USA > Kansas > Shawnee County > Honor roll : Shawnee County, Kansas > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
SECOND LINE OF RESISTANCE FORMED.
The greatest mass of troops, of course, was on the line. Officers there had spent the night of the 29th preparing the position, disposing the troops for re- sistance and in the very earnest endeavor to get up rations and ammunition.
Neither officers nor men knew whether the next day would see them put again to the attack, or with- drawn, but there were continual rumors, which would spread like wildfire along the trench, that the division was to be relieved.
The second line of resistance was formed soon after midnight on orders from the 69th Brigade. Colonel Mitchell gathered what men he could from the territory about him and took them to the line. Some machine gunners came up also, and he had three or four hundred men behind the engineers, with eight or ten machine guns. The tangle of units was worse than ever. Colonel Hamilton had gone to hospital, a casualty, on the 29th, and Major O'Connor, commanding the remnants of the 137th Regiment, brought it back to
Page 57
the engineers' line. He inserted parties of his men in the line wherever they were needed, thus mixing his own outfit worse than ever, but strengthening the line.
ENGINEER COLONEL IN COMMAND.
The engineers dug the line, and during the day of the 30th, the greater number of men in it were en- gineers. Elements of infantry were scattered through, without much order, but if order there were, one might say that the 137th was on the left and the 138th on the right. Machine guns were in position and the line was ready. The men who saw to that were Colonel Clarke and his second in command, Major Stayton, both engineers. Colonel Clarke commanded the di- visional front and directed its defense to hold the line. It argues a tense and strange situation when a colonel of engineers is put in command of the front line. No mistake was made in putting Clarke and Stayton on this job. They were well up to it.
LAID A PERFECT BARRAGE.
Thompson and his 3rd Battalion of the 138th were still outside the works. He had skillfully taken a position which the enemy would find difficulty in driving them out of and from which he could con- stantly harass the Germans. He was exactly where the enemy did not want him to be, and from 3 to 6 a. m. his position was heavily and accurately shelled. Thompson's line was unmoved by the cannonading, in spite of casualties. This fire came mostly from Thomp- son's left flank and his left rear, doubtless out of the Argonne Forest.
After daylight on the morning of the 30th the Germans tried to drive him from his position by a counter attack out of Montrebeau Wood, which the enemy had re-entered immediately after the American withdrawal. At 9 a. m. one German ran out with a tripod for a machine gun and dropped in a shell hole. Then came another man with the gun. Then another with ammunition. Three guns were advanced in this way, and Thompson, knowing an attack was imminent, called on our artillery for a barrage. The Germans came out of the woods in a charging wave, and our artillery came across with a perfect barrage at the same time.
The co-ordinates given were perfect, and the aim of the guns was no less perfect. The infantry with Chauchats and rifles kept up a killing fire on the wave, and it hesitated, stopped and retreated into the woods with heavy loss.
During the day three such attacks were repulsed, and the enemy machine guns which were constantly being pushed forward were fought all day long and many put out of commission.
Nightfall again found Thompson's men in the line before Montrebeau Wood, grimly holding on. Colonel Nuttman, commanding the 69th Brigade, had become ill, and Col. H. S. Hawkins, chief of staff, taken over command of the brigade. Colonel Nuttman was evacuated to a hospital in the rear.
The engineers' line was shelled all day long, and endeavors were made by the enemy to filter machine gunners back, but these were prevented.
Two light counter attacks against the line were easily repulsed, and at nightfall, the position was where it had been the night before, and it was better organized and stronger than it had been the preceding evening.
RELIEF FOR THE 35TH
Reports which had sifted back to the corps and division headquarters represented the division in worse shape than it really was, badly as it was mixed up, and weary as were the men. It probably was in letter shape than some other divisions along the front, but the position was so vital and the resistance there so strong that army headquarters decided to relieve the 35th.
VICTORY
HONOR ROLL F
As a testimonial to the importance of the position and the strength of the opposition, headquarters sent to take the place of the 35th the division which it believed to be one of the two best, if not, indeed, the very best, in the American Army. This was the 1st Division.
Orders were received that the 1st Division would relieve the 35th on the morning of October 1, before daylight.
