the 92d Division landed in France.
After seven weeks of training it took over a sector in the front line, and since then some portion of the Division has been practically continuously under fire.
It participated in the last battle of the war with credita- ble success, continuously pressing the attack against highly organized defensive works. It advanced success- fully on the first day of the battle, attaining its objectives and capturing prisoners. This in the face of determined opposition by an alert enemy, and against rifle, machine gun and artillery fire. The issue of the second day's battle was rendered indecisive by the order to cease firing at 11 A. M., when the Armistice became effective.
The Division Commander, in taking leave of what he considers himself justly entitled to regard as his Division, feels that he has accomplished his mission. His work is done and will endure. The results have not always been brilliant,, and many times were discouraging, yet a well-organized, well-disciplined, and well-trained Colored Division has been created and commanded by him to include the last shot of the great World War.
May the future conduct of every officer and man be such as to reflect credit upon the Division and upon the colored race.
By Command of MAJOR GENERAL BALLOU,
ALLEN J. GREER,
Col., General Staff, Chief of Staff. Official: EDW. J. TURGEON,
Ma]. Inf., U. S. A., Acting Adjutant.
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THE 93RD DIVISION
The 93rd Division was to have been composed of the 15th New York National Guard (369th Infantry), the 8th Illinois National Guard (370th Infantry) and the 371st and 372nd Infantries. Col. Charles Young was to have been its com- mander. The Division never materialized, how- ever, and the different regiments were brigaded with the French troops.
THE 369TH INFANTRY
The 369th Infantry, or 15th New York National Guard was organized in 1916, and did guard duty during the summer of 1917 in the States of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It came into existence with the understanding that it was to have a full quota of colored officers; some un- favorable conditions, however, caused very few to attempt to qualify, and when they sailed for France on December 14, 1917, they had only the following named: Captains Charles W. Fillmore and Napoleon B. Marshall, First Lieutenants George W. Lacey and James Reese Europe, and Second Lieutenant D. Lincoln Reid; the other officers were white, with Col. William Hayward commanding.
The regiment landed at Brest on December 27, 1917, being the first colored American fighting troops to put their feet on French soil; on January 1, 1918, they left by train for St. Nazaire, where
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they remained for two months building railroads, docks, piers, and working in store houses, in addi- tion to keeping up their military training exercises. Here their name was changed from 15th New York N. G. to 369th Infantry. On March 12 they were sent to Givry in Argonne, where they were billeted at Noirleu, St. Mard, and Remacourt. They re- mained at these points until April 8, when they were sent to Main-de-Massiges, Champagne Sector, where they were attached to the 16th Division of the 4th French Army, and became to all intents and purposes, French soldiers; their only mark of differentiation was their uniforms, and sometimes they even wore the French helmet.
For 191 days these soldiers were in the front line trenches, and it is claimed by them that they remained there for a longer continuous period than any troops in the allied armies. They were engaged in the battles of Main-de-Massiges, Butte- de-Mesil, the Dormois, Seechault, Argonne Forest, Ripont, Kuppinase, Vosges Mountains, the Aisne, the Tourbe, Maison-en-Champagne, Fontaine, and Bellevue Ridge.
By an accident, it is said, the regimental records were lost, but the casualties are estimated at 600 killed and 3,000 replacements; the replacements were made from new recruits just brought over from the States, and sometimes they more than filled the vacancies made by the killed and wounded. These new recruits were often untrained, and frequently had to be taught to load a gun after they reached the front line trenches; their
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GROUP OF COMMISSIONED AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF 15xH NEW YORK (369TH INF.)
1. Capt. Charles W. Fillmore. 2. Capt. Napoleon B. Marshall. 3. Group of Sergeants. 4. Needham Roberts. 5. Henry Johnson.
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
ignorance of how to protect themselves in battle caused the list of killed and wounded to be much larger than it otherwise would have been; but with the assistance of their comrades in arms, they soon became seasoned soldiers; and, according to a record published by 19 non-commissioned officers, while the regiment made tremendous sacrifices, they inflicted much greater losses on the enemy than they themselves suffered, and captured many prisoners and munitions of war.
For its record in the great German Offensive of July, 1918, and the Allied Offensive of the fol- lowing September and October, the regiment was awarded the Croix de Guerre. In addition to this there were 132 officers and men cited for conspic- uous and meritorious conduct, and awarded the Croix de Guerre or the Legion d'Honneur. Among these were the now famous Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts, the first two Americans, white or colored, to be decorated ; these two men defeated twenty or more Germans in one midnight engage- ment, by the skillful use of hand grenades, the butt ends of their rifles, and the bolo knife; they routed an entire machine-gun nest, and brought back numerous war trophies; both were severely wounded, and remained in the hospital for some time before they were again able for service.
After the victory of the great German Offensive of July, 1918, General Gouraud, Commander of the 4th French Army, with whom the organization was fighting, issued the following bulletin:
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Fourth Army Staff, 5th B., No. 6954/3. July 16, 1918.
TO THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF THE FOURTH FRENCH ARMY
During the day of July 15th you have broken the efforts of fifteen German Divisions supported by ten others.
They were, from their orders, to reach the Marne in the evening; you have stopped them where we wanted to give and to win the battle.
You have the right to be proud, heroic infantry- men and machine gunners of the advanced posts, who have signalled the attack, and who have subdivided it, aviators who flew over it, battalions and batteries who have broken it, staffs who have so minutely pre- pared that battlefield.
It is a hard blow to the enemy. It is a beautiful day for France.
I rely upon you that it will always be the same, each time they will dare to attack you, and with all my heart of a soldier, I thank you.
(Signed) GOURAUD.
In combination with the facts that the regiment was the first of the colored Americans to see active service at the front, and produced the first two winners of the Croix de Guerre of all the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces, they have the final distinction of having been the first unit of the Allied Armies to reach the Rhine. They arrived at Blodelsheim on the Rhine on November
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18, 1918, as the advance guard of the 161st Divi- sion of the 2nd French Army. The next day after the signing of the Armistice, Marshal Foch gave out the following document to be read to the command; it was read to these men three days after they reached Blodelsheim:
HEADQUARTERS 369TH INFANTRY, U. S. A.
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES,
France, 21st November, 1918.
BLODELSHEIM
Document No. 21-11-3. Bulletin:
1. The following is published and will be read to the command:
The Commander in Chief Allies G. H. Q.
of the Allied Armies November, 12, 1918.
General Staff 1st Section 5,961
OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND PRIVATES
After having boldly stopped the enemy, you have at- tacked them for months with indefatigable faith and energy, giving them no rest.
You have won the greatest battle in history, and saved the most sacred cause, the Liberty of the World.
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Be proud of it.
With immortal glory you have adorned your flags.
Posterity will be indebted to you with gratitude.
The Marshal of France,
Commander in Chief of the Allied Armies,
FOCH.
By order of COLONEL HAYWARD:
T. A. RYAN, 1st Lt., 369th Infantry,
Acting Adjutant.
While the regiment embarked for France with five colored officers, it returned with only one, Lieutenant James Reese Europe, of the famous 15th Infantry Band. The others were transferred to other organizations under the peculiar system that was used for the purpose of moving colored officers about like checkers on a checker board. Captain Marshall was sent to the 365th Infantry, while the other three were attached to the 370th. Captain Fillmore was decorated with the Croix de Guerre before leaving the 369th, and Lieutenants Lacey and Reid after they became members of the regi- ment from Illinois, a proof that the French recog- nized their ability.
The regiment returned to the States on Febru- ary 12, 1918. They had made a splendid record all through their period of service, and — in the words of a tribute paid by the new 15th Regiment
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
to the old — they "Never lost a prisoner, a trench, nor a foot of ground, and demonstrated for all time the bravery of the American Negro, his high quality as a soldier, and his devotion to the cause of liberty."
The City of New York gave them a tremendous, whole-hearted, and royal welcome, and the New York Herald republished in their honor the fol- lowing poem from "The Black Phalanx,'9 com- posed by George Henry Boker:
THE BLACK REGIMENT
"Dark as the clouds even, Ranked in the western heaven, Waiting the breath that lifts All the dread mass, and drifts Tempest and falling brand Over a ruined land, — So still and orderly, Arm to arm, knee to knee, Waiting the great event, Stands the black regiment.
Down the long dusky line Teeth gleam and eyeballs shine; And the bright bayonet, Bristling and firmly set, Flashed with a purpose grand, Long ere the sharp command Of the fierce rolling drum Told them their time had come, Told them what word was sent For the black regiment.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. t\
'Now,' the flag-sergeant cried, 'Though death and hell betide, Let the whole nation see If we are fit to be Free in this land; or bound Down, like the whining hound, — Bound with red stripes of pain In our old chains again!' Oh, what a shout there went From the black regiment!
'Charge!' trump and drum awoke; Onward the bondmen broke; Bayonet and saber stroke Vainly opposed their rush, Through the wild battles' crush, With but one thought aflush, Driving their lords like chaff, In the guns' mouths they laugh, Or at the slippery brands, Leaping with open hands, Down they tear man and horse, Down in their awful course; Trampling with bloody heel Over the crashing steel, All their eyes forward bent, Rushed the black regiment.
'Freedom!' their battle cry, — 'Freedom!' or leave to die!' Ah! and they meant the word, • Not as with us 'tis heard, Not a mere party shout: They gave their spirits out; Trusted the end to God, And on the gory sod Rolled in triumphant blood,
76
VIEWS TAKEN FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS OF THE GREAT WAR
1. French Anti-Aircraft Gun. 2. Long German Gun. 3. Mrs.
Hunton in barbed wire entanglement in "No Man's Land." 4. A
View of Trench in Hindenburg Line, at Soissons. 5. Dead Man's
Hill. 6. French Flame Throwers. 7. Burying German Dead.
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
Glad to strike one free blow, Whether for weal or woe; Glad to breathe one free breath, Though on the lips of death; Praying — alas! in vain! — That they might fall again So they could once more see That burst to liberty! This was what 'freedom' lent To the black regiment.
Hundreds on hundreds fell; But they are resting well; Scourges and shackles strong, Never shall do them wrong. Oh, to the living few, Soldiers, be just and true! Hail them as comrades tried; Fight with them side by side; Never, in field or tent, Scorn the black regiment."
THE 370TH INFANTRY (STH ILLINOIS, N. G.)
