CHAPTER XVII

NARRATIVE OF AN OFFICER

Special Article by Captain John H. Patton, Adjutant of 8th Illinois--Summarizes Operations of the Regiment--From First Call to Mustering Out--An Eye Witness Account--In Training Camps, at Sea, in France--Service in Argonne Forest--Many Other Engagements--A Thrilling Record--Battalion Operations in Detail--Special Mention of Companies and Individuals.

Captain John H. Patton, regimental adjutant of the 370th, who commanded the second battalion through most of its service, presents a summary of the operations of the regiment from the first call to the mustering out. Being in charge of the organization's records, his account is detailed, authentic and highly valuable as supplementing the data of the previous chapter; gleaned from departmental records and other sources. It carries additional interest as being the testimony of an eye-witness, one who participated in the stirring events in a marked and valorous degree. The recital in Captain Patton's own words, the phrase of a highly trained and efficient military man, follows:

Pursuant to the call of the President, under date of July 3, 1917, the 8th Illinois Infantry reported at the various rendezvous on July 25, 1917, as follows: At Chicago, Illinois regimental headquarters; Headquarters company, Machine Gun company, Supply company, Detachment Medical Department, and Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H; at Springfield, Illinois, Company I; at Peoria, Illinois, Company K; at Danville, Illinois, Company L; at Metropolis, Illinois, Company M.

On the date the regiment responded to the call Colonel Franklin A. Denison commanded the regiment, the other Field Officers being Lieutenant Colonel James H. Johnson, Major Rufus M. Stokes, Major Charles L. Hunt, Major Otis B. Duncan and Captain John H. Patton, regimental adjutant.

The strength of the regiment a short time before responding to the call was approximately one thousand officers and enlisted men, and orders having been received to recruit to maximum strength, 3604 enlisted men, an active recruiting campaign was begun. On July 25, 1917, the strength was approximately 2,500. Soon afterwards orders were received that the regiment would be organized according to Minimum Strength Tables of Organization, which gave it an authorized strength of 2,138 enlisted men. After reporting that the regiment already had several hundred men in excess of that strength, authority was granted to retain the excess men. From this time until demobilized at Camp Grant in March, 1919, the regiment had from 600 to 1,300 men in excess of its authorized strength, and upon arrival in France in April, 1918, the entire personnel consisted of men who had voluntarily enlisted.

Intensive training was begun immediately after the regiment reported at the various armories and the public streets in the vicinity were utilized for this purpose until October 12, 1917, on which date the various organizations entrained for Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, arriving a few days later.

While stationed at Camp Logan, the regiment was engaged in intensive training. Officers and enlisted men attended the various schools established by the 33rd Division to which the regiment had been attached and acquitted themselves with credit.

At the end of October, 1917, on the date of the closing of the Second Liberty Loan Campaign, out of a total of 2,166 officers and enlisted men belonging to the regiment at that time, 1,482 officers and men subscribed $151,400.00.

While at Camp Logan, approximately 96 percent of the regiment took out $10,000.00 War Risk Insurance per man.

On December 1, 1917, the official designation of the regiment was changed from the 8th Illinois Infantry to the 370th Infantry.

On March 6, 1918, the regiment left Camp Logan enroute to Camp Stuart, Newport News, Va., arriving on March 10, 1918, and immediately taking up its interrupted intensive training.

While at Camp Stuart, Va., Lieutenant Colonel James H. Johnson was discharged from the service, and Major Otis B. Duncan, who had commanded the 3rd battalion, was promoted to the grade of lieutenant-colonel and Captain Arthur Williams was promoted to the grade of major and placed in command of the 3rd battalion.

On April 6, 1918, the regiment embarked on the S.S. President Grant en route overseas. In attempting to get out to sea, the vessel ran aground in Hampton Roads and three days later having been refloated, the journey overseas was resumed. On account of this delay the journey was begun without convoy, the warships assigned to this duty having departed as scheduled on or about April 6, 1918. On April 20, 1918, the steamer was met by a convoy of torpedo boats which accompanied us to Brest, France, at which place the regiment arrived on April 22, 1918.

The following day, April 23, 1918, the regiment debarked and marched to camp at Pontanezen Barracks, near Brest, and two days later entrained for Grandvillers (Haut-Rhin), arriving on April 27, 1918, and taking station.

