History of the American Negro in the Great World War Part 19

In the September fighting the 369th saw the toughest period of its entire service. In company with a Moroccan Negro unit and others, the regiment partic.i.p.ated in the attack on the b.u.t.te de Mesnil. The New Yorkers took the important town of Sechault and it was for that exploit that their flag was decorated with the Croix de Guerre.

Throughout the western Argonne fighting and the various sectors of the Champagne in which the 369th operated, especially during the months of July, August and September, their service was typical of that of other units of the 93rd Division. The going was tough for all of them and each contributed everlasting fame to American arms and undying renown to the Negro race.

Heroes of the Old 15th Infantry.

Officers and men of the 369th New York colored regiment awarded the Croix de Guerre for gallantry in Action: Sergt. A.A. Adams Corp. John Allen Lieut. R.R. DeArmond Lieut. G.A. Arnston Corp. Farrandus Baker Sergt. E.W. Barrington Sergt M.W. Barron Sergt. William D. Bartow Capt. Aaron T. Bates Corp. Fletcher Battle Corp. R. Bean Corp. J.S. Beckton Pvt. Myril Billings Sergt. Ed. Bingham Lieut. J.C. Bradner Pvt. Arthur Brokaw Pvt. H.D. Brown Pvt. T.W. Brown Lieut. Elmer C. Bucher Pvt. Wm. H. Bunn Sergt. Wm. Butler Pvt. J.L. Bush Sergt. Joseph Carmen Corp. T. Catto Corp. G.H. Chapman Sergt. Major Benedict W. Cheesman Capt. John H. Clarke, Jr.

Lieut. P.M. Clendenin Capt. Frederick W. Cobb Sergt. Robert Collins Lieut. J.H. Connor Sergt. Wm. H. c.o.x Sergt C.D. Davis Lieut. Charles Dean Pvt. P. Demps Wagoner Martin Dunbar Corp. Elmer Earl Pvt. Frank Ellis Sergt. Sam Fannell Capt. Robt. F. Ferguson, Jr.

Capt. Charles W. Fillmore Capt. Edward J. Farrell Capt. Hamilton Fish, Jr.

Capt Edwin R.D. Fox Lieut. Conrad Fox Sergt. Richard W. Fowler Pvt. Roland Francis Pvt. B. Freeman Pvt. I. Freeman Sergt Wm. A. Gains Wagoner Richard O. Goins Pvt. J.J. Gordon Lieut. R.C. Grams Pvt. Stillman Hanna Pvt. Hugh Hamilton Pvt. G.E. Hannibal Pvt. Frank Harden Pvt. Frank Hatchett Corp. Ralph Hawkins Colonel Wm. Hayward Lieut. E.H. Holden Sergt. Wm. H. Holliday Corp. Earl Horton Pvt. G. Howard Lieut. Stephen H. Howey Sergt. Major Clarence C. Hudson Pvt. Ernest Hunter Sergt. S. Jackson Corp. Clarence Johnson Sergt. D.F. Johnson Pvt. Gilbert Johnson Sergt. George Jones Lieut. Gorman R. Jones Sergt. James H. Jones Pvt. Smithfield Jones Pvt. J.C. Joynes Lieut. W.H. Keenan Lieut. Elwin C. King Lieut. Harold M. Landon Lieut. Nils H. La.r.s.en Major David A. L'Esperance Lieut. W.F. Leland Pvt. D.W. Lewis Pvt. W.D. Link Major Arthur W. Little Lieut. Walter R. Lockhart Sergt. B. Lucas Pvt. Lester A. Marshall Pvt. Lewis Martin Sergt. A.J. McArthur Capt. Seth B. MacClinton Pvt. Elmer McGowan Pvt. Herbert McGirt Capt. Comerford McLoughlin Pvt. L. McVea Sergt. H. Matthews Sergt. Jesse A. Miller Sergt Wm. H. Miller Sergt. E. Mitch.e.l.l Pvt. Herbert Mills Corp. M. Molson Lieut. E.D. Morey Sergt. W. Morris Sergt. G.A. Morton Lieut. E.A. Nostrand Sergt. Samuel Nowlin Capt. John O. Out.w.a.ter Lieut. Hugh A. Page Lieut. Oliver H. Parish Sergt. C.L. Pawpaw Pvt. Harvey Perry Sergt. Clinton Peterson Lieut. Col. W.A. Pickering Lieut. Richardson Pratt Sergt. John Pratt Sergt. H.D. Primas Pvt. Jeremiah Reed Lieut. Durant Rice Pvt. John Rice Sergt. Samuel Richardson Sergt Charles Risk Pvt. F. Ritchie Lieut. G.S. Robb Corp. Fred Rogers Pvt. Lionel Rogers Pvt. George Rose Lieut. R.M. Rowland Sergt. Percy Russell Sergt. L. Sanders Pvt. William Sanford Lieut. H.J. Argent Pvt. Marshall Scott Capt. Lewis E. Shaw Capt. Samuel Shethar Lieut. Hoyt Sherman Major G. Franklin s.h.i.+els Pvt. A. Simpson Sergt. Bertrand U. Smith Pvt. Daniel Smith Sergt. Herman Smith Corp. R.W. Smith Major Lorillard Spencer Sergt. J.T. Stevens Corp. Dan Storms Lieut. George F. Stowell Corp. T.W. Taylor Lieut. Frank B. Thompson Sergt. Lloyd Thompson Sergt. A.L. Tucker Sergt. George Valaska Lieut. D.H. Vaughan Capt. Edward A. Walton Capt Charles Warren Sergt. Leon Was.h.i.+ngton Pvt. Casper White Capt. James D. White Sergt. Jay White Sergt. Jesse J. White Sergt. C.E. Williams Pvt. Robert Williams Sergt. Reaves Willis Pvt. H. Wiggington Sergt. L. Wilson Pvt. Tim Winston Sergt. E. Woods Pvt. George Wood Lieut. A.D. Worsham Sergt. E.C. Wright Sergt. Henry Johnson Pvt. Needham Roberts CHAPTER XV.