We feel that special emphasis should be given the 370th Infantry, because it was the only regi- ment that crossed the sea with a full quota of colored officers; made a splendid record for bravery; received numerous certificates from the French people setting forth their high appreciation for their excellent behavior; received numerous individual citations for conspicuous and merito- rious conduct, and returned with a full quota of colored officers with the exception of a colonel, one captain, and one 2nd lieutenant.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
When the regiment embarked for France, the following named were the field officers: Col. Franklin A. Denison, Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan, Major Rufus M. Stokes, Major Charles L. Hunt, Major Arthur B. Williams, the Regimental Adju- tant being Capt. John H. Patton. After being in France for a period of three months and a few days, Colonel Denison, because of illness, was re- placed by Col. T. A. Roberts, who became the only white officer in the regiment. Later Capt. John T. Prout, and 2nd Lieutenant Stapleton were added, making a total of three white officers. This left Lieutenant Colonel Duncan, of Springfield, 111., the highest ranking colored officer overseas. The record of this regiment should forever silence the contention made by so many, that colored men have not the ability to be officers, and that at any rate, colored soldiers will not follow the leadership of officers of their own race.
The regiment was called into service on July 25, 1917, and the following October entrained for Houston, Texas, where they spent the winter in training, and where they conducted themselves with such admirable decorum, that even that hostile city commended and applauded them vigorously when they departed on March 6, 1918, for Newport News, from which city they were to take transport for France.
They landed at Brest on April 6, 1918, and after spending three days at Camp Pontanezen, took train and went to the town of Grand Villars. Here they were attached to the 73rd French Divi-
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sion, were reorganized according to the French regulations, and in fact became French soldiers in every respect except their uniforms; they were even furnished with French food, and chefs to teach them how to prepare it most economically. They were given six weeks intensive training, and were allowed to mingle freely at all times with the French troops, in order that they might profit by close contact with veteran warriors. A new equal- ity was tasted at; this time by these American colored men; they were treated upon an absolutely equal basis with other men, while their officers moved with perfect ease among the highest officials of the French Army; they were received with all social and military courtesy due their rank.
After iheir period of training, they were moved by easy stages towards the front, and on June 21 began occupying positions in the St. Mihiel Sector, where there was desultory machine gun and rifle firing; by July 6 they had been moved by train and placed immediately behind the lines in the Argonne Forest; here they remained six weeks, and were then assigned to be one of the three in- fantry regiments of the 59th French Division, which had had its ranks largely depleted by the battles of Chavigny, Leury, and the Bois de Beaumont.
On September 15, 1918, the regiment was ordered to the region of St. Bandry (Meuse) . Four companies took position opposite Mont de Singnes, and an attack was ordered which lasted five days (September 16-21); during this time both officers and men had a chance to distinguish themselves,
6 79
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
and a number were awarded decorations for meri- torious and gallant conduct. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these was Sergt. Matthew Jenkins, who captured a large section of the enemy works, with only a platoon of men at his command. He advanced so far ahead of the units on his right and left that he was cut off from supplies, and he and his men went without food for two days; they turned their captured ammunition and machine guns upon the enemy, and held the positions until reinforcements could reach them. For this act of heroism, Sergeant Jenkins was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and the American Distinguished Service Cross.
On September 26, 1918, the regiment for the first time took over a full regimental sector, Colonel Roberts locating his commanding post at Antioch Farm. From this date until the enemy began its retreat on October 12, the organization was con- stantly under fire from enemy equipment located in the Bois de Mortier, a dense wood.
Perhaps the most important engagement was that which occurred at Ferme de La Riviere. Here on September 30, Lieut. Col. Duncan's battalion was ordered to make an attack which necessitated an advance across open fields. While preparations were going on enemy aviators discovered their position, and a terrific bombardment was at once started, incapacitating three company commanders, three lieutenants, and completely demoralizing the company. Lieut. George M. Murphy was ordered to detail a man to gather up the scattered frag-
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
ments of the organization. Realizing the impor- tance of the mission, the lieutenant himself volun- teered, and though under continuous shell fire was able to locate and reorganize the company. For this action Lieutenant Murphy was cited for especially conspicuous and meritorious conduct.
The attack which Lieutenant Colonel Duncan was ordered to make was prosecuted vigorously, despite the bombardment of enemy aviators, and by October 4, one of the strongest points in the Hindenburg Line had been taken.
On October 4, 1918, a patrol of one officer and twenty men was called for, to penetrate into the Bois de Mortier, in order to ascertain the strength of the enemy. Capt. Chester Saunders, and the desired number of men immediately responded, and at 3.30 o'clock in the morning started on the mission. They were within fifty yards of the enemy before they were discovered. Fire from all sides was immediately opened upon them, but Captain Saunders, with remarkable self-possession, made notation of the nests of machine guns, and returned to his organization just before daylight, without the loss of a man. Captain Saunders was awarded the Croix de Guerre, and the patrol was highly com- mended by the commanding officer for their heroic action.
On October 12, 1918, the entire division was ordered to advance, and the Battalion under Cap- tain Patton took up the pursuit by way of the Bois de Oiry. This wood had just been evacuated by the Germans, and to show that they were expecting
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
to be followed up closely by the allied troops, they left everything in readiness for them. Tools valu- able for wire cutting, and other devices so neces- sary in modern warfare, were left in easy reach, but no sooner would they be picked up than there would be an explosion. All writing conveniences were left ready for immediate use, but every pen- holder was a messenger of death. Beds would be so inviting to the tired and footsore soldier, but the sdieets held deadly chemicals, which lulled him into an endless sleep. These are examples which show the wicked ingenuity of the German. Captain Patton, for making this exceedingly diffi- cult advance through this maze of trickery, was commended by the commanding officer, as was Major Stokes, who was successful in clearing the Bois de Mortier, a very important enemy strong- hold.
On October 27, 1918, after a rest period which was spent in building roads, the regiment was again ordered into the lines. They moved up into the vicinity of Grandlup, where they were subjected to severe shelling, and in some places machine-gun and rifle firing. Company A, stationed in the vicin- ity of Chantrud Farm, suffered a loss of 35 killed and 50 wounded as a result of a shell falling in their midst while at mess.
On November 5, 1918, a general advance was ordered, which was continued in hot pursuit of the enemy until the Armistice was signed on Novem- ber 11, 1918. Company C, of Prout's Battalion, under command of Capt. James H. Smith, was
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
awarded the Croix de Guerre and palm, the high- est citation awarded in the regiment. This was given for the attacking and occupying of St. Pierre- mont, the crossing of the River Sierre, and the taking of three pieces of enemy artillery and several machine guns, despite strong resistance from the enemy.
For attacking and taking the town of Lorgny, from which point the French commander and his troops were being severely shelled, Lieut. Osceola A. Browning, commander of Company M, and a number of others, received the French Croix de Guerre, and the American Distinguished Service Cross.
On November 11, just before the signing of the Armistice, an enemy combat train of about fifty vehicles was captured, thus completing a record of continuous, difficult and vigorous war- fare, every inch of the way from Antioch Farm, near the ruins of Vauxillion, to the Belgian border; Lieutenant Colonel Duncan won the name of the lieutenant colonel who would not stop fighting, because he led his troops into the Belgian Village of Gue D'Hossus, before he could be reached with the message that the Armistice had become effective.
The 370th Infantry carried with it a full staff of colored medical officers, composed of Major James R. White, in command, Captains Leonard W. Lewis, and Spencer Dickinson, and Lieutenants James F. Lawson, Dan M. Moore, Rufus Bacote, George W. Antoine, Claudius Ballard, and two dentists, Lieutenants Tancil and Roe.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
With careful elimination of all soldiers who were not physically fit, the organization entered the ser- vice in excellent condition. During the winter of 1917 and 1918, much time was given by the medi- cal department to the delivering of lectures, and a systematic course of training for the development of healthy and robust physiques was inaugurated. The result of this careful training was that only six men died of disease during the ten months in France, notwithstanding the fact that they suffered as many hardships and inconveniences as any other troops in the conflict. The medical detachment was composed also of 23 men, who were ever on the alert to give first aid to the wounded; because of this prompt attention on the battlefield there were only 96 out of the entire regiment who lost their lives. This, in addition to 425 who recovered from wounds, represents the entire list of casualties of the organization.
Major White was awarded the Croix de Guerre. In the words of the citation, "he visited daily the aid stations in the advanced area, and himself dressed many of the fallen men, thus giving to his subordinates the most noble example."
All told there were 33 officers and 57 men of this regiment who were awarded the Croix de Guerre, the Distinguished Service Cross, or both. Among the officers were Col. T. A. Roberts, Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan, Maj. James R. White, Cap- tains Smith, Patton, Prout, Gwynne, Warner, Allen, Hall, Alexander, Jackson, Crawford, and Saun- ders; First Lieutenants Tancil, Browning, Lacey,
84
GROUP OF OFFICERS OF STH ILLINOIS (STOrn INF.)
1. Capt. James H. Smith. 2. Lieut. Elaine G. Alston. 3. Lieut.
George H. Murphy. 4. Capt. John H. Patton. 5. Lieut. William
Andrews. 6. Lieut. A. Hugo Williams. 7. Lieut. George F. Proctor.
8. Lieut. Osceola A. Browning.
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
Robinson, Ballard, Jackson, Warfield, Gordon, Kurd, Shelton and Lee; and Second Lieutenants Cheatham, Norvell, Tisdell, Painter, Price, Reid, and Jackson.
The colored soldiers were greatly loved by the French people, and while passing through the town of Laon, which had been in the hands of the Ger- mans for four years, the French civilians knelt by the roadside and kissed the hands of the boys of the 370th Infantry, so grateful were they for their deliverance.
From the mayors of every village and town where the organization had any contact with the French people, they received testimonials setting forth their good behavior and splendid decorum; similar letters were secured with regard to our soldiers in nearly every section of France, and very frequently the writer was personally told that they were better behaved than the white soldiers; espe- cially was this true in the Leave Area, where all army restrictions were removed; the absolute in- crease of disease among all of the colored troops was only 7 per cent., according to statistics from the surgeon general's office, while among the white troops it was 88 per cent.; this in spite of the fact that a much larger per cent, of them were physically unfit when they entered the army; in the first draft 36 colored soldiers out of every hundred men were admitted, while there were only 24 out of every hundred white; this shows that there was more care exercised in getting in white men who were physically sound than there was for the colored.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
In the entire 92nd Division only one soldier was convicted of criminal assault; in fact the colored soldiers in all the organizations made such a splen- did impression upon the French people that a recent issue of a widely published Paris paper asked that two million return to France, in order that they might assist them in building up their devastated regions, and become a part of their future civilization.
The following farewell address speaks for itself with regard to splendid achievements of the 370th Infantry, and the high esteem in which they were held:
"OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE 370TH R. I. U. S. :
"You are leaving us. The impossibility at this time that the German Army can recover from its defeat — the necessity which is imposed upon the peoples of the En- tente of taking up again the normal life — leads the United States to diminish its effectives in France. You are chosen among the first to return to America. In the name of your comrades of the 59th Division, I say to you, Au revoir — in the name of France, thank you.