The regiment, upon arrival at Grandvillers, was attached to the 73rd Division, French Army, and orders were given for the reorganization and equipping of the regiment to conform to that of a French regiment. All American arms, ammunition and equipment were salvaged and French rifles, machine guns, ammunition, wheel transportation, packs, helmets and other necessary equipment furnished. Except for the uniform the regiment was outfitted exactly as were the French regiments of that division. French rations were issued with the exception of the wine component, for which an extra allowance of sugar was substituted.

The Division sent officers to take charge of the instruction of the regiment in every phase of the work to be later undertaken and another period of intensive training was begun. Even French cooks were present to instruct our cooks in the preparation and conservation of the French rations.

After six weeks training at this place, the regiment entrained enroute to the front, arrived at Ligny-en-Barrios (Meuse) on June 13, 1918, and moved up toward the lines by easy stages.

On June 21, 1918, the regiment began occupying positions in the Saint Mihiel Sector, completing the occupation on June 24, 1918. This being the first time the regiment had been actually in the lines, the division commander deemed it advisable to intermingle our troops with French troops in order that officers and men might observe and profit by close association with the veteran French troops. Thus the units of the 1st and 2nd battalions, which had been assigned to the front lines were intermingled with platoons and companies of the 325th regiment of infantry.

Many valuable lessons were learned while in this sector, which was exceptionally quiet at the time. Except for occasional shelling and some scattered machine gun and rifle fire, nothing of interest occurred while in the sector, and there were no casualties.

On the night of June 30-July 1, 1918, the regiment, having been relieved in the sector, began withdrawing, and on July 3, 1918, the withdrawal had been completed without any losses.

After resting a few days in the region of Lignieres (Meuse), the regiment entrained en route to the Argonne Forest, arriving behind the lines on July 6, 1918, the 1st Battalion, under command of Major Stokes, moving up immediately into the reserve positions at Brabant (S. Groupement Courcelles) and later into the front lines in the Center of Resistance de la Foret, Sub-Sector Hermont.

The 2nd Battalion under command of Major Hunt took station at Rarecourt, the latter moved up to Locheres (Plateau of Gorgia) at which place the Major located his Commanding Post. From this position companies of the 2nd Battalion were sent into the lines alternately, the companies being relieved after a five days' tour of duty.

On July 12, 1918, Colonel Franklin A. Denison, who had commanded the regiment up to this time and had become incapacitated through illness contracted during the strenuous days incident to the preparation of the regiment for service in the lines, was relieved from command on this account and Colonel T.A. Roberts, cavalry, assumed command of the regiment.

The 3rd battalion under command of Major Williams, was held in reserve at Vraincourt, and only Company M of that battalion was sent into the front lines. This company took up positions in the supporting point at Buzemont on August 7, 1918, and remained until August 14, 1918.

On August 1, 1918, the Stokes Mortar platoon under command of Lieutenant Robert A. Ward took position in the lines in the sub-sector Vaquois, and on August 4, 1918, took an active part in a coup-de-main arranged by the French. His mission, filling in the gaps in the French artillery barrage, was so successfully accomplished that his entire platoon was highly commended for their work by the commanding general of the division.

Although patrols were operating between the lines nightly and the positions occupied were under artillery, machine gun and rifle fire a number of times, the only losses sustained during the six weeks in the Argonne Forest were 1 killed, 1 captured and 4 wounded.

On the night of August 15-16, 1918, the regiment was relieved from its positions in the Forest and marched to Rampont and entrained for villages in the vicinity of Fains (Meuse) for a period of rest, arriving on August 18, 1918.

Upon arrival at the new stations, instruction was begun again, more attention being paid to open warfare than to work incident to trench warfare. This training proved of great value to the officers and men in the latter days of the war, when the regiment was actively engaged in the pursuit of the enemy to the Belgian border.

On September 11, 1918, the regiment left its various stations and proceeded by train to Betz, where it detrained and marched to stations in villages in the vicinity of Mareuil-sur-Ourcq (Meuse).

On September 11, 1918, Majors Hunt and Williams having become incapacitated through illness and injury, were relieved from command of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, respectively, and Lieutenant Colonel Otis B. Duncan and Captain John H. Patton were assigned to the command of those battalions.

The battles of Chavigny, Leury and the Bois de Beaumont having reduced the effectives of the 59th French Division, the regiment was placed at the disposition of the division and was assigned as one of the three infantry regiments thereof. Upon joining this division the effective strength of the regiment was approximately double that of either of the two French regiments; and in future operations a large share of the work of the division fell to our lot.

