CHAPTER XVIII.

BLOOD OF THE BLACK AND WHITE IN ONE RIVULET OF DEPARTING LIFE

LINCOLN'S PROPHETIC WORDS--NEGROES ALONGSIDE BEST SOLDIERS IN THE WORLD--HOLD THEIR OWN--THE 372ND REGIMENT--BRIGADED WITH VETERANS OF THE MARNE--FAMOUS "RED HAND" DIVISION--OCCUPY HILL 304 AT VERDUN--NINE DAYS BATTLE IN "BLOODY ARGONNE"--ADMIRATION OF THE FRENCH--CONSPICUOUS COMPONENTS OF 372ND--CHRONOLOGY OF SERVICE.

They will probably help in some trying time to keep the jewel of liberty in the family of freedom.--Abraham Lincoln.

Prophetic words uttered by the Great Emancipator concerning the Negroes of America. The Negroes helped. They would have helped in much greater measure had they been given the opportunity.

Fighting for the first time on the soil of the world's most famous battleground--Europe--and for the first time brought into direct comparison with the best soldiers of the world, they proved themselves able to hold their own where tests of courage, endurance and aggressiveness were most severe.

They fought valiantly in the vicinity of Chateau Thierry, on the Vesle, on the Aillette, in the Argonne, and various other sectors; and in the final drive at Metz. They vanquished the Germans who opposed them; the heaviest fire of the enemy failing to stop their advance.

No part of the 93rd Division made a more gallant record than the 372nd regiment. Throughout its service in France it was a part of the famous French 157th Division known as the "Red Hand" division, under the command of General Goybet. It was this division which first opposed the Huns at the Marne in 1914. To brigade the Negro soldiers with such famous veterans was a rare mark of distinction and placed the black men on their mettle at all times.

The 372nd arrived in France on April 14 and went into training with the French eleven days later. On May 29 the regiment took over a sector in the Argonne and on June 20 was sent to the trenches just west of Verdun, occupying the famous battle-swept Hill 304, and sections at Four de Paris and Vauquois. On Hill 304 thousands of French and Germans had fallen as the battle line swung back and forward. That this hill was given to the Negroes to hold demonstrated that as soldiers they had already won the confidence of the French.

The regiment's first engagement was in the Champagne sector with Monthois as an objective. Here came the real test. The Negroes were eager to get into the fight. They cheered and sang when the announcement came that their opportunity had arrived--but the question was; back of their enthusiasm had they the staying qualities drilled into European troops through centuries of training in the science of warfare.

The answer was that some of the heaviest and most effective fighting of the day was done by the Negro regiment. From June 6th to September 10th, the 372nd was stationed in the bloody Argonne forest or in the vicinity of Verdun. On the night of September 25th they were summoned to take part in the Argonne offensive and were in that terrific drive, one of the decisive engagements of the war, from September 28th to October 7th.

In the nine days' battle the Negroes not only proved their fighting qualities in an ordeal such as men rarely have been called upon to face, but these qualities in deadly striking power and stubborn resistance in crises, stood out with such distinction that the coveted Croix de Guerre was bestowed upon the regiment.

The casualty list of the 372nd in this and previous fighting carried 500 names of men killed, wounded and gassed. For their achievements they were at once cited for bravery and efficiency in General Orders from the corps commander transmitted through their French divisional chief. It was dated October 8th and read as follows:

In transmitting you with legitimate pride the thanks and congratulations of General Garnier Duplessis, allow me, my dear friends of all ranks, American and French, to address you from the bottom of the heart of a chief and soldier, the expression of gratitude for the glory you have lent to our good 157th Division. During these nine days of hard fighting you have progressed eight kilometers (4.8 miles) through powerfully organized defenses, taken 600 prisoners, captured 15 heavy guns, 20 minenwerfers and nearly 150 machine guns, secured an enormous amount of engineering material and important supplies of artillery ammunition, and brought down by your fire three enemy aeroplanes. The "Red Hand" sign of the division, has, thanks to you, become a bloody hand which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy. You have well avenged our glorious dead. GOYBET.