"The hard and brilliant battles of Chavigny, Leury, and the Bois de Beaumont, having reduced the effective- ness of the Division, the American Government gen- erously put your regiment at the disposition of the French High Command to re-enforce us. You arrived from the trenches of the Argonne.
"We at first in September, at Mareuil-sur-Ourq, ad- mired your fine appearance under arms, the precision of your review, the suppleness of your evolutions that presented to the eye, the appearance of silk unrolling its wavy folds.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F<
"We advanced to the line. Fate placed you on the banks of the Ailette, in front of the Bois de Mortier. October 12th you occupied the enemy trenches Acier and Brouze. On the 13th, we reached the railroad of Laon- La-Fere — the Forest of St. Gobain, principal center of resistance of the Hindenburg Line, was ours.
"November 5th, the Sierre was at last crossed, the pursuit became active. Prout's Battalion distinguished itself at Sal St. Pierre, where it captured a German bat- tery. Patton's Battalion crossed, the first, the Hirson Railroad at the Heights of Aubenton, where the Germans tried to resist. Duncan's Battalion took Lorgny, and carried away with their ardor, could not be stopped short of Gue d'Hossus, on November llth, after the Armistice.
"We have hardly had time to appreciate you, and already you depart.
"As Lieutenant Colonel Duncan said, November 28th, in offering to me your regimental colors as proof of your love for France, as an expression of your loyalty to the 59th Division of our Army, you have given us your best, and you have given out of the fulness of your hearts.
"The blood of your comrades who fell on the soil of France mixed with the blood of our soldiers, renders indissoluble the bonds of affection that unite us. We have besides, the pride of having worked together at a magnificent task, the pride of bearing on our foreheads the ray of common grandeur.
"A last time — Au revoir.
"All of us of the 59th Division will always remember the time when the 370th R. I. U. S., under the orders of the distinguished Colonel Roberts, formed a part of our beautiful Division."
GENERAL VINCENDON, Commanding the 59th Division.
( Signed ) VINCENDON. 87
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
THE 371sT AND 372ND REGIMENTS OF INFANTRY
The 371st and 372nd Regiments of Infantry were composed of drafted troops and National Guard Organizations. Those of the former came in a large measure from South Carolina, and were trained at Camp Jackson in that State; while the latter organization was composed of the first sepa- rate battalion of Washington, D. C., Company L, of the Massachusetts N. G., the first separate com- pany of the Connecticut State Guard, the 9th sepa- rate battalion of Ohio, and other National Guard troops from Tennessee and Maryland.
The 371st had a full quota of white commis- sioned officers, and colored non-commissioned officers, while the 372nd had a mixture of white and colored commissioned officers, with colored non-commissioned officers. After some heroic ser- vice on the battlefields of France, the colored com- missioned officers became victims of the efficiency board, and at one fell swoop, were nearly all removed.
These two regiments saw service together in France, and became noted for their indomitable courage, and splendid fighting record.
On April 6, 1918, the 371st Infantry left our ports, and by April 26 was in the training area at Rembercourt-aux-Port, as an independent unit of the 13th French Army Corps. Afterwards they became a supporting regiment to the 68th French Division, where they remained until July 22, 1918. Between this date and September 14, 1918, they
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
occupied the Verrieres sub-sector. Here the regi- ment did exceptional work, their front extending over a distance of more than five kilometers, always holding their own ground and at one time half of the front of the 333rd French Infantry on the left. On September 14 the regiment was withdrawn from this sector and taken to the area of Holitz- 1'Eveque, Champagne, and were in reserve of the 9th Army Corps of the 4th French Army, at the beginning of the great Champagne Offensive. During this great offensive the regiment suffered tremendous losses under the blistering fire and onslaught of the enemy, always carrying the attack forward in advance of the adjacent troops. Their Division Commander in forwarding a recommenda- tion for an army citation for the regiment, re- marked that they marched forward under heavy artillery fire, without faltering, and without count- ing their dead. Following is text of citation:
157TH DIVISION INFANTRY. October 8th, 1918.
From: Colonel Quillet, commanding the I. D. To: Colonel of the 371st U. S.
The Colonel commanding the I. D. has proposed your regiment for a citation to the Army Corps with the fol- lowing motive.
"Has shown during its first engagement the very best qualities of bravery and audacity, which are the char- acteristics of shock troops.
"Under the command of Colonel Miles, it launched itself with a superb spirit and admirable disregard of
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F,
danger at the assault of a position stubbornly defended by the enemy. It took by terrific fighting under ex- ceptionally violent machine-gun fire of the enemy artil- lery, and its cruel losses, numerous prisoners, and secured cannon, machine guns and important material."
(Signed) T. C. QUILLET, Commanding the I. D.
The losses of the regiment during its period of service were 8 officers killed and died of wounds, 42 wounded, and 1,055 enlisted men killed and wounded, with a total of 28 missing.
The 372nd Infantry, was organized at Camp Stuart, and landed at St. Nazaire, April 14, 1918. They spent five weeks in training at Conde-en- Barrois, Meuse, as part of the 13th French Army Corps; afterwards became attached to the 63rd French Division, the 35th French Division, and finally on July 2, 1918, became a part of the 157th French Division, to which the 371st Infantry also became attached.
For more than six months the regiment was on the front, taking part in the great Champagne Offensive, and in the battles which centered around Vanquois in the Argonne, and around Verdun, including Hill 304, and Dead Man's Hill. They were in the Vosges Mountains, along with the 371st, training for the Metz Offensive when the Armistice was signed.
On October 8, 1918, this regiment also received a citation from Colonel Quillet. Following is its text:
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
157TH DIVISION INFANTRY No. 3500. October 8, 1918.
From: Colonel Quillet, commanding 157th I. D. To: Colonel Tupes, commanding 372nd Infantry.
The Colonel commanding the I. D., has recommended your regiment for citation in the orders of the French Army, worded as follows:
"Gave proof, through the first engagement, of the finest qualities of bravery and daring which are the virtues of assaulting troops."
"Under the orders of Colonel Tupes dashed with superb gallantry and admirable scorn of danger to the assault of a position continuously defended by the enemy, taking it by storm under an exceptionally violent machine- gun fire; continued the progression in spite of enemy artillery fire, and very severe losses. They made numer- ous prisoners, captured cannon, machine guns, and im- portant war materials."
(Signed) QUILLET.
Upon relinquishing his command of these two regiments after the signing of the Armistice, Colonel Quillet gave out the following words of farewell :
157TH DIVISION, STAFF OF THE INFANTRY.
December 15, 1918. Order of the Divisional Infantry.
The 371st and 372nd Infantries are leaving France, after having carried on a hard campaign of six months with I. D., 157.
After having energetically held a series of difficult sectors, they took a glorious part in the great decisive battle which brought the final victory.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
In sectors they have shown an endurance, a vigilance, a spirit of devotion and remarkable discipline.
In battle they have taken by storm, with a magnificent animation, very strong positions doggedly defended by the enemy.
In contemplating the departure of these two fine regiments which I commanded with pride, I desire to tell them all how much I think of them for the generous and precious concurrence which they brought to us at the decisive period of the war.
I shall keep them always in my soldier heart, their loyal memories, and particularly those of their distin- guished commanders who have become my friends.
COLONEL QUILLET, Commanding the I. D., 157.
About the same time the above was issued, General Goybet, Commanding Officer of the 157th French Division, sent out the following General Orders:
GENERAL ORDERS
On the 12th of December, 1918, the 371st and 372nd R. I. U. S. have been placed at the disposal of the American High Command.
With a deep feeling of emotion, on behalf of the 157th Division, and in my own personal name, I come to bid farewell to our brave comrades.
For seven months we have lived brothers in arms, partaking in the same activities, sharing the same hard- ships and the same dangers. Side by side we took part in the great Champagne Offensive which was to be crowned by a tremendous victory.
Never will the 157th Division forget the indomitable dash, the heroical rush of the American regiments up the Observatory Ridge and into the Plain of Monthois.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
The most powerful defenses, the most strongly organized machine-gun nests, the heaviest artillery barrages — noth- ing could stop them. These crack regiments overcame every obstacle with a most complete contempt for danger; through their steady devotion the Red Hand Division, for nine whole days of severe struggle, was constantly leading the way of the advance of the Fourth Army.
Officers, non-commissioned officers and men, I respect- fully salute our glorious1 comrades who have fallen, and I bow to your colors, side by side with the flag of the 333rd Regiment of Infantry that have shown us the way to victory.
Dear Friends from America, when you will be back again on the other side of the ocean, don't forget the Red Hand Division; our brotherhood has been cemented in the blood of the brave, and such bonds will never be destroyed.
Remember your General, who is so glad of having commanded you, and be sure of his grateful affection to you forever.
GENERAL GOYBET, Commanding the 157th Division.
On January 24, 1919, for taking strategic town in Champagne Offensive the 372nd Infantry was cited with the Croix de Guerre and palm, the highest honor of the kind in the gift of the French Army. It was the first entire organization of the American Expeditionary Forces to be thus cited.3 It was received at the hands of Vice-Admiral Moreau, French Commander of the Port of Brest, and the ceremony took place at Cours Dajot, over- looking the Port of Commerce of that city.
In a word of conclusion with regard to the entire record of the combatant troops, many of
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
whom went overseas with hesitations and misgiv- ings because of the great battle they had already been compelled to fight against the ill-will of their own countrymen, it seems that their wonderful achievements in the face of a propaganda that continued even across the seas, make them fully worthy of the beautiful tribute paid them in the following poem by Roscoe C. Jamison:*
"These truly are the Brave,
These men who cast aside
Old memories, to walk the blood-stained pave
Of sacrifice, joining the solemn tide
That moves away, to suffer and to die
For freedom, — when their own is yet denied!
0 Pride! 0 Prejudice! When they pass by,
Hail them, the Brave, for you now crucified!
These truly are the Free, These souls that grandly rise Above base dreams of vengeance for their wrongs, Who march to war with visions in their eyes Of peace through Brotherhood, lifting glad songs Aforetime, while they front the firing line. Stand and behold! They take the field to-day, Shedding their blood like Him now held divine, That those who mock might find a better way!"
* By permission of The Crisis. 94
MISCELLANEOUS VIEWS OF OFFICERS AND MEN
1. Officers engaged in automatic rifle practice. 2. Sergeant Charles T. Monroe, a winner of the Croix de Guerre and Distinguished Service Cross. 3. Group of Officers of 372nd Infantry and French Associates. 4. At the mouth of a dugout. 5. Sergeants Ray Wil- liams and Wadley Ellis receiving wireless messages from Eiffel Tower. 6. French Officer giving instructions in machine-gun tactics. 7. Two comrades of the famous "Red Hand Division."