On September 15, 1918, the regiment received orders to move again toward the front. From Mareuil-sur-Ourcq to the region of St. Bandry (Meuse) the movement was made in motor trucks. On September 16, 1918, the journey was resumed, the regiment proceeding by marching. Upon arrival at Tartier, Companies F and G were sent to Monte Couve (Aisne) to join the 232nd Regiment of Infantry, and Companies I and L pushed forward to Bagneux (Aisne) to join the 325th Regiment. The 1st battalion proceeded the next day to the caves in the vicinity of Les Tueries, the 3rd battalion moved up into the reserve in the region of Antioch Farm with the remainder of the 2nd battalion.

As soon as Companies F, G, I and L had moved up and taken position in the lines opposite Mont des Signes an attack was ordered. Attacks on the enemy positions on the plateau of Mont des Signes were almost continuous from the date of arrival of these companies until about September 21, 1918, when they were withdrawn and joined their battalions. These companies acquitted themselves with credit. One platoon under command of Sergeant Matthew Jenkins, Company F, took a large section of the enemy works for which the sergeant was awarded both the French Croix de Guerre and the American Distinguished Service Cross.

About the 22nd of September, the regiment for the first time took over a full regimental sector, the Battalion Stokes relieving the Battalion Garnier in the positions outlined by La Folie-l'Ecluse on the Canal l'Oise-l'Aisne and the Farm Gulliminet, the Battalion Patton going into the support positions at Mont des Tombes and the Battalion Duncan going into reserve at Tincelle Farm. Colonel Roberts located his commanding post at Antioch Farm. From the date of arrival in these positions until the enemy began to retreat on October 12, 1918, the entire area occupied by the regiment was almost constantly shelled, gas being used frequently. The front lines were almost constantly under the fire of enemy minnenwurfers and numerous machine guns located in the Bois de Mortier, a very dense wood north of the canal.

On the night of September 26-27, 1918, the Battalion Patton was ordered to relieve with like units one-half of each of the companies of the Battalion Stokes in the front lines and soon after the relief was completed an attack along the l'Oise-l'Aisne Canal was ordered. By the extreme of effort the remainder of the Battalion Patton was brought up and having completed the relief of the Battalion Stokes, the attack began as ordered. The attack continued until October 4th, on which date all objectives had been gained and the enemy pushed back across the canal. On September 30th the Battalion Duncan was thrown into the fight and two companies of the Battalion Patton withdrawn to the support. The Battalion Duncan was ordered to make a frontal attack which necessitated an advance across the open fields. This was successfully accomplished, the battalion being subjected to intense artillery, machine gun and rifle fire continuously. The Battalion Duncan, having gained its objectives, the Farm de la Riviere and the railroad south of the canal, held on tenaciously in spite of the intense fire of the enemy and held the positions gained until the pursuit began on October 12, 1918, when it passed into the reserve of the division.

During the occupancy of the sector, from September 22, 1918, to October 12, 1918, patrols from the three battalions were out night and day between the lines making necessary reconnaissances. On October 4, 1918, a volunteer patrol of twenty men under command of Captain Chester Sanders in an effort to discover whether the enemy had abandoned the woods, penetrated the Bois de Mortier to a point about 100 yards behind the enemy positions and having been discovered were fired on from all sides by numerous machine guns. The patrol returned to our lines intact. For this exploit Captain Sanders was awarded the French Croix de Guerre and the patrol received the commendation of the commanding general of the division. On October 7, 1918, after 5 minutes violent bombardment by our artillery, three raiding parties from Company F made a dash for the triangle formed by the railroad, the L'Oise-l'Aisne canal and the Vauxaillon road. One of these parties gained the enemy trenches along the canal, ejecting the enemy after a hand grenade fight. All parties returned to our lines intact though several were wounded. Lieutenant William Warfield of the Battalion Duncan single-handed took an enemy machine gun nest which had been harassing his company, and after disposing of the enemy machine gunners returned to our lines with the gun. Numerous other acts of gallantry were performed in this sector for which officers and men received both French and American decorations.