OVER THERE.

HENRY JOHNSON AND NEEDHAM ROBERTS-THE TIGER'S CUBS-NEGRO FIRST TO GET PALM-JOHNSON'S GRAPHIC STORY-SMASHES THE GERMANS-IRVIN COBB'S TRIBUTE-CHRISTIAN AND MOHAMMEDAN NEGROES PALS-VALOR OF 93RD DIVISION-LAUGHTER IN FACE OF DEATH-NEGRO AND POILU HAPPY TOGETHER-b.u.t.tE DE MESNIL-VALIANT AND HUMOROUS ELMER McCOWIN-WINNING WAR CROSSES-VERDICT OF THE FRENCH-THE NEGRO'S FAITH.

A most conspicuous Negro hero of the war, and for that matter of any race serving with the American army, was Sergeant Henry Johnson of Albany, N.Y. His exploit was shared by a company mate, Needham Roberts. For pure bull dog grit and tigerish fighting, the exploit has seldom, if ever, been equalled in the annals of any war. It resulted in the War Crosses for each with a special citation, and the whole French force in that section of the Champagne lined up to see them get the decorations. Across the red and green ribbon of Johnson's decoration was a golden palm, signifying extraordinary valor. Johnson was the first private of any race in the American army to get the palm with his Croix de Guerre. Here is the story as told in Johnson's own words after his arrival back in New York: "There isn't so much to tell", said Johnson with characteristic modesty. "There wasn't anything so fine about it. Just fought for my life. A rabbit would have done that.

"Well, anyway, me and Needham Roberts were on patrol duty on May 15. The corporal wanted to send out two new drafted men on the sentry post for the midnight-to-four job. I told him he was crazy to send untrained men out there and risk the rest of us. I said I'd tackle the job, though I needed sleep.

"German snipers had been shooting our way that night and I told the corporal he wanted men on the job who knew their rifles. He said it was imagination, but anyway he took those green men off and left Needham and me on the posts. I went on at midnight. It was moonlight. Roberts was at the next post. At one o'clock a sniper took a crack at me from a bush fifty yards away. Pretty soon there was more firing and when Sergeant Roy Thompson came along I told him.

"'What's the matter men' he asked, 'You scared?'

"'No I ain't scared', I said, 'I came over here to do my bit and I'll do it. But I was jes' lettin' you know there's liable to be some tall sc.r.a.ppin' around this post tonight'. He laughed and went on, and I began to get ready. They'd a box of hand grenades there and I took them out of the box and laid them all in a row where they would be handy. There was about thirty grenades, I guess. I was goin' to bust that Dutch army in pieces if it bothered me.