If the muse were mine to tempt it And my feeble voice were strong, If my tongue were trained to measure I would sing a stirring song. I would sing a song heroic Of those noble sons of Ham Of the gallant colored soldiers Who fought for Uncle Sam.
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.
Non-Combatant Troops
THERE was little difference in the spirit of those who went to France as welfare workers and those who went as soldiers. Both felt the urge of the hour — both desired to be stationed where they could give most — serve most. Hence it was not strange that we reached the Y headquarters in Paris hoping to be forwarded to some one of the fighting units, and that during the ten days of preparation for the camp, we were looking wish- fully toward the front. Indeed, one of us had come from Illinois, and had already been adopted as the daughter of the 370th Regiment. The other had come from the Metropolis, and somehow felt the whole responsibility for the welfare of the "Fifteenth New York" and the "Buffaloes" resting upon her weak shoulders. It is easy then to im- agine our disappointment when we were assigned to the S. 0. S., or Service of Supplies Sector. It was just at this point we found it necessary as members of the American Expeditionary Forces to learn one of the most important lessons of the army — that of obedience.
But it was a most kind Providence that sent us away from the scenes of devastation and death for our first service, and placed us where we could come into a comprehensive knowledge and appre- ciation of our non-combatant forces. Seven months of continuous service and daily contact in the camp with these men warrant our writing with
96
ON THE WAY TO THE DOCKS AT ST. NAZAIRE SERGEANTS DUNN, TAPSCOTT AND JONES AT THE PORT
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
assurance certain definite impressions left upon our minds by them. We take it that the 20,000 soldiers whom we served, those visited at Brest and other S. 0. S. points and those who rested with us in the Leave Area from Bordeaux, Marseilles, and other camps were typical of the one hundred thou- sand or so men who formed the non-combatant group.
These men were known chiefly as stevedores and labor battalions. Somehow a widely circulated report gained credence that they had been gathered indiscriminately, and had been landed on foreign soil, a mere group of servants for the white soldiers. We do not know who first sought to thus humiliate these soldiers by such unjust and undeserved rating. One might easily believe, of course, because of the constantly unfair attitude of some of their officers toward them, that there was some such assumption to that effect. But the world has learned now, that in spite of all handicaps, there could be found nowhere in the army stouter and braver hearts, or more loyal and self-sacrificing spirits. Subjected to a stern discipline; with dis- criminations, cruel in their intent and execution; long hours of toil; scant recognition for service or hope of promotion, they still kept their faith. Throughout the war they wrought as weavers who are given to see only the wrong side of the glorious pattern they are weaving. Indeed, through these men we came into an abiding belief that the colored man was in the war to justify his plea for democ-
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
racy. The first day we entered that busy military port of St. Nazaire, we saw a colored lad standing under the ancient clock in the center of the square. He had M. P. (military police) on his arm band in large red letters, and in his hand a stick with which he quietly directed the tremendous traffic of that town. Auto-trucks, auto-cars of officers from the highest to the lowest rank, auto-busses for welfare workers, sidecars, bicycles, used so con- stantly by French women as well as men, and the typical French voiture made a constant noisy stream. And this colored lad, who had come from a rural district of the far South, stood there calmly pointing his stick, now left, now right, or holding it up in demand for a pause. Surely he was there by Divine Thought.
•^/^he very first group of colored soldiers to leave for France in the autumn of 1917 were stevedores and labor battalions. Another group reached St. Nazaire, by way of Brest, Christmas eve of the same year. Time and time again in camp they told us the story of that first winter of hardship. Christ- mas day found them cold and cheerless, with hard tacks and beans for their rations. All that winter they worked, poorly equipped for their severe task. In the dark hours of the night and the morning, they plunged through the deep mud of the camp and city, without boots. On the dock they handled the cold steel and iron without gloves. But they were soldiers, and so they worked without com- plaint.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
When the first American Forces reached the Continent, the French were calling loudly for help. All seemed chaos for a little, as thousands of troops began to reconstruct the ports of France. These quiet ports, many of them centuries gray, became centers of throbbing activity. Hundreds of ware- houses, most modern in their construction, rose as if by magic. From the south where Marseilles looks out on the blue Mediterranean, to Brest at the entrance to the English Channel, our own steve- dores, labor battalions and engineers, have rebuilt much of the water front of France, thus making a real epoch in the history of French navigation. During the last year of the war, these thousands of men were at work in the S. 0. S., connecting it with the great battle front. System and efficiency, with the greatest possible haste, were required in speeding the supplies to combatant troops. All of this these soldiers comprehended and ever they re- sponded with a decisive and soldier-like spirit. The incessant tramp of many feet through the city street, the constant rush and rumble of auto- trucks kept the camps of these ports closely linked with the docks.
All who were at work in France well remember that "Race to Berlin" contest, upon which the last great forward move of our troops so largely de- pended. The world looked not only toward Metz where our great combat army was centering, but just as often, anxious eyes were upon the rear where our men were toiling like mad that peace should
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not be delayed through any failure of theirs. With feverish haste and anxiety they battled with great bulks of ammunition and supplies. For weeks at Marseilles, Bordeaux, St. Nazaire, Brest and other ports they worked with almost superhuman strength. Those serving these men during this con- test labored with the same feverish spirit that possessed the men themselves. How they tried to cheer, encourage, and entertain our determined heroes as they contested for the honors! If by chance you see somewhere a soldier wearing the emblem of the S. 0. S., with an arrow running through it and pointing skyward, you will know that he belongs to those service battalions at Brest who by their inexhaustible reserves of energy and en- durance, won in the "Race to Berlin."
Although these men were not called upon to face the shot and shell at the front, they paid their toll in death from accident, cold and exposure. No more at the rear than at the front did they pause to consider personal danger. They were truly heroes, carrying not bayonet and gun, but connect- ing the wonderful resources of their own country, three thousand miles away, with the greatest battle- fields the world has ever known.
There went to rest in the land of light and peace a short time ago, one of the world's poets whose divinest gift was her great human understanding and sympathy. Long and well did Ella Wheeler Wilcox write to lift the souls of men from the sordid things of earth to the purer realms of sym- pathetic knowledge and co-operation. She was
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
given entre to the heart of the war, and saw the grim conflict in all its various settings. Riding along the coast one day, looking out upon the long lines of warehouses, hearing the hum of the thou- sands of men at work, she said: "I have gained with the years a growing appreciation and love for the colored people, and I have seen nothing in France finer than the work of the stevedores. I have written and dedicated a poem to them." That afternoon, after she had spoken for a few minutes to the thousands of swarthy soldiers, assembled to pay her homage, her companion read the poem as follows:
"We are the army stevedores, lusty and virile and strong. We are given the hardest work of the war and the hours
are long.
We handle the heavy boxes and shovel the dirty coal ; While soldiers and sailors work in the light, we burrow
below in the hole. But somebody has to do this work, or the soldiers could
not fight And whatever work is given a man, is good if he does
it right.
We are the army stevedores, and we are volunteers.
We did not wait for the draft to come, to put aside our
fears. We flung them away on the wings of fate, at the very
first call of our land, And each of us offered a willing heart, and the strength
of a brawny hand.
We are the army stevedores' and work as we must and may. The cross of honor will never be ours to proudly wear
away.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
But the men at the Front could not be there,
And the battles could not be won
If the stevedores stopped in their dull routine,
And left their work undone.
Somebody has to do this work, be glad that it isn't you,
We are the army stevedores — give us our due!"
But this wonderfully revealing poem goes hardly far enough to give full appreciation of the whole life of the colored stevedore in France. So often in addition to this "hardest work of the war," was added treatment accorded no other soldier. While white American soldiers were permitted to go freely about the towns, the great mass of colored American soldiers saw them for the most part, as they marched in line to and from the docks. Passes for them were oftener than otherwise as hard to secure as American gold. Always they were aware of some case of cruel injustice for which there seemed absolutely no redress. We found in our camp a young college student, who, believing that war spelled opportunity, was among the first to enlist. His education placed him at once in the office of his company, and he went to France a sergeant. He did not find that war meant for him what he had dreamed it would, but he kept loyal; his work commanded respect, and, for a time, all went well. But a company commander came who resented the pride of the colored boy, and then began a series of humiliations that took away rank, sent him to the guard-house and dock. Retribution is rather swift at times, and so this officer's down- fall came soon. He never knew, however, that
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MEN OF THE TWENTY-FIRST DEPOT COMPANY
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
the fond mother back home was the only thing that stood between him and death. The young man has since told us how happy he was to return home with his honor maintained, rank restored. But in camp his face hurt us as often as we looked upon it, so full it was of the endurance of an outraged manhood.
Even a short outing might be robbed of its pleas- ure. For how well we remember a company that had been granted a week-end leave as a reward for exceptional work. They were going to a neighbor- ing summer resort — a miniature Coney Island. It had been arranged for them to tent on the beach. Just like children, they made us listen to all their enthusiastic plans and dreams of this outing. They went, but came back dumb in the despair of out- raged truth and justice. A runner had preceded them, and the French restaurants and places of amusement had been warned not to receive them, since they were but servants of the white soldiers. Later the French knew better, but at that time it required more time and spirit than this company had, to convince the French people of the injustice of it all.
Always there was the knowledge that for them, loyalty, devotion, and energy, led to no higher rank, no possibility of promotion. True, orders were often issued that for the moment, seemed to include the colored soldier in their opportunity for ad- vancement, but just as soon as he attempted to make himself a part of these orders, some subter- fuge would be used to deny him the privilege of the army of which he was a part. Well for the
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
colored soldier in France, well for all, that he pos- sessed the far-visioned faith and the endurance of his fathers!
Another misleading idea relative to the non- combatant organizations was to the effect that they were totally illiterate. While the percentage of illiteracy was high, on the other hand hundreds of men were of fair intelligence, while other hundreds had been given fine educational advantages. Not only could there be found large numbers of stu- dents and graduates of our colored schools, but there were many from the largest and best known universities and colleges of the United States. It was not unusual to have a man in fatigue uniform, as his working clothes were called, volunteer for some needed educational work, modestly announc- ing himself a graduate of Dartmouth, Iowa, Yale, or some other large university or college. Two of the best-trained physical directors of our race were discovered over there doing their "bit" — one as a stevedore on the dock, the other busily cutting wood with an isolated labor battalion. For every variety of profession or trade there was a representative. One had but to require the service of a stenogra- pher, dentist, doctor, lawyer, electrician, plumber, draughtsman, pianist, illustrator, or what not, to find him at hand. Once in the palmy days of Camp One, St. Nazaire, an educational exhibit was held in the Y Hut and it was far more interesting, varied, and unique, than any one school could have possibly produced.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
Labor battalions were to be found not only at the ports of France, but more than any other class of soldiers, they were spread over all France. Whether near the Belgian or Swiss border, or in "No Man's Land," one would be sure to find these indispensable troops. Oftener than otherwise these battalions would be split, and a company or two would be at Verdun or some other important center, while another company would be found in some woods cutting trees. The 608th Labor Battalion was the only organization regularly stationed at St. Nazaire, that had its own colored Sergeant- Major. So clean cut, intelligent and forceful was Sergeant Major Thomas, that he might have been a Major quite as well. His men were much like their leader, and we found it not only a pleasure but comfort to count them among "our boys."