At 9:20 a.m. on October 12, 1918, the alert was given for a general advance by the entire division and the battalions assembled at the zones of assembly previously designated. The Battalion Stokes was given the mission of clearing the Bois de Mortier and the Battalion Patton was placed at the disposition of Lieutenant Colonel Lugand of the 232nd Infantry, and the 3rd battalion was placed in the divisional reserve. At about 11:00 a.m. the pursuit began, the 1st battalion clearing the Bois de Mortier and successfully reaching its first objective, Penancourt, the same date, and continuing the pursuit the next day to a point west of Molinchart.

The Battalion Patton, having been assigned as the support battalion of the 232nd Regiment of Infantry, took up the pursuit via Anizy le Chateau, Cessieres and the Bois de Oiry, bivouacing the night of October 13th in the vicinity of the Bois.

These battalions were commended by the commanding general. The Battalion Stokes for its passage of the exceedingly strong position in the Bois de Mortier and the 2nd for its well conducted march in pursuit via Anizy le Chateau.

On account of the straightening out of the lines due to the retreat of the enemy, the 59th Division was withdrawn on October 14th and sent back for rest, the regiment being sent into the St. Gobain Forest and vicinity for this purpose. Ten of the twelve days in this locality were spent in hard work on the roads and the last two were given over to the re-equipping of the regiment.

On October 22, 1918, Major Rufus M. Stokes was relieved from command of the 1st battalion and assigned to duty as administrative officer of the Regimental Combat and Supply Trains. Captain John T. Prout was assigned to the command of the 1st battalion.

On October 27th, 1918, the regiment was again ordered into the lines and at midnight on that date the 2nd battalion moved up into support positions in the vicinity of Grandlup.

The 1st battalion on October 29, 1918, moved up into support positions in the vicinity of the same village. During this time the 3rd battalion was located at Manneaux Farm in reserve. The battalions remained in various positions in the vicinity of Grandlup until November 5, 1918, on which date the enemy again began to retreat, and while thus occupied were subjected to severe shelling and those units occupying front line positions to much machine gun and rifle fire; casualties were few except in Company A stationed in the vicinity of Chantrud Farm, where an enemy shell fell in the midst of the company at mess, killing thirty-five men and wounding fifty, thus causing the company to be withdrawn from the lines.

On the morning of November 5th, a general advance was ordered and the enemy retreated before it. The retreat of the enemy was so rapid that our troops did not catch up with them until about November 8th, on which date a general attack by the division was ordered. The 2nd battalion on the left of the division was given the task of clearing out the enemy from positions along the Hirshon railroad and the Heights of Aubenton. After an all day fight the battalion reached its objective about nightfall. The French division on the left did not advance as anticipated, owing to enemy resistance on their front, and the 2nd battalion having advanced about two kilometers to the front suffered severely on account of the exposed flank, three men being killed and two officers and thirty-three enlisted men being wounded. On the morning of the 9th the enemy again retreated and the 2nd battalion continued the pursuit to Goncelin, resting there for the night and on the morning of the both was ordered to cantonment at Pont d'Any, where it was located at the taking effect of the armistice.

On November 6th the 1st battalion took up the pursuit in support of the Battalion Michel of the 325th Regiment of Infantry, advancing via Brazicourt and Rapeire to Hill 150 near St. Pierremont. Company C having passed on into the front lines at the Brazicourt Farm, upon arrival near St. Pierremont were ordered on the morning of November 6, 1918, to attack and occupy St. Pierremont, cross the Serre River and take up a position along the railroad track. The mission of the company was successfully accomplished in spite of the strong resistance of the enemy, St. Pierremont being occupied, the river crossed and three pieces of enemy artillery as well as several machine guns taken. For this operation Company C was cited and awarded the French Croix de Guerre with a Palm, the highest French citation received in the regiment. The battalion continued the pursuit until arrival at Mont Plaisir, when it was ordered back to Fligny, where it was in cantonment at the taking effect of the armistice.

The 3rd Battalion took up the pursuit on November 5th, resting in the open fields the nights of the 5th and 6th. The battalion in moving up advanced via Bosmont and Mont Plaisir and passed on into the front lines at the Rue Larcher on November 7, 1918. In the afternoon of the 8th orders were received to deliver a cover fire for French units which were to make an attack on the village of Logny, which was strongly held by the enemy. Company M, having been assigned for this work, moved out from Hurtebise and advanced to a position where the cover fire could be effectively delivered, and opened fire. About this time word was received from the French commander that his troops could not advance on account of the severe shell and machine gun fire, and Company M having arrived at a position where it was safer to go ahead than to retreat, attacked the town and drove the enemy therefrom. For this action Lieutenant Osceola A. Browning, commanding Company M, and several others received the French Croix de Guerre and Sergeant Lester Fossie both the Croix de Guerre and the American Distinguished Service Cross. On November 10, 1918, the advance and pursuit was continued. At Etignieres the battalion was temporarily stopped by intense shell fire. On November 11, 1918, the pursuit was again taken up with Resinowez as the principal objective. Later the objective was changed to Gue d'Hossus, Belgium, which objective was reached a few minutes before the taking effect of the armistice, an enemy combat train of about 50 vehicles being captured about this time.