"Somewhere around two o'clock I heard the Germans cutting our wire out in front and I called to Roberts. When he came I told him to pa.s.s the word to the lieutenant. He had just started off when the snippin' and clippin' of the wires sounded near, so I let go with a hand grenade. There was a yell from a lot of surprised Dutchmen and then they started firing. I hollered to Needham to come back.

"A German grenade got Needham in the arm and through the hip. He was too badly wounded to do any fighting, so I told him to lie in the trench and hand me up the grenades.

"'Keep your nerve' I told him. 'All the Dutchmen in the woods are at us, but keep cool and we'll lick 'em.' Roberts crawled into the dugout. Some of the shots got me, one clipped my head, another my lip, another my hand, some in my side and one smashed my left foot so bad that I have a silver plate holding it up now.

"The Germans came from all sides. Roberts kept handing me the grenades and I kept throwing them and the Dutchmen kept squealing, but jes' the same they kept comin' on. When the grenades were all gone I started in with my rifle. That was all right until I shoved in an American cartridge clip-it was a French gun-and it jammed.

"There was nothing to do but use my rifle as a club and jump into them. I banged them on the dome and the side and everywhere I could land until the b.u.t.t of my rifle busted. One of the Germans hollered, 'Rush him! Rush him!' I decided to do some rus.h.i.+ng myself. I grabbed my French bolo knife and slashed in a million directions. Each slash meant something, believe me. I wasn't doing exercises, let me tell you.

"I picked out an officer, a lieutenant I guess he was. I got him and I got some more of them. They knocked me around considerable and whanged me on the head, but I always managed to get back on my feet. There was one guy that bothered me. He climbed on my back and I had some job shaking him off and pitching him over my head. Then I stuck him in the ribs with the bolo. I stuck one guy in the stomach and he yelled in good New York talk: 'That black -- got me.'

"I was still banging them when my crowd came up and saved me and beat the Germans off. That fight lasted about an hour. That's about all. There wasn't so much to it."

No, there was not much to it, excepting that next morning the Americans found four German bodies with plentiful indications that at least thirty-two others had been put on the casualty list and several of the German dead probably had been dragged back by their comrades. Thirty-eight bombs were found, besides rifles, bayonets and revolvers.

It was Irvin Cobb, the southern story writer, who first gave to the world a brief account of the exploit of Johnson and Roberts in the Sat.u.r.day Evening Post during the summer of 1918. He commented as follows: "If ever proof were needed, which it is not, that the color of a man's skin has nothing to do with the color of his soul, this twain then and there offered it in abundance."

Mr. Cobb in the same article paid many tributes to the men of the 369th and 371st serving at that time in that sector. Among other things he said: "They were soldiers who wore their uniforms with a smartened pride; who were jaunty and alert and prompt in their movements; and who expressed as some did vocally in my hearing, and all did by their att.i.tude, a sincere heartfelt inclination to get a whack at the foe with the shortest possible delay."

Continuing, Mr. Cobb uttered a sentiment that is sure to awaken a glow in the hearts of all sympathizers and friends of the Negro race. "I am of the opinion personally," he said, "and I make the a.s.sertion with all the better grace, I think, seeing that I am a Southerner with all the Southerner's inherited and acquired prejudices touching on the race question-that as a result of what our black soldiers are going to do in this war, a word that has been uttered billions of times in our country, sometimes in derision, sometimes in hate, sometimes in all kindliness-but which I am sure never fell on black ears but it left behind a sting for the heart-is going to have a new meaning for all of us, South and North too, and that hereafter n-i-g-g-e-r will merely be another way of spelling the word American."

Many a man in the four regiments comprising the 93rd division when he heard about the exploit of May 15th, oiled his rifle, sharpened his bayonet and whetted his trench knife, resolved to go Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts one better if the opportunity came to him. It did come to many of them in the days that followed and although none got a chance to distinguish himself in equal degree with the redoubtable Johnson, it was because the Boche had become too wary. They had cultivated a healthy respect for the colored men and called them "blutl.u.s.tige schwartze manner," meaning "blood-thirsty black men." Another nickname they had was "h.e.l.l Fighters."