At Romagne we worked side by side with the 332nd and 349th Labor Battalions. There with the Pioneer Infantries, they were grimly fighting through to the end. To the Leave Area came these men of the labor units in large numbers, and we have many pictures of them and with them. We have, better still, recollections of their faces, earnest and often sad — their eyes aglow as they related the story of their adventure in France. Always they had suffered but always they knew
"That Freedom's battle once begun Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son Though baffled oft — is ever won."
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
Hundreds of men among these non-combatant troops were so thoroughly fine that to mention a few of them in a special way seems hardly worth while, except as they represent types. We think of Charles Wright from Ann Arbor, Michigan, who not only performed his office work with thorough- ness, but who, through all the long months, first at St. Nazaire, and later at Camp Montoir, gave him- self with deep earnestness as a volunteer teacher for his less fortunate mates. Many others gave help in much the same manner for the educational, religious, and athletic activities, or for library or canteen service. There were Charles Wilkinson of the Medical Corps, Sergeants Farrell, Dunn, Jones, Ward, Armstrong and Tapscott, Corporal Henry Smith, Electrician Powell, all so faithful as to seem a part of the regular staff of Y workers.
There was one special group within this group for whom we had great sympathy and deep respect. They were the regular army men, who had seen real fighting, who were still in their prime, and longing for the opportunity to go "over the top." There were men who had seen service in Russia, the Philippines, Hawaii, heroes of the Spanish American War; men who had known the hideous- ness of Carrizal, all kept in the S. 0. S. But they were soldiers and they knew how to hold their peace and obey. One had to but look at men like Sergeants Blue, Banks, Clark and Dogan, to know that even without the bars on shoulders, they were finer soldiers than many who wore them.
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1. "A Canteen Man." 2. An Old Soldier — Sergeant Banks, 10th U. S. C.
3. Playing Ball at Camp No. 1, St. Nazaire. 4. Our Military Policeman.
5. An Electrician.
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
These non-combatant troops challenged the very best in those welfare workers who could appreciate the tremendous undercurrent of their lives and their rigid determination to be loyal to the country they served. Always during our days and nights with them, the urge and desire to serve was so keen as to make us forget the loss and strain of physical strength. Our greatest effort was centered in keeping constantly before them this truth so beautifully expressed by James Weldon Johnson:
"That banner which is now the type
Of victory on field and flood, Remember its first crimson stripe
Was dyed by Attack's1 willing blood.
And never yet has come the cry, — When this fair flag had been assailed
For men to do, for men to die,
That we have faltered or have failed.
We've helped to bear it rent and torn,
Through many a hot-breathed battle breeze;
Held in our hands, it has been borne And planted far across the seas.
Then should we speak but servile words', Or shall we hang our heads in shame?
Stand back of new-come foreign hordes, And fear our heritage to claim?
No! stand erect and without fear,
And for our foes let this suffice, We've brought a rightful sonship here,
And we have more than paid the price."
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
THE ENGINEERS
No group of men had a deeper baptism of pain and loneliness in France than the Corps of Engineers. Although classed as non-combatant troops, they might, in an emergency, as at Chateau Thierry, become combatant. There, in the crisis of a struggle, they dealt the German invaders the decisive blow that not only sent them reeling to defeat, but caused the world in general to attach a new importance and appreciation to the work of the engineer.
The colored engineers, however, although some- times trained with arms in the United States were, for the most part, not permitted the use of them in France. A corporal of the 546th Engineers writes, "Although some of us worked quite close behind the lines, within range of shot and shell, we did not see arms except such as lay discarded about the woods and in the fields."
There seems to have been little difference be- tween the work done in France by the colored Engineers and Pioneer Infantries. Both were largely engaged in road building and general con- struction. However, the non-commissioned officers of the Pioneers were largely, if not entirely, colored and in many regiments, they retained their arms, while the engineers were rarely accorded rank beyond that of corporal and, as previously stated, rarely carried arms. But the colored engineers were a part of that far-visioned phalanx of dark-
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
skinned men who went to France to fulfil a trust and who remained true to the end.
Their work, too, was lightened by their ability to sing in the midst of thunderous guns. Many of the war songs were made into parodies of the shovel which the engineer jokingly made his emblem. The following is a parody of the song, "Mother":
"S is for the soup they always give us H is for the ham we never get; O is for the onions in the gravy, V is for the victory we'll see yet. E is for the end of our enlistment, L is for the land we love so dear,
Put them altogether, they spell SHOVEL The Emblem of the Engineer."
Wherever troops were fighting, the engineers could be found hard by and their faithful and efficient service won for them praise. For instance, the 37th who served as a part of a French Corps and afterwards with the First American Army Corps was cited for the high efficiency of its work.
The 546th spent many months in various parts of the forest of the Argonne and were also com- mended for their meritorious service; the same might be said of the 505th and many others.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
But viewing their record as a whole we might sum it up in the following lines of Paul Laurence Dunbar:
Thou hast the right to noble pride Whose spotless robes were purified By blood's severe baptism. Upon thy brow the cross was laid, And labor's painful sweat beads made A consecrating chrism.
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An Engineers' Camp in France. Representatives of the Engineer Corps.
HOMING BRAVES
There's music in the measured tread Of those returning from the dead Like scattered flowers from a plain So lately crimson, with the slain.
No more the sound of shuffled feet Shall mark the poltroon on the street, Nor shifting, sodden, downcast eye, Reveal the man afraid to die.
They shall have paid full, utterly The price of peace across the sea, When, with uplifted glance they come To claim a kindly welcome home.
Nor shall the old-time daedal sting Of prejudice, their manhood wing, Nor heights, nor depths, nor living streams Stand in the pathway of their dreams!
GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON.
ill
Pioneer Infantries
OTEVEDORES, engineers, and labor battalions kJ had been rushed to France to blaze the trail for die American forces. Already the 15th New York, the 8th Illinois, 371st and 372nd Regiments had worked and fought their way to the thickest of the carnage. The 92nd Division was waiting for the final word that would carry them across. And yet the twelve million colored people of the United States had not fully answered the call. None, how- ever, were more willing to serve the country in its hour of peril. Therefore there was a ready response, when late in May of 1918, President Wilson called for the organization of colored infantries.
The early history of these pioneer regiments was very similar. They were formed for the most part, out of provisional troops, a few men drawn from the regular army, and specialists from the various schools of Training Detachments. For instance, the 805th Pioneer Infantry Regiment was formed at Camp Funston, of provisional brigades; twenty-five men of the 25th Infantry, brought over from Hawaii; thirty-eight mechanics from Prairie View Normal School; twenty horseshoers and men skilled in the care of horses from Tuskegee Insti- tute, and eight carpenters from Howard University. The best evidence of the high character of the ser- vice in France rendered by this regiment is the following:
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
January 16, 1919.
From: Commanding Officer, 805th Pioneer Infantry. To: The Adjutant General, G. H. Q., A. E. F.
Subject: Commendation of Regiment.
1. I feel it a duty which I owe the officers and enlisted men of this regiment which the War Department has given me the honor of commanding, to place on record at General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, the enclosed papers commending their conscientious and intelligent work.
2. The first is a letter from the Chief Engineer, First Army, regarding the services rendered by the 805th Pio- neer Infantry in the Argonne-Meuse Campaign, which began September 26, 1918, in which this organization participated from October 3rd to the conclusion of the Armistice. The second is a letter from the Chief Salvage Officer, First Army, stating that the regiment "by its in- telligent co-operation and initiative" was of great assist- ance to him.
3. I claim no credit for myself, but only for the officers and men to whose energy, judgment, tact and force of the highest grade, must be attributed any success this regi- ment may have attained.
2 Encl. C. B. HUMPHREY,
Colonel Infantry, U. S. A., Commanding.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST ARMY. OFFICE OF CHIEF ENGINEER.
November 24, 1918. From: Chief Engineer, First Army.
To: The Commanding Officer, 805th Pioneer In-
fantry.
Subject: Services rendered during offensive.
1. The Chief Engineer desires to express his highest appreciation to you and to your regiment for the services rendered to the First Army in the Offensive between the Meuse and the Argonne, starting September 26th, and the continuation of that Offensive on November 1st and concluding with the Armistice of November llth.
2. The success of the operations of the Army Engineer Troops toward constructing and maintaining supply lines, both roads and railway, of the Army, was in no small measure made possible by the excellent work per- formed by your troops.
3. It is desired that the terms of this letter be published to all the officers and enlisted men of your command at the earliest opportunity.
4. A copy of this letter has been sent to the Chief of Staff, First Army.
GEORGE R. SPALDING, Col. Engrs.,
Chief Engineer, First Army, American E. F.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST ARMY, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SALVAGE OFFICER.
December 17, 1918. From: Chief Salvage Officer, First Army.
To: Colonel C. B. Humphrey, Commanding Officer,
805th Pioneer Infantry.
Subject: Commendation.
1. I wish to express my appreciation of the very ex- cellent work done by you and your command, while I had charge of the Salvage Operations in the Battle Area, First Army.
2. Your regiment by its intelligent co-operation and initiative has been of the greatest assistance in carrying on operations, conducted under very trying conditions.
JEREMIAH BEALL, Lieutenant Colonel, Ord. Dept., Chief Salvage Officer.
HEADQUARTERS, 805TH PIONEER INFANTRY, AMERICAN E. F.
January 17, 1919.
1. It is with pleasure that I publish herewith true copies of the foregoing letters for the information of this command.
C. B. HUMPHREY, Colonel Infantry, U. S. A.,
Commanding. Official: PAUL S. BLISS,
Capt. Inf., U. S. A., Adjutant.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
The 805th had three men at the University of London during the educational period, Sergeant Major Marriott, and Sergeants Walter Powers and Leonard Barnett. This was another testimony to the worth of its personnel.
The 806th formed at Camp Funston at about the same time as the 805th, and the 815th and 816th, formed there later, were made up in much the same way. Twelve hundred enlisted men of 158th Depot Brigade made the foundation of the 802nd Pioneer Infantry, formed at Camp Sherman, while other groups from the regular army were disributed through the regiment.