In a communication delivered to the colonel of the regiment on October 1st, General Goybet said:

Your troops have been admirable in their attack. You must be proud of the courage of your officers and men, and I consider it an honor to have them under my command. The bravery and dash of your regiment won the admiration of the Moroccan Division, who are themselves versed in warfare. Thanks to you, during these hard days, the division was at all times in advance of all other divisions of the Army Corps. I am sending you all my thanks and beg you to transmit them to your subordinates. I call on your wounded. Their morale is higher than any praise.

The high honor of having its flag decorated with the Croix de Guerre was bestowed upon the regiment in the city of Brest just a few days before it embarked for the return to America. Vice Admiral Moreau, the French commander of the port of Brest, officially represented his government in, the ceremony. It was intended as France's appreciation of the services of these Negro fighters.

The decoration took place at one of the most prominent points in the city and was witnessed by thousands of French soldiers and civilians, as well as by sailors and soldiers of several nations.

One of the conspicuous components of the 372nd was the battalion, formed from what formerly was known as the 1st Separate Battalion of the District of Columbia National Guard. This famous old Washington organization has a long, proud history. Many of the members were veterans of the Spanish-American war. At the close of the European war, the organization numbered 480 men from the city of Washington, twenty of whom had been decorated one or more times for individual bravery under fire.

The battalion was first assembled at Potomac Park on the Speedway in Washington, shortly after the declaration of war. The men spent almost half a year at the camp, during which time they had the important assignment of guarding railway and highway bridges and adjacent points around the National Capitol. They also had the proud distinction of guarding the secret archives and departments at Washington, a duty which required unquestioned loyalty and for which the Negroes were well selected.

It seemed at the time an inconspicuous bit of war time soldiering, and they were long trying days to the men. But it was a service which required intelligence and nerve, as the likelihood was great that the enemy's agents in this country would strike in the vicinity of the seat of government. That such responsible duty was delegated to the Negroes was a high compliment from the military authorities. The manner in which they discharged the duty is shown in the fact that no enemy depredations of any consequence occurred in the vicinity of Washington.

After a period of training at Camp Stewart, Newport News, Va., the battalion was sent to France. Its colored commander was dead. Other colored officers were soon superseded, leaving the chaplain, Lieutenant Arrington Helm, the only colored officer attached to the organization.

Arriving at St. Nazaire, France, April 14, 1918, the battalion was soon sent to Conde en Barrois, where it underwent a period of intensive training with special preparation for sector warfare. The instructors were French. Lessons were hard and severe, but the instructors afterwards had much cause for pride in their pupils.

From the training camp the battalion and regiment proceeded to the Argonne front, at first settling in the vicinity of La Chalade. It was there the soldiers received their first taste of warfare, and it was there their first casualties occurred.

September 13th the outfit withdrew and retired to the rear for a special training prior to participation in the general attack from Verdun to the sea. On the morning of September 28th the District of Columbia battalion was sent to the front to relieve a regiment of famous Moroccan shock troops. It was at this time that the Champagne offensive took such a decided turn and the Washington men from that time on were taking a most active and important part in the general fighting. They distinguished themselves at Ripont just north of St. Menehold. They suffered greatly during their valiant support of an advanced position in that sector. Despite its losses the battalion fought courageously ahead. Prior to that it had occupied Hill 304 at Verdun. It had the distinction of being the first American outfit to take over that sector. The battalion fought doggedly and bravely at Ripont and succeeded in gaining much valuable territory, as well as enemy machine guns and supplies and ninety Hun prisoners.

Later the battalion held a front line position at Monthois, and it finally formed a salient in the line of the 9th French Army Corps. It was subjected to a long period of gruelling fire from the Boches' famous Austrian 88s and machine guns, and an incessant barrage from German weapons of high caliber.

The regiment moved south to the Vosges, where the battalion took up a position in sub-sector B, in front of St. Marie Aux Mines, where it was situated when word of the armistice came.

The record of the Negro warriors from the District of Columbia is very succinctly contained in a diary kept by Chaplain Lieutenant Arrington Helm. It relates the activities of the unit from the time they sailed from Newport News, March 30, 1917, until the end of the war. It is also a condensed account of the major operations of the 372nd regiment. The diary follows:

March 30--Embarked from Newport News, Va., for overseas duty on the U.S.S. Susquehanna.

April 17--Disembarked at St. Nazaire and marched to rest camp.

April 21--Left rest camp. Base section No. 1 and entrained for Vaubecourt.