A few days after the armistice, the regiment began to move southward, taking station in villages in the vicinity of Verneuil-sur-Serre.

[Illustration: SOME WAR CROSS WINNERS OF 8TH ILLINOIS (370TH INFANTRY). FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: CAPT. G.M. ALLEN. LIEUT. O.A. BROWNING. CAPT. D.J. WARNER. LIEUT. ROY B. TISDELL. STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: LIEUT. ROBT. P. HURD, LIEUT-COL. OTIS B DUNCAN. MAJOR J.R. WHITE. CAPT. W.B. CRAWFORD, LIEUT. WM. WARFIELD. CAPT. MATTHEW JACKSON.]

On December 12, 1918, the regiment formally passed from the French command and to Brest via Soissons and Le Mans, arriving at the latter place on January 10, 1919.

On February 2, 1919, the regiment embarked on the S.S. La France IV, en route to the U.S., arriving on February 9, 1919, and taking station at Camp Upton, Long Island, N.Y.

On February 17, 1919, the regiment left Camp Upton for Camp Grant, Illinois, via Chicago, where it was accorded a wonderful and never-to-be-forgotten reception by the citizens of Chicago.

After arrival at Camp Grant, work incident to the demobilization of the regiment was commenced. The majority of officers and enlisted men were discharged from the service during the latter part of February, and finally on March 12, 1919, orders were issued declaring that the regiment had ceased to exist.

The health of the regiment while in the service was exceptional. The Medical Detachment, under command of Major James R. White, worked incessantly to protect the health of the command. Before departure for France a number of cases of pneumonia of a very severe type developed, but only two deaths resulted. The Medical Detachment was divided among the various units, Captain Spencer C. Dickerson having charge of the detachment attached to the 1st battalion, Lieutenant James F. Lawson that of the 2nd battalion, and Lieutenant Claudius Ballard that of the 3rd battalion. The work of these detachments was at all times of a high order of excellence, and during engagements both officers and men in numerous instances went out into the open and rendered first aid to the wounded after terrific fire. Each man wounded, however slightly, was given an injection of anti-tetanic serum and as a result no cases of tetanus were reported, nor were any cases of gas baccilus infection reported. During the severe fighting around the Guilliminet and de la Riviere Farms, more help was needed and Lieutenant Park Tancil, dental surgeon, volunteered to take charge of one of the first aid stations which was daily receiving showers of shells from the enemy batteries. Lieutenant Claudius Ballard, though wounded during the fighting, refused to be evacuated and continued his duties administering to the wounded. Major James R. White made daily rounds of the first aid stations in the lines, disregarding the intense fire of the enemy and personally dressing numbers of wounded. For their heroic conduct in administering to the wounded under fire, Major White and Lieutenants Tancil and Ballard as well as several enlisted men of the Medical Detachment, were awarded the French Croix de Guerre, and Private Alfred Williamson of the detachment was awarded both the French Croix de Guerre and the American Distinguished Service Cross.

* * * * *

ROSTER OF OFFICERS OLD 8TH ILLINOIS (370th Infantry)

(All Negroes unless otherwise designated.)

Field and Staff--F.A. Denison, commanding until July 12, 1918, invalided home; Col. T.A. Roberts (white), commanding after July 12, 1918; Major James R. White, surgeon; Major W.H. Roberts (white), operation officer; Capt. Charles W. Fillmore, personnel officer; Capt. John H. Patton, commanding 2nd battalion; Capt. James E. Dunjil, assistant to adjutant; 1st Lieut. George Murphy, assistant to adjutant; 1st Lieut. Louis C. Washington, administrative officer; 2nd Lieut. Noble Sissle, assistant to administrative officer; 1st Lieut. Park Tancil, dentist; 1st Lieut. John T. Clemons, chaplain.