The outstanding characteristic of these regiments was their rapid mobilization and departure for France. Very brief, at best, was the training they received in the American camps. In some instances it was as highly intensive and thorough as time allowed. The great mass of these men had known absolutely nothing of military life six weeks, and, in some cases, three weeks, before taking transport for France. But they went as others had gone, resolute and firm in faith. As they sailed away, their folk knew that they had given the residue of their strong young manhood. The last hope of the colored Americans had been cheerfully placed upon the altar as their gift. It was their last grim insistence on the triumph of the Great Cause for which the race stood so desperately in need.
A wonderful sight were those convoys with their mighty hosts, as they plowed their way across those three thousand miles of periled ocean! More
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GROUP OF PIONEER INFANTRYMEN
TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
wonderful if we can really realize that for them death was ever near, hiding its piratical and cruel head beneath the waves. Relative to a voyage across at that time we quote from the history of one of the regiments the following:
"At least once daily, and often three times, the bugle sounded 'Boat Call' and thereupon everyone hurried to his assigned place. Fire drills often accompanied boat drills.
Each vessel bore a heavy gun astern and howitzers forward for firing depth bombs. Details were told off to help serve the guns. During the last four days out officers were posted alternately with enlisted men on submarine lookout posts, so that there were five officers, and five enlisted men continually on this duty in addi- tion to the regular guard.
Portholes were closed at dusk throughout the entire voyage and no smoking outside was permitted after dark. Silence on deck after dark was also prescribed during the last four days. No bugle calls were permitted during foggy weather.
Good ships had gone down in the same area and there were times when there was anxiety. Once a mine was sighted and passed at about sixty feet. The matter was flashed to the destroyers who went to the spot and dropped depth bombs. Two days out word was received that a submarine had been sighted by a destroyer dead ahead. At the same time the cruiser signalled and the whole convoy literally 'went by the left flank.' From that time on the course was changed every few minutes."
So, not only that regiment but others crossed. And some others had far more exciting and hazard- ous times fighting those German sea monsters. On both sides of the Atlantic there was anxious wait- ing; and now and then it was useless waiting, for
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
as these brave sons journeyed across, some found their graves in the deep gray fathomless deep. There white crosses and poppies may not be found, but resting in that mysterious sea world, new emblems of honor, beautiful and sparkling, will decorate them for all time.
We were with the soldiers in France, cut off almost entirely from the outer world. One morn- ing the word was flashed through camp that a whole regiment of Pioneer Infantry had arrived. "What are Pioneer Infantries?" everyone asked. Many answers were volunteered but none very satisfac- tory. This ignorance was not altogether our own fault. We had heard no mention of pioneers in those first days of mobilization before we left the United States. Our "continental editions" of the New York Herald, London Times, and Chicago Tribune were just about as meagre of information as they were of size. True, friends sent us maga- zines and papers, but in those days they rarely reached us. So we asked — "What are Pioneer Infantries?"
All were quickly at work preparing to receive the newcomers. An addition of three thousand men meant extra work. Reams of paper and thousands of envelopes had to be prepared for easy distribu- tion, because writing material was the very first demand of the soldier landing on foreign soil. Above all other pressing needs was the need to write the folk back home that, "I got over all right." Not only were letters hurried home, but the hands of the Y folk were quickly filled with messages to
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
be cabled. Extra gallons of chocolate had to be made and canteen supplies enlarged; special "in- formation bureaus" set up; money made ready for exchange and other details arranged for prompt service.
But as we worked we also wondered about these new soldiers. The word "pioneer" embodied a wealth of courage and daring, so that long before the 807th rushed our hut that September afternoon, we had woven about them all the wonderful dreams of their achievements at the front that it is possible for a woman's fancy to fashion. And, although they never had all the chance we had dreamed for them, they did not fail us. Wherever an oppor- tunity challenged them, they triumphantly answered it, as attested below:
HEADQUARTERS, 807TH PIONEER INFANTRY,
M. T. C. RECEPTION PARK, 714,
Bourg (Haute Marne), France.
A. P. 0. 714.
April 26, 1919. General Orders No. 2.
1. The commanding officer takes pleasure in publish- ing to the command the following letters received from General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, relative to participations of the 807th Pioneer Infantry in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. It is desired that this order be published to all troops, and that proper recog- nition of the same be made on all records pertaining thereto. It is the intention of the Commanding Officer to present this ribbon when the regiment has again as- sembled. Service ribbons as prescribed, will be for- warded as soon as received.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
France, April 19, 1919.
From: The Adjutant General, American 3. 1. To: Commanding Officer 807th, Pioneer Infantry.
Subject: Ribbons.
1. Herewith is a copy of the order issued at these Headquarters on the subject of the award of silver bands to be engraved and placed upon the Pike of Colors of Lance of the standards of the organizations which have served in the A. E. F.; even if we get here in France the prescribed silver bands', it would be impossible to have the engraving done in time to present them to the divi- sions entitled to them. For that reason each organiza- tion is given a ribbon which shows which battle it par- ticipated in. This ribbon will be retained until the proper silver band is presented by the War Department.
2. The Commander in Chief directs me to send the ribbons to you, and to ask you to present them with appropriate ceremonies to the units for which they are intended. He regrets that this cannot be done by him in person.
By Command of GENERAL PERSHING.
J. A. JONES.
France, April 19, 1919.
From: Commander-in-Chief, American E. F. To: Commanding Officer 807th, Pioneer Infantry
Subject: Battle Participation.
1. Following is a list of battle engagements of the 807th Pioneer Infantry Regiment, during the War with Germany, including organizations which are entitled to the silver bands awarded under paragraph 244, Army Regulations. The ribbons furnished herewith are in lieu of the bands which will be supplied by the Adjutant General of the Army later.
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TWO COLORED WOMEN WITH THE A. E. F.
(1) Meuse-Argonne Offensive, France, October 25 to November 11, 1918. Organization entitled to silver band: 807th Regiment of Pioneer Infantry.
By Command of GENERAL PERSHING.
J. A. JONES, Adjutant General.
By Order of COLONEL GARY.
CHARLES W. ROOTH,
Captain, 8Q7th Pioneer Infantry, Acting Adjutant.
Somehow it seemed difficult for the above regi- ment and others, whom we questioned from time to time, to know just why they had been honored with their name. Many of them had the high hope at first, as one fine soldier expressed it, that they were to be trained into the highest type of combatant troops, who were to clear the way to victory. Their record is abundant proof that they did clear the way to victory, but it was hardly as combatant troops that they won their honors. Although sharing the general hardships of the front, subjected to its shot and shell, they had small chance for real fighting. When the Armistice came several of these regiments had reached the trenches, and with another week of war, their story would have been a very different one.
Most of these regiments as they reached France, were forwarded to the Haute-Marne Training Area where they were given short but strenuous instruc- tions in French warfare. From there they were
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again sent forward, this time to the aid of the various fighting detachments.
A notable exception to this general disposition of these Pioneer Regiments was the 809th — a sturdy set of lads from the Middle and Northwest. They arrived in France in early October, and almost immediately were ordered to the front. Investigation showed that this regiment had been formed about the first of September, sailed the 21st of the same month, and that most of the men knew very little about handling a rifle. The order was revoked and the regiment kept in the rear, most of them being sent to Nantes, where they remained until the following summer. And yet this regiment had a larger percent of professional men and skilled artisans in their ranks than most of the others. Three of the nine who went to the University of London were from this organization. Howard Drew, the world-champion at a hundred yards, Dismukes, Lyons, Malacher and Charleston of baseball fame were a part of it. Lionel Artis, now Y. M. C. A. Secretary at Indianapolis was one of its fine Regimental Sergeant Majors. An officer admitted to the men that he had been re- quested to recommend some of them for commis- sions, but preferred to keep them to build up the regiment.
The experiences of these Pioneer regiments in France, related in their own unique expressions, would make a volume of much historical value, rich in humor and pathos. Each regiment held a certain pride for outstanding qualities peculiar to
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Sergeants Baylis, Coleman and Freeman.
Sergeant-Majors Long, Armstead and Clifford.
Sergeants Carr and Johnson.
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itself. Very often we found "silence golden" as we sat in the midst of heated discussions relative to the merits of these various "8s," as they were often called, because the regiments ranged in num- ber from 801 to 816. But we did learn by per- sonal contact that each organization had its own distinctive fineness and fitness, and all who served these men in France will ever count it one of their greatest privileges as welfare workers.
The first of these regiments to reach France was the 808th, which landed at Brest September 7th, 1918. There were many men in this group of superior intellect and character— Maurice Clifford, a teacher of the High School, Washington, D. C., and son of Honorable and Mrs. William H. Clif- ford, was one of its regimental sergeant majors; Cornelius Dawson, graduate of Lincoln University, had left his theological course at Philadelphia to join the ranks. Warwick Johnson of Virginia Union University fame was one of them, along with hundreds of others of the same type. These men were called to help the 12th Engineers in the con- struction of a narrow gauge railway at the front. As they worked, shot and shell rained over them. In their dugouts they were tortured by rats and "cooties." Small wonder that an officer who had observed it all should have remarked: "We can- not understand their make-up, for under hardest conditions they hold themselves together and are able to raise a song." It seems after all that only black folk can interpret the "Souls of Black Folk." We went to look for the "808" at Dombasle where
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they had their headquarters so long after the war ended. But they had entrained, and there was left only the dreary waste and desolation, that swept unbroken over many a mile, to tell us the terrible isolation they had suffered in France.
One of the men of the "813" said: "We endured all the hardships of the front but missed the thing we wanted most — some real whacks at the enemy." This was no doubt true, for this regiment was really bombarded from one front to the other until it reached St. Remy a few miles from Metz. Then the order came to fight! It was two o'clock in the morning, and at four they were moving forward. For two days they were under constant fire. This regiment held itself with a justifiable pride. Regimental Sergeant Major W. W. Tyler, fine in physique, intellect and manners, was a fit leader and representative of the men under him. Whether in field maneuvers under Sergeant Major Williams of the 24th Infantry, or in the office with men like Jay Dickinson, one was conscious of the high intelligence of the soldiers of the "813th." We went one Sunday to visit some of this particular regiment. At that time it had been distributed on the various battlefields to assemble the American dead in cemeteries, and we were visiting the com- panies at Belleau Wood and Fere-en-Tardenois, near Chateau Thierry. At these places the men gathered in the huts to hear a word from the Y secretaries. Each had received the hearty applause that only soldiers know how to give. But there was one young lad in the party, formerly a sergeant in
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the regiment, who had been released to the Y. M. C. A. for service. It was when he modestly moved fonvard to say his word that the men made the hut too small for their outburst. There were yells and cries for "Sergeant Burwell! Burwell!" until, put- ting his hand to his mouth, he yelled back, "Fel- lows, give me a chance!" He stood before them with a wonderful light on his face, and drove home plain truths about right living; he told them about those secret places of reward for the hard things they were then doing. The men listened to him and cheered, because they knew that he exemplified in his own life the message he gave them.