When the 93rd division was brigaded with the French on the Aisne, at least two of the component regiments were under a French general having in his command several thousand Moroccan Negroes. He placed them on the other side of the river fearing they would quarrel over religious differences. However, it was impossible to keep them from fraternizing. There were no religious disputes, nor is it of record that the Americans attempted to convert the Mohammedans. But they did initiate their turbaned comrades into the mysteries of a certain American game and it is said that the disciples of Allah experienced considerable hard luck.

Most of the 93rd division was under fire from the early days of May, 1918, until the close of the war. The 369th, which left New York with 56 officers and 2,000 men, returned with only 20 officers and 1,200 men of the original organization. A few had been transferred to casual companies and other commands, but many will never come back; their bodies being part of the soil of France-killed in action, died of wounds or disease.

The tale of the 93rd is full of deeds of valor, laughter in the face of death, of fearful carnage wrecked upon the foe, of childlike pride in the homage their Allies paid them, and now and then an incident replete with the bubbling Negro humor that is the same whether it finds its outlet on the cotton-fields of Dixie or the battlefields of France.

Between the French and the colored troops the spirit was superb. The French poilu had not been taught that the color of a man's skin made a difference. He had no prejudices. How could he have, coming from a nation whose motto is LIBERTY, FRATERNITY, EQUALITY? He formed his judgment from bravery and Manhood and Honor. The Negro soldiers ate, slept and drank with the poilus. They were happy together.

An incident of the valor of the 93rd division was in the fight at b.u.t.te de Mesnil, as tough a spot as any in the line between the sea and Switzerland. The ground had been fought over back and forth, neither side holding it for long. The French said it was the burying place of 200,000 of their troops and Germans, and that it could not be held permanently. The Negro boys tackled the job. In four days they had advanced fourteen kilometers (8.4 miles) and they NEVER retreated.

The Negro troops to a great extent went into action with little training, but they learned quickly in the hard school of experience. They excelled in grenade throwing and machine gun work. Grenade throwing is very ticklish business. Releasing the pin lights the fuse. Five seconds after the fuse is lighted the grenade explodes. It must be timed exactly. If thrown too quickly the enemy is liable to pick it up and hurl it back in time to create the explosion in one's own lines. No one cares to hold a grenade long after the fuse is lighted so the boys sometimes threw them ahead of the signal.

"Shorty" Childress of B company, 371st Infantry, had been drilled with dummy grenades. When given the real thing he released the pin and immediately heard the fulminating fuse working its way down into the charge. It was too much for his nerves. He threw the grenade as far as he could send it. The lieutenant reprimanded him severely.

"What do you mean," he said, "by hurling that explosive ahead of the proper time. Do you want the Boches to pick it up, fire it back here and blow us all to smithereens?"

"Shorty" was properly abashed. He hung his head and responded: "Lieutenant, I begs your pardon, I didn't mean to heave it so soon, but I could actually feel that thing a swellin' in my hand."

But they soon acquired the idea, and after a short time very few of the grenades reached the enemy either ahead of or behind time.

Here is the valiant and humorous story of Elmer McCowin, 669 Lenox Avenue, New York City, a private in Company K, 369th infantry, and how he won the Distinguished Service Cross. He said: "On September 26th, the captain asked me to carry dispatches. The Germans pumped machine gun bullets at me all the way, but I made the trip and got back safely. Then I was sent out again. As I started the captain hollered to bring him back a can of coffee. He was joking but I didn't know it.

"Being a foot messenger I had some time ducking those German bullets. Those bullets seemed very sociable but I didn't care to meet up with any of them, so I kept on traveling on high gear. None touched my skin, though some skinned pretty close.

"On the way back it seemed the whole war was turned on me. One bullet pa.s.sed through my trousers and it made me hop, skip and jump. I saw a sh.e.l.l hole six feet deep. Take it from me I dented it another six feet when I plunged into it. In my fist I held the captain's can of coffee.

"When I climbed out of the hole and started running again a bullet clipped a hole in the can and the coffee started to run out. But I turned around stopped a second, looked the Kaiser in the face and held up the can of coffee with my finger plugging up the hole to show the Germans they were fooled. Just then another bullet hit the can and another finger had to act as a stopper. I pulled out an old rabbit's foot that my girl had given me and rubbed it so hard the hair almost came off.