First Battalion--Major Rufus M. Stokes, commanding; 2nd Lieut. M.F. Stapleton (white), battalion adjutant; Capt. Spencer C. Dickerson, medical officer; 1st Lieut. Harry W. Jones, battalion supply officer.

Company A--Capt. Stewart A. Betts, 1st Lieut. John L. McDonald, 1st Lieut. Robert L. Chavis, 2nd. Lieut. Wycham Tyler, 2nd Lieut. Howard F. Bell, 2nd Lieut. Willis Stearles.

Company B--Capt. Stuart Alexander, 1st Lieut. Robert P. Hurd, 1st Lieut. Franklin McFarland, 1st Lieut. Samuel Ransom, 2nd Lieut. Fred K. Johnson, 2nd Lieut. Samuel Block.

Company C--Capt. James H. Smith, 1st Lieut. Samuel S. Gordon, 1st Lieut. Harry N. Shelton, 1st Lieut. Arthur Jones, 2nd Lieut. Elmer J. Myers, 2nd Lieut. Roy B. Tisdell.

Machine Gun Company--Captain Devere J. Warner, 1st Lieut. George C. Lacey, 2nd Lieut. Thomas A. Painter, 2nd Lieut. Bernard McGwin, 2nd Lieut. Homer C. Kelly, 2nd Lieut. Julian D. Rainey.

Second Battalion--Capt. John H. Patton, commanding; 1st Lieut. Samuel A. McGowan, battalion adjutant; 1st Lieut. James F. Lawson, medical officer; 1st Lieut. Rufus H. Bacote, medical officer; 1st Lieut. William Nichols, battalion supply officer.

Company F--Capt. Rufus Reed, 1st Lieut. Carter W. Wesley, 2nd Lieut. Edward Douglas, 2nd Lieut. Robert A.D. Birchett.

Company G--Capt. George M. Allen, 1st Lieut. Durand Harding, 1st Lieut. Gerald C. Bunn, 1st Lieut. Harvey E. Johnson, 2nd Lieut. Clarence H. Bouchane.

Company H--Capt. James C. Hall, 1st Lieut Harry L. Allen, 1st Lieut. George L. Amos, 1st Lieut Binga Dismond, 2nd Lieut Lawrence Willette, 2nd Lieut. John A. Hall.

Machine Gun Company No. 2--Capt. Lilburn Jackson, 2nd Lieut. Frank T. Logan, 2nd Lieut. Junius Walthall, 2nd Lieut. William A. Barnett.

Third Battalion--Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan, commanding; 2nd Lieut. Stanley B. Norvell, battalion adjutant; 1st Lieut. Claudius Ballard, medical officer; 1st Lieut. William J. Warfield, battalion supply officer.

Company I--Capt Lorin O. Sanford, 1st Lieut. Howard R. Brown, 2nd Lieut. D. Lincoln Reid, 2nd Lieut. Edmond G. White, 2nd Lieut. Oswald Des Verney, 2nd Lieut. Harry J. Douglas.

Company L--Capt. William B. Crawford, 1st Lieut. Frank Robinson, provost officer; 1st. Lieut Frank W. Bates, 2nd Lieut. James H. Peyton, 2nd Lieut Luther J. Harris.

Company M--Capt. Edward W. Spearman, 1st Lieut Osceola A. Browning, 1st Lieut. Jerome L. Hubert, 2nd Lieut. Lawson Price, 2nd Lieut. Irving T. Howe, 2nd Lieut. Larkland F. Hewitt.

Machine Gun Company No. 3--Capt. Matthew Jackson, 1st Lieut. William C.P. Phillips, 2nd Lieut. Charles C. Jackson, 2nd Lieut Clyde W. Donaldson, 2nd Lieut George F. Proctor.

Special Units

Headquarters Company--Capt. Lewis E. Johnson, 1st Lieut Robert A.J. Shaw, 1st Lieut. Benote H. Lee, 2nd Lieut Elias F.E. Williams, pioneer officer; 2nd Lieut. Rufus B. Jackson, Stokes mortar; 2nd Lieut. Reginald W. Harang, signal officer.

Supply Company--Capt. Lloyd G. Wheeler, 1st Lieut. Harry Wheeler, 1st Lieut. James A. Riggs, 1st Lieut. Dan M. Moore, medical officer; 2nd Lieut Augustus M. Fisher, veterinary surgeon.