Everybody was willing but Thompson. He was still out in front with his battalion, fighting the enemy in the edge of Montrebeau Wood, keeping perfect touch with the 91st on our right and connecting with the engineers' line by his patrols.
At dark of the 30th, he again received orders to withdraw, but he felt that his position was too vital to permit of his abandoning it until a relief had come, so he stuck to the line. He had received some rations and ammunition, and, in the army phrase, was "sitting pretty."
At 3 o'clock on the morning of October 1, the 1st Division came in for the relief, which it accomplished smoothly and with speed. The men came in standing in the shell fire, and they took many casualties. Our men, taught the hard lesson presented as little of their bodies to the enemy fire as possible. As fast as one of our sections was released it was march to the rear.
The company of the 28th Regulars sent to relieve Thompson came in echeloned in depth, but with fifty men in the front line, to take the place of the probably two hundred Thompson had left. Thompson sent his men back under other officers and sergeants, and stayed six hours longer with the relief, showing them the lay of the land. When he rejoined his outfit near Cheppy, Captain Bottger had again taken command of the battalion.
Elements of the division were grouped just south of Charpentry before dawn and from there marched south to Cheppy and into the area between Cheppy and the Forge Moulin, to be sorted, grouped and re- assembled.
HOW DIVISION LOOKED AFTER RELIEF.
The division, like every other division at this stage of a great battle, looked more like a band of refugees than a military organization. The men were unshaven, dirty and haggard. Their clothing was soiled and torn, their shoes muddy and worn out. Many had minor wounds and the white bandages were plentiful. A great deal of equipment had been lost or thrown away. They lay about their various grouping spaces, two or three together sleeping under one or two raincoats. Some had grown hoarse from cold or gas, and nearly everyone's eyes were red from gas and loss of sleep.
A serious dysenteric condition had broken out throughout the entire outfit. Its cause was variously ascribed to the water, to eating canned food con- tinuously, to the lack of hot food for five days. The epidemic greatly weakened the men and made the reassembling of units still more difficult.
It was a sorry band, but they had played a great part in a great battle. The guns were pounding heavily just ahead. Airplanes, our own and the enemy's, flew above, and the air was full of fighting; shells snarled above them, but they slept.
For this weary, dirty, lousy band of men had in the last five days fought with and taken prisoners from six German divisions, the 1st and 5th Prussian Guard, the 1st and 2nd Landwehr, and the 37th and 52nd divisions of the line.
They had advanced thirteen kilometers (eight and two-thirds miles) into enemy territory and through the defenses of the Hindenburg line. They had organized and held a line ten kilometers forward of the original front.
RESULTS OF DIVISION'S WORK.
They had captured and turned in through their own cage as prisoners 751 men and thirteen officers. Besides these, some two hundred and fifty prisoners had been cleared through the 91st Division's cage.
Included in the great mass of material captured were the following:
Eighty-five machine guns.
One hundred and sixty auto rifles.
One hundred anti-tank guns.
Four telephone systems.
One engineer dump.
Two ammunition dumps.
Five 6-inch howitzers.
Two machine gun belt fillers.
Three 77-mm. field pieces.
One 60cm. gauge gas engine.
Four whiz-bangs.
One anto-aircraft battery.
Three trench mortars.
Eleven pieces artillery.
One 1-pound gun.
MORE THAN A THOUSAND DEAD.
For itself, the division's casualties of all kinds had been 232 officers and 6,688 men. These included killed in action, wounded, gassed and taken prisoner. Among these, although the reports did not show it, would be more than a thousand dead.
The heavy toll of casualties among officers was probably the greatest factor in causing the mixing up of elements, which caused the greatest confusion. The men were no braver than their officers and so we lost the men who were trained to lead. We had not been in war long enough to learn from the French that officers must be conserved.
The brilliant action on the River Aire, the 35th on the right and the 28th on the left, brought from the American command the signal honor of mention in the cummunique. We had been at war for more than a year, but the communique had not yet identified the units when telling of their work. The communique issued after the first day's fight said:
"Pennsylvania and Missouri and Kansas troops, serving in Major General Liggett's corps, stormed Varennes, Montblainville, Vauquois and Cheppy after stubborn resistance."