"It must have been the good luck thing that saved my life because the bullets were picking at my clothes and so many hit the can that at the end all my fingers were in use to keep the coffee in. I jumped into sh.e.l.l holes and wriggled along the ground and got back safely. And what do you think? When I got back into our own trenches I stumbled and spilled the coffee."

Not only did Lieutenant George Miller, battalion adjutant, confirm the story, but he added: "When that boy came back with the coffee his clothes were riddled with bullets. Yet half an hour later he went out into no man's land and brought back a number of wounded until he was badly ga.s.sed. Even then he refused to go to the rear and went out again for a wounded soldier. All this under fire. That's the reason he got the D.S.C."

Corporal Elmer Earl, also of Company K, living in Middletown, N.Y., won the D.S.C. He explained: "We had taken a hill Sept. 26 in the Argonne. We came to the edge of a swamp when the enemy machine guns opened fire. It was so bad that of the 58 of us who went into a particular strip, only 8 came out without being killed or wounded. I made a number of trips out there and brought back about a dozen wounded men."

The proudest recollection which Negro officers and privates will carry through life is that of the whole-hearted recognition given them in the matter of decorations by the French army authorities. Four colored regiments of the 93rd division attained the highest record in these awards. These regiments being brigaded with the French, their conduct in action was thus under their observation. Not only was each of these regiments cited as a unit for the Croix de Guerre, but 365 individual soldiers received the coveted decoration. A large number of Distinguished Service Crosses were also distributed to the 93rd division by General Pers.h.i.+ng. The verdict p.r.o.nounced by critical French commanders may be considered as an unquestionable confirmation that the Negro troops were under all conditions brave fighters. This fact and the improved status of the Negro as a result of it was pointed to by the New York Tribune, in a leading editorial in its issue of February 14, 1919. It said: "The bas-relief of the Shaw Memorial became a living thing as the dusky heroes of the 15th cheered the Liberty statue and happily swarmed down the gangplank. Appropriately the arrival was on the birthday of the "revered Lincoln," and never was the young and martyred idealist of Ma.s.sachusetts filled with greater pride than swelled in Colonel Hayward as he talked of his men the best regiment, he said, with pardonable emphasis, 'of all engaged in the great war.'

"These were men of the Champagne and the Argonne whose step was always forward; who held a trench ninety days without relief, with every night a raid night; who won 171 medals for conspicuous bravery; who saw the war expire under their pressure in a discouraged German cannonade. First cla.s.s fighting men! Hats off to them! The tribunal of grace does not regard skin color when a.s.sessing souls.

"The boys cheered the Bartholdi statue. It makes some whites uncomfortable. It converts into strange reading glib eulogies of democratic principles.

"A large faith possesses the Negro. He has such confidence in justice,-the flow-of which he believes will yet soften hard hearts. We have a wonderful example of a patience that defies discouragement; the "Souls of Black Folk"! When values are truly measured, some things will be different in this country."

CHAPTER XVI.

THROUGH h.e.l.l AND SUFFERING.

Negro Officers Make Good-Wonderful Record of the 8th Illinois-"Black Devils" Win Decorations Galore-Tribute of French Commander-His Farewell to Prairie Fighters-They Fought After War Was Over-Hard to Stop Them-Individual Deeds of Heroism-Their Dead, Their Wounded and Suffering-A Poem.

In the past when the subject of the Negro's fighting ability was under discussion, there were always found those whose grudging a.s.sent to his merits as a soldier was modified by the a.s.sertion that he had to be properly commanded; in other words must have white officers. Never having been given a conspicuous opportunity to demonstrate his capacity for leaders.h.i.+p in battle, until the formation of the 8th Illinois infantry in the Spanish-American war, the Negro was forced to rest under the imputation that as a follower he did fairly well, but as a leader he was a failure.

Let anyone who still holds that view study the record of the 8th Illinois, or the 370th, as it was rechristened when entering the service of the general government in the recent war. Seventy-one War Crosses with special citations for valor and merit, and twenty-one Distinguished Service Crosses were awarded officers and men of the regiment. Many men in the 370th were veterans of the Spanish-American war as well as the campaign of 1916 on the Mexican border, which, while not an actual war, was for some months a locality of service and hard service at that; the regiment pa.s.sing through it with great credit.