April 23--Arrived at Vaubecourt at 7 p.m. Left Vaubecourt at 8:30 p.m. and hiked in a heavy rainstorm to Conde en Barrois.

April 25--Assigned to school under French officers.

May 26--Left Conde en Barrois at 8 a.m. in French motor trucks for Les Senades.

May 29--Our regiment today took over the sector designated as Argonne West.

May 31--In front line trenches.

June 20--Changed sectors, being assigned to the Vauquois sector, a sub-sector of the Verdun front. The 157th Division is stationed in reserve. The enemy is expected to attack.

July 13--Left for Hill 304 on the Verdun sector. Colonel Young has been relieved from command and Colonel Herschell Tupes has assumed command.

July 25--Left Sivry la Perche to take over Hill 304. Arrived at Hill 304 at 9 p.m.

August 16--Heavily shelled by regiment of Austrians opposing us. Two Americans and one Frenchman in the regiment killed.

August 20--Lieutenant James Sanford, Company A, captured by the Germans.

August 21--Fight by French and German planes over our lines. Very exciting.

September 8--Left Hill 304. Relieved by 129th infantry of the 33rd Division. Hiked in rain and mud for Brocourt.

September 14--Arrived at Juvigny at noon.

September 17--Left Juvigny for Brienne la Chateau at 8 p.m. Passed through Brienne la Chateau and reached Vitray la Francois this afternoon. The city is near the Marne.

September 18--Hiked to Jessecourt. All colored officers left the regiment today.

September 28--Arrived at Hans. The regiment was in action in the vicinity of Ripont. The third battalion took up a battle position near Ripont.

September 29--The third battalion went over the top. The Germans are in retreat. Our positions are being bombarded. The machine gun fire is terrific and 88 millimeter shells are falling as thick and fast as hailstones. We are unable to keep up with the enemy. This afternoon it is raining. This makes it bad for the wounded of whom there are many.

September 30--The first battalion is now on our right and advancing fast despite the rain and mud. The machine gun opposition is strenuous. Our casualties are small. We have captured a large number of prisoners.

October 1--Our advance is meeting with increased opposition. The enemy has fortified himself on a hill just ahead. The ground prevents active support by the French artillery. Still we are giving the Germans no rest. They are now retreating across the valley to one of their supply bases. The enemy is burning his supplies. We have taken the village at Ardeuil. Our losses have been heavy but the Germans have lost more in killed, wounded and taken prisoner than have our forces. On our right the first battalion has entered the village of Sechault, after some hard fighting by Company A.

October 4--The Second battalion is going in this morning. We are resting at Vieux three kilometers from Monthois, one of the enemy's railroad centers and base hospitals. The enemy is destroying supplies and moving wounded. We can see trains moving out of Monthois. Our artillery is bombarding all roads and railroads in the vicinity. The enemy's fire is intense. We expect a counterattack.

October 5--The enemy's artillery has opened up. We are on the alert. They have attacked and a good stiff hand to hand combat ensued. The Germans were driven back with heavy losses. We have taken many prisoners from about twelve different German regiments. We continued our advance and now are on the outskirts of Monthois.

October 6--The enemy is throwing a stiff barrage on the lines to our left where the 333rd French Infantry is attacking. We can see the Huns on the run. The liaison work of the 157th Division is wonderful; not the slightest gap has been left open. Our patrols entered Monthois early this morning and were driven out by machine gun fire, but returned with a machine gun and its crew. We will be relieved by the 76th infantry regiment at 8 p.m. We hiked over the ground we had fought so hard to take to Minnecourt, where the regiment proceeded to reorganize.

October 12--Left Valmy today and continued to Vignemont.

October 13--Arrived at Vignemont. Hiked fifteen kilometers to St. Leonard.

October 15--Left St. Leonard for Van de Laveline in the Vosges. We arrived at Van de Laveline at 10:15 p.m. and took over a sector.

November 11--A patrol of Company A took several prisoners from a German patrol. Received word of the signing of the armistice at 11 a.m. today. Martial music was played. The colors of the regiment are displayed in front of the post command.

It is related that the Washington fighters, as well as the other members of the 372nd regiment, received the news of the armistice with more of disappointment than joy, for they had made all preparations to advance with the French through Lorraine.