The captures of other towns along the line were mentioned, but no other troops specified. The Penn- sylvanians were in the 28th Division and the Missouri and Kansas troops made up the 35th.
The distinguished generals who saw the troops in the British area in May all predicted they would make magnificent soldiers and said they would watch with great interest to see whether the predictions were verified.
They came true. At no time in the fight were the enlisted men called upon by their officers for any action that they did not immediately try to perform. They advanced just as gallantly to the last attack as they did in the first, and they underwent the ex- hausting trial, privations and continuous work with rare stamina. If the fame of the division rests upon the work of the enlisted men it will live forever.
Page 58
VICTORY
THE EIGHTY-NINTH DIVISION
SLEEVE INSIGNIA OF 89TH AMERICAN DIVISION
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EIGHTY-NINTH DIVISION
HONOR ROLL
Log of the 89th Division
Headquarters 89th American Division Second Section, O. S. Germany
January 31, 1919.
This division was:
THE FIRST
Division to move from training area to the front by truck.
Division to enter the line without previously being brigaded with French or British troops.
Division to be continuously in the front line for more than eight weeks.
National Army Division to participate in a major operation.
National Army Division to enter Germany.
The 89th Division, United States Army, called the "Middle West Division," with Major General Leonard Wood as Commanding General, was organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Funston, Kansas. The majority of the officers were from the Fourteenth Provisional Training Regiment, Fort Riley, Kansas. These officers, as well as the majority of the enlisted men, were selected from the states of Missouri, Kansas, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
The first enlisted men arrived on September 6, 1917. From this date up to May 8, 1918, new men were transferred into and out of the Division. These transfers, especially the last one, which was from Camp Grant, Illinois brought in a number of men from other states, but the incoming local drafts always kept the majority of the Division Personnel from the states originally mentioned.
General Wood, on November 26, 1917, left for an inspection tour overseas; due to the severe wound he received in France, he did not return until April 12, 1918, and was in command of the Division until June 1, 1918, when the Division left Camp Mills, L. I., for France.
During General Wood's absence overseas and again after the Division left for France until September 3, 1918, the Division was commanded by Brigadier General Frank L. Winn, who was also Commanding General of the 177th Infantry Brigade of the same Division.
From September 3 to November 15, 1918, the Division was commanded by Major General William M. Wright. When he left to command the First Army
Corps, the command of the Division was again given to Major General Frank L. Winn, who led it into Germany.
The Division, less 164th Field Artillery Brigade, started leaving Camp Funston on May 22, 1918, arriving at Camp Mills, Long Island, on May 25. On June 2 organizations of the Division started leaving for New York and Montreal, which were the points of embarkation.
The convoys which carried the Division overseas assembled at New York and Halifax and sailed for England. On arrival there the route taken was from Liverpool and London to Winchester, to South- hampton, to le Havre, France, to the RIMACOURT- ST. BLIN-PREZ sous la FOUCHE-TRAMPOT training area, arriving here June 30, 1918.
On August 5, 1918, the Division as a member of the First American Army, Fourth Corps, embussed and relieved the 82nd American Division in the REMEN- AUVILLE-SEICHEPREY - BOUCONVILLE sector north of TOUL. While in this sector active daily patrolling was maintained, many prisoners and identi- fications from the Boche being obtaincd, but no prison- ers from this Division were lost to the enemy. Casual- ties were slight.
This sector was held by the Division until Sep- tember 12, when it went over the top as a front line Division in the ST. MIHIEL operation with a sector extending from LIMEY exclusive west to 2 kilometers west of and including FLIREY.
During this operation the average advance of the Division was 12 kilometers, extreme depth 21 kilo- meters, and the towns of BENEY, ESSEY, BOUIL- LONVILLE, PANNES, XAMMES, and THIA- COURT were taken.
Prisoners, material, etc., captured and casualties were as follows:
Prisoners: Officers, 80.
Men, 2,207.
Cannon, 72. Minenwerfers, 10.
Machine guns, 95. Rifles, 1