The day was closing at Fere-en-Tardenois and we went to sit on a log and eat supper out of a bor- rowed mess kit. It was then two of the fellows said they wanted to tell us something. This is what they told us. "We think you might be able to tell some of the Y men about our condition here, and they could help change it. We find the P'rench villagers here have been told we are an aggregation of diseased men, sent to dig these graves and bury the dead as a punishment!" It had been a glorious day, full of the fun and joy to be found in the midst of our young manhood, and we had realized all the delightful thrills of being A. W. 0. L. (absent without official leave). But now the cloud came as it so often did in France. We looked out upon the war shattered landscape about us, and wondered why the spirits of the thousands of French, who had allowed themselves to be mowed down in that very place rather than
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surrender the principles of right, did not rise up to curse this awful wrong. With tears in our souls, but with brave eyes, we talked to them. We did tell this case, but the soul that should have been strong to vindicate them, proved but a weakling, and the young Y man who made the attempt to help them, was not only thwarted, but crushed for his effort.
Several of the Pioneer regiments touched foreign soil at Liverpool. Some were held there for service as were some labor battalions. But most of them crossed England to Southampton and landed at La Havre. This was the route of the 802nd, who came largely from West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Making long and exhausting hikes, this regiment also reached the First Army where it talked little and worked hard. Says one of the men: "Our regiment was divided about October 1st into three sections. The first battalion was given the task of helping the engineers build a standard gauge railway from Aubreville to a point north, half-way to Varennes — a distance of ten kilometers. The second battalion was to connect up with the first battalion at this point — thence northward five kilo- meters beyond Varennes. The third battalion was given the task of furnishing rock from the stone quarries for the repair of the highway. All this work was highly essential in order to keep the firing line supplied with ammunition, rations, etc. The conditions in the sector were at all times most trying. The men were subjected to bombardment from enemy long range guns and aerial attacks
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almost daily. But the railroad was completed in a short time, and supplies were speeding up to the front for the final drive."
November 18th, seven days after the Armistice was signed, the entire 802nd Pioneer Regiment was highly commended in general orders by the Chief Engineer of the First American Army in which he declared their services indispensable to the final drive. We must look behind this record to the quiet, dignified, but wonderfully alert enlisted men who made it. The ranking Regimental Sergeant Major, J. Emmet Armistead, was not only an ex- perienced army man of spotless record, cultured by hard study and Old World travel, but a high type of Christian soldier. Although still young, he carries the marks of Philippine fighting and is an expert swimmer, horseman, marksman and athlete. But one learned this only after many conversations and gentle probings. This spirit of modesty went down through the regiment. We think of Sergeant Toney of Ohio University, Sergeant Kenneth Pack of Virginia Union University, and many others who made us conscious of the fineness of the regiment.
No two Pioneer regiments were quite so famed as hard workers and hard fighters as the 801st and the 803rd. Both shared the toil and danger of other regiments, but both seemed to have been determined to fight for right treatment, although it meant continuous fighting. At Brest, we saw evidence of the labors of the 801st in the trans- formation of Pontanezen from a mudhole to the cleanest and most modern of camps. These men
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came from Indiana and Kentucky, and the regiment was formed at Camp Taylor, largely of the 157th and 159th Depot Brigades. The Y. M. C. A. gained two secretaries from it, Sergeant Majors Eggleson and Watkins, who gave fine service to their former comrades. Regimental Sergeant Major U. S. Don- aldson of this organization was among the brightest and most popular of the soldier-students who went to the British Universities.
Of all the Pioneer regiments, we knew the 803rd best — those "terrible" Illinois lads, one thousand of whom came from Chicago. In fact they were our own regiment, for they christened us god- mother with water that flowed straight down from the far-famed Alps. It was for some of the men of this regiment that we first cooked sausages and pancakes in the Leave Area; for its band that we made our first ice cream there. It was there that group after group told us of their lonely life at St. Maurice, Vigneulies, and other points near Verdun. Afterward, we were sent to serve them, but, alas, it was too late, as they had entrained. However, we caught up with the whole regiment at Pontanezen, and there, instead of our serving them, they served us. True, we gave them ice cream, lemonade, cookies, "movies" and books. But whatever of beauty and comfort came to the Y hut known as "Soldiers' Rest" at Camp Pontanezen, was largely due to the energy, time and money in- vested by the 803rd in its remodeling. From Com- pany M, with its wonderful sergeants from the regular army, always alert to help us, we were
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1. Sergeant Sheridan. 2. Sergeant Roach. 3. Sergeant Chapman. 4. Sergeant Jeton. 5. Sergeant Dawson. 6. Sergeant Gowdy. 7. Ser- geant-Major Hardy. 8. Sergeant-Major H. L. Coverdale with Sergeants 9. Sergeant Blackwell
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supplied the finest "detail" for work about the hut to be found in all France. But the volunteer details were no less fine, and we can never forget Taylor and James who constituted themselves our protectors as well as hut carpenters.
We could fill a whole book with the names of men of this regiment who throng our memory. There was Gowdy, Griffin, Williams, Jetton, Sheri- dan, Harrison and Matthews all soldiers, but gentle- men first; there was Curtis Kennedy, whose young face shone as he talked of his wife, mother and baby back home; there was Sergeant Washington, who knew so well the value of a balanced menu, and gave us our best mess in France, then sailed away, leaving us to our leanest days. But memory clings closest to the one, who in addition to the loneliness and hardship of life at the front, had bitter gall sent him from home to drink. For a time it seemed too much to endure, and he was ready for the plunge of despair. Slowly but surely, we drew that man back from the precipice, and lingered near till he was on sure ground, and the strength of the real soldier had come once again into his veins. What joy to know that for him there is still the grim determination to walk the better way.
One afternoon, in our hut at the port, a whistle sounded and a sharp command followed, "All men of the 804th report to their barracks at once." What did it matter that the most interesting pictures imaginable were being passed over the screen* The "804th," with its plenty of brain and plenty of brawn — who had now and then sent an over-
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bearing military police into deep repose — the "804th," with the isolations and hardships of the front still haunting it, was going home that July day. Oh, the gladness of them for this hard- earned reward! It was so contagious that it filled not only their souls but those of their comrades of other organizations, waiting for the same mes- sage.
Some one said that the order went forth, "only handsome men for the 806th." Certain it was that everywhere they went in France one heard their good looks mentioned. But it in no wise spoiled them for the immense amount of work they did. At the front, at Montrichard, at Orley, and last near Paris, where they helped to build the cele- brated Pershing Stadium, they carried themselves with honor. Many of the men of this regiment, too, sought for training and commissions, but were told that they were too badly needed by their regiment to encourage any changes.
The "811th" and "814th" had their regiments split up from the beginning and used at many points — chiefly in the S. 0. S. We believe that some companies of the "814th" saw service in England. These men were rushed across the ocean at the last moment, but they did great service in salvaging and reconstruction after the Armistice came. We recall an amusing incident in connec- tion with one company of the "814th." It had but recently reached our area, and was at mess in one of the huge mess halls, constructed towards the end of the war. We were bravely plunging through the
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deep mud so common to the camps in France, and wearing high hoots, the novelty of which had long since heen forgotten. We were startled by a sharp whistle, followed by the camp expression — "Oo-la- la!" that brought men and mess kits to the doors and windows. One exclaimed, "It's a genuine brown!" while another in most sympathetic voice added, "And it's got on boots too!" For a moment embarrassment swept over us, but we knew how genuine was the surprise of colored soldiers at first sight of their own women in France, so we laughed back and waved them a welcome to the Y hut. From the "811th," Sergeant Ulysses Young and from the "814th" Sergeant Everett Brewing- ton, were among those who went to King's College in England.
We had been waiting among the ruins of Verdun a whole week, by order of the Regional Secre- tary of the Y. M. C. A. ; he was trying to convince the colonel in charge of Camp Romagne that women would help to better the conditions in that camp. But the colonel was not easily convinced. He told us afterward, that it was not colored women, but just women that he felt should not be with the soldiers in the camps. "War was stern and men ought to be hard at such times." He was not alone in this opinion, for not only did colonels feel that way, but many soldiers and welfare workers were of that opinion. However, we finally rode from Verdun to Romagne in a wonderfully uncertain Ford, through thirty-six kilometres of blinding dust that bit and stung for several days.
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But it was all well worth while, for it gave us the chance to share the life of the 815th and 816th Pioneers, with the labor battalions who were there in the camp, and that of some of the companies of the "813th" who came later.
We reached the camp on Mother's Day, and as many of the men as could crowd the "hanger," as the tent auditorium was called, were there. After a year among soldiers, we had become quite accustomed to whistles, calls, applause and shouts; otherwise the noise occasioned by a woman's advent among the thousands of men, might have overwhelmed us, and made it impossible to reach the rostrum.
The work of these stalwart California lads of the "815th," and of the "816th," so many of whom came from the Central West, is told elsewhere in the chapter Reburying of the Dead. Their record, with that of the "813th," and labor battalions who helped at the task, is the most sacred of all the Pioneer regiments. They were "our boys" at Romagne, and again at Brest! They were the very last of the Pioneers to reach France and the last to reach America again. It was a picture to linger in the memory, as with packs on back, bags in hand and heads erect, we saw these men march at the dawn of the day out of the camp, down the long dusty road, over the city streets to the waiting transports. They were not permitted to look to the right or left, but as they passed slowly by, a lifting of the eyes, a movement of the hand, or in some small way, the women who had served them
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recognized through tear-dimmed eyes a warm adieu.
Those Pioneer regiments, so quickly mobilized to meet an emergency, were just as quickly demobi- lized with the return of the men to America. But the strengthening and unifying processes through which they passed as a result of the hard work, hard sacrifices, and in many cases, hard treatment of the war, can never be demobilized. There will be little whining from these men who are even yet Pioneers. But certain of their power of achievement, keen and courageous for truth and justice, they will hold fast to their vision of the future, and with strong, sure hands, build toward that future.
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Ye Queens, who bear the birth-pangs of a world,
To whom the nations in this hour of stress,
For succor look, and for the truth to bless,
Ye great, whose fondled darlings, combed and curled,
Are in the shell-torn, shamble-trenches hurled,
To stay the hellish Hun, who else would press,
The cup of degradation and distress,
To lips of men with freedom's flag unfurled —
Ye valiant mother-band who gladly gave,
The first fruits of your riven wombs to save,
The world from horrors darker than the grave,
Ye are the Brave, who in your Country's need
Did sow the trenches with your precious seed —
The greatest gift of war, and valor's noblest deed.
CARRIE W. CLIFFORD.