Depot Company K--Capt Wm. H. Lewis, commanding; 2nd Lieut. Alvin M. Jordan, adjutant; 1st Lieut. Norman Garrett, 1st Lieut. Napoleon B. Roe, dentist; 1st Lieut. George W. Antoine, medical officer; 2nd Lieut Avon H. Williams; 2nd Lieut. Edward L. Goodlett, 2nd Lieut Frank Corbin, 2nd Lieut Frederick L. Slade, 2nd Lieut. Walter H. Aiken, 2nd Lieut. Rufus A. Atkins, 2nd Lieut James T. Baker, 2nd Lieut. John S. Banks, 2nd Lieut. Marcus A. Bernard, 2nd Lieut. Charles E. Bryant, 2nd Lieut Henry H. Carr, 2nd Lieut. Horace E. Colley, 2nd Lieut. Ira R. Collins, 2nd Lieut. Charles H. Conley, 2nd Lieut. Bernie B. Cowan, 2nd Lieut. Flenoid Cunningham, 2nd Lieut. Frank P. Dawson, 2nd Lieut. Samuel A. Dillard, 2nd Lieut. John W. Harris.

ROLL OF HONOR

Heroes of Old 8th Illinois

Negro National Guardsmen known in France as the 370th Infantry, who were decorated with the Croix de Guerre. The exploits of some of these men and also of some of those in the appended list decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, are mentioned in the chapters devoted to the regiment.

Col. T.A. Roberts (white) Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan Major James R. White Capt. John H. Patton Capt. Chester Sanders Capt. John T. Prout Capt. Samuel R. Gwynne Capt. Devere J. Warner Capt. Wm. B. Crawford Capt. George M. Allen Capt. James C. Hall Capt. Stuart Alexander Capt. Mathew Jackson Capt. James H. Smith Lieut. Park Tancil Lieut. Osceola A. Browning Lieut. George C. Lacey Lieut. Frank Robinson Lieut. Claudius Ballard Lieut. Charles C. Jackson Lieut. William J. Warfield Lieut. Samuel S. Gordon Lieut. Robert P. Hurd Lieut. Henry N. Shelton Lieut. Henry P. Cheatham Lieut. Stanley B. Norvell Lieut. Roy B. Tisdell Lieut. Thomas A. Painter Lieut. Lawson Price Lieut. Lincoln D. Reid Lieut. Elmer J. Myers Sergt. Norman Henry Sergt. Clarence T. Gibson Sergt. Matthew Jenkins Sergt. Cecil Nelson Sergt. Howard Templeton Sergt. Chas. T. Monroe Sergt. Derry Brown Corp. James R. Brown Corp. Lewis Warner Corp. Joseph Henderson Corp. Maceo A. Tervalon Corp. William Stevenson Corp. Emil Laurent Corp. Charles T. Brock Pvt. Nathaniel C. White (deceased) Pvt. Robert Pride Pvt. George B. White Pvt. Howard Sheffield Pvt. Cornelius Robinson Pvt. Ulysses Sayles Pvt. William Cuff (deceased) Pvt. Hugh Givens Pvt. Arthur Johnson Pvt. Rufus Pitts Pvt. Olbert Dorsey Pvt. William Hurdle Pvt. Bee McKissic Pvt. Jonas Paxton Pvt. Harry Pearson Pvt. Paul Turlington Pvt. Reed J. Brown Pvt. Paul Johnson Pvt. Reedy Jones Pvt. Alonzo Keller Pvt. Leroy Lindsay Pvt. Lavern Massey Pvt. Josiah Nevees Pvt. Ira Taylor Pvt. Jesse Ferguson Pvt. William M. Robinson

Awarded Distinguished Service Crosses by General Pershing:

Capt. William B. Crawford Lieut. William J. Warfield Sergt. Norman Henry Sergt. Ralph Gibson Sergt. Robert Barnes Sergt. Charles T. Monroe Sergt. Emmett Thompson Sergt. Lester Fossie Sergt. Matthew Jenkins Pvt. Tom Powell (deceased) Pvt. Andrew McCall Pvt. Wm. Cuff (deceased) Pvt. Spirley Irby Pvt. Alfred Williamson Pvt. William G. Hurdle Pvt. Harry Pearson Pvt. Alonzo Walton Pvt. Leroy Davis Pvt. James Fuquay Pvt. Nathaniel C. White (deceased) Pvt. Arthur Johnson