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Over the Canteen in France
PRESS and pulpit, organizations and individuals were beseeching and demanding in 1918 that the Red Cross add some of our well-trained and experienced nurses to their "overseas" contingent, but no favorable response could be obtained. Meantime, the Paris Headquarters of the Young Men's Christian Association cabled as follows: "Send six fine colored women at once!" This call came so suddenly that for a while attention was diverted from the Red Cross issue that had been so uppermost in all minds.
Six women! A small number to be sure, but the requirements for eligibility were not so easy to meet and one must not have a close relative in the army. Many questions were asked. "Was there a real need for women over there? "Could they stand the test?" "Would they not be subjected to real danger?" "Were not gruesome stories being told relative to terrible outrages perpetrated on women who had gone?" To these questions and others there seemed to be but just one reply. It was that if hundreds of other women had answered the call to serve the armies of the Allies, surely among the thousands of colored troops already in France and other thousands who would soon follow there would be some place of service for six colored women. A few leaders were far-visioned enough to see the wisdom of colored women going overseas. Mr. Fred. R. Moore, Editor of the New
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York Age, worked untiringly to help secure the required number, while Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, Maj. R. R. Moton, and Mr. Emmett Scott strongly en- dorsed the sending over of colored women.
Almost immediately Mrs. James L. Curtis and Mrs. William A. Hunton, were invited to go to France. Those were the days when sailing dates were kept secret and orders for departures given at the last moment. When the first call to sail came, Mrs. Hunton could not easily be released from the war work she had undertaken for the Young Women's Christian Association. But the following week, Mrs. Curtis, keenly anxious for the adventure, was permitted to go alone. Mean- while, Miss Kathryn Johnson had been called from Chicago, and three weeks later sailed with Mrs. Hunton.
For all the period of the war and the dreary winter that followed it, there were just these three colored women with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. Time and time again they were lifted up by rumors that other canteen workers were on the way. Whenever they saw women arriv- ing fresh from America, they would at once inquire if there were any colored women in their party. Always the rumors would prove false and the answer negative. Two hundred thousand colored soldiers and three colored women in France! So it was for many months. But finally the dream of help was realized when in the spring of 1919 sixteen canteen workers reached France. Only sixteen, to be sure, but to the three who had waited
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and served so long alone, they seemed a mighty host.
What a wonderful spirit these sixteen women brought with them! They had been impatiently waiting, some of them for many months, to answer the call. They knew how their soldiers needed their presence in France so they arrived eagerly ready for that last lap of Y service, the impor- tance and significance of which can hardly be over-estimated. The Armies of the Allies had won the war, but there was a moral conflict for the war- weary men hardly less subtle and deadly in its effects than the conflict just ended. It required a program of compelling interest to hold the soldiers against the reaction of war's excitement and ghastly experiences, and the new thirst for home and friends. Therefore, the coming at that time of sixteen canteen workers for our soldiers was wonderfully opportune.
But just what of the canteen service for all the months that had preceded their coming? How had just three of us managed to be mothers, sisters and friends to thousands of men?
The first colored woman who reached France had been sent to Saint Sulpice in the great Bor- deaux area, and though she was quickly returned to Paris, the few days she had spent in the camp made a bright spot for the men there in that veri- table wilderness of hardships. That she made ice cream and other "goodies" for them, and best of all, let them open their hearts to her, was never forgotten by the men of that camp. Reaching
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Paris, we found her with a group of men secre- taries ordered home. It was then that for the first time we questioned the wisdom of our adventure. Surely we had not given up home, friends and work for such an experience! Would blind prejudice follow us even to France where men were dying by the thousands for the principles of truth and jus- tice? There had been no slackening of the impulse to serve, when as a part of a mighty procession, we crossed the periled deep; no lessening of our enthusiasm for war work as we looked for the first time upon war's dark picture. But somehow this incident, with its revelation of the fact that preju- dice could follow us for three thousand miles across the Atlantic to the very heart of the world's sorrow, tremendously shocked us in those first days. But it was a challenge to a heroic sacrifice, and we realized the significance of the challenge more deeply as the months receded.
Miss Kathryn Johnson was appointed to Brest, but that area, too, seems not to have been keen to the advantage of a colored canteen worker, so that she was returned to Paris. Both Miss Johnson and Mrs. Curtis were then assigned to the advanced sector, but found it impossible, because of the terrible drive, to reach their posts.
Meantime, Mrs. Hunton had been sent to the St. Nazaire area, and it is there that our story of can- teen service really begins, because whatever of success came to the colored women in France, was due primarily to the record made by them in this area.
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The St. Nazaire area, in the region of the Loire, was more than any other the pioneer section for colored work. There went Franklin 0. Nichols, the very first colored welfare worker to reach France, and there he constructed the first Y hut for colored men in France. Soon, he was joined by the Rev. Leroy Ferguson, Mr. John C. Wright and Mr. William Stevenson, each of whom had direction of a Y hut in the area. In due time several secretaries arrived to help these first men.
When Mrs. Hunton reached Saint Nazaire, she was immediately assigned to Y hut 5, Camp One, for canteen service under the direction of Mr. John C. Wright, and to visit other camps of the area. Miss Kathryn Johnson came next and / was placed at Camp Lusitania with the Rev. Leroy Ferguson. Then came Mrs. Curtis, who joined Mr. Stevenson at Camp Montoir. It was thus that the first three canteen workers were placed for all the period of the war and many weeks thereafter.
The St. Nazaire area, more than any other in all France at that time, warmly welcomed and gave opportunity to the colored Y secretaries to demonstrate their spirit and ability to serve their own soldiers. Indeed, it seemed rather provi- dentially planned to give colored women a first real chance. There were two reasons for this op- portunity given them. First of all the broad, prac- tical Christian spirit of the Divisional Secretary, Mr. W. S. Wallace, and second the attitude of our own Y men in charge of the huts. Mr. Wallace
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was not only an executive of rare Christian cour- age, but his attitude and opinions commanded the respect of those under his supervision. He dealt with the colored men and women of his area in the same fine manner and spirit that he dealt with all others. We shall always remember him among those fine spirits of his race that hold our faith for the ultimate triumph of the brotherhood of man.
The second contributing cause for whatever of success the women came to have was in the per- sonnel of the men with whom they worked. For, however fine might be the Divisional Secretary or no matter how far-visioned and energetic the woman herself might be, she could hardly render efficient service unless she had the sympathetic co-operation of her hut secretary.
The writer was most fortunate in doing her first work with Mr. John C. Wright. It was a rare priv- ilege that gave us four months of most enthusiastic service under the direction of this Christian gentle- man. He was one of the few men who really desired a woman in his hut, so that in our first four months of service we were able to plan and accomplish something really constructive for the seven thousand permanent colored troops of our camp, and to help the regiments that spent a few weeks with us as they prepared for the front. With him we tried to study and comprehend the needs and desires of the soldiers, "our boys," as we usually called them, and to meet these needs and desires in the very best way possible.
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Over the canteen in France was essentially dif- ferent from the same thing in the United States where friendships and home ties had not yet been really severed and war was still thousands of miles from the camp. In France, war, with its mystery of pain and suffering, was over all. Everywhere were evidence of its mutilation and destruction of life and home. Everywhere there was exhausting work and deep loneliness. In the most joyous hour in the Y hut we knew that there was a nervous- ness, a tenseness, a deep undercurrent of serious- ness that could be found only in an environment of death and desolation.
Over the canteen in France friendships and con- fidences ripened quickly because of the loneliness of men — because of the haunting and yearning memories of their women-folk at home. A glass of lemonade or a cup of chocolate offered with a sympathetic touch was usually sufficient to break down all barriers and make way for the usual question, "Where are you from"? This answered, a like question asked and the acquaintance was established. Always there was real happiness if one could from somewhere in the memory resur- rect a mutual friend in one of these home towns. Then came quickly talks of family and life in the States. We learned to anticipate that from some pocket in the jacket — usually the one nearest the heart — would be drawn forth a wallet or a much worn envelope. From it photographs would come forth. Sometimes it would be the "best mother," again the "dearest wife," and still again the "finest
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girl" or "cutest kid" that a fellow ever had. The families or the girls would become visualized for us, and after that we would ask about them as if they were old friends.
Over the canteen in France, the woman became a trusted guardian of that home back in America. To her were revealed its joys and sorrows. Be- cause of that same loneliness — that loss of back- ground— the soldier poured out to the canteen worker his deepest and dearest memories and dreams. She must be ever ready to laugh with him, but she must also be ready to go down into heart-breaking valley with her soldier boy when he would get a bad bit of news — a mother, father, sister or even a wife or child might have been taken away; or, worse still, once in a great while the tragedy of faithlessness was made known to him. But by far, the letters from home were cheerful to have come straight from hearts of women tense with longing and anxiety. Oh, the pride of a new father! How well we remember a young "top" sergeant whom we had thought of as a mere boy. He walked up to the canteen one evening with the request that we send a cable home for him. He wrote the following: "Congratulations on birth of Spencer Roberts, Junior, and love to mother." Saying to us, "No matter about the cost, I want to send it all." How full of love were his eyes as he showed us the girl-face of that wife, and we could only say "How perfectly wonderful for the boy when he grows up! He will know that his
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father was in France at the time of his birth — a soldier in the world's greatest war."
When we established the first wet canteen in the St. Nazaire area for our own men, we were think- ing of the real comfort of it to the men. We de- liberately planned to make our chocolate so good that they would really come for it and our lemon- ade real lemonade, and crullers that would "taste just like home." But we could not even dream of all that it would mean in cheer, comradeship and good will. It was pathetic to see long lines of men patiently waiting for a cup of chocolate and a cookie — to find many coming from distant camps not alone for the refreshments, but for the good cheer they found with us. It was a picture that would have touched the hearts of the home- folk — these men sitting around on the window-seats or at the tables, hundreds of them — quietly talk- ing and sipping their drink. And the Y woman would leave her post behind the canteen for a little and wander from table to table for a word, or she would drink a cup of chocolate with a little group while they talked of farming, opening a store or returning to college after the war. It was so little and yet it was so much in that every- day life of war — war so terrible — so long.
Over the canteen in France meant not simply the eat and drink of it when rightly interpreted. It meant that we must not rely alone on the "Movies" and entertainments sent from Headquarters to the soldiers — but we must supply games, entertain- ments of our own and even parties. One party —
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our first — was only time in France we believe, in which we showed the "yellow streak." It was to be a beautiful party in spite of the fact that but two women would be present. Two days had been spent in decorating the hut and stringing extra lights. Our hut secretary suggested that we put aside our uniform for an evening gown and lead the grand march, to which we most enthusiastically assented. But we were hardly prepared for the sight that met our eyes as we entered the outer hut. There were men crowded in every space even to the rafters — more men than we had ever seen in any one room. It was no use. We just could not get the courage needed to lead a march, and so we quietly sat down and looked on that night. How we used to wish for our home girls in those days! Oh, if we could have had some of the fine ones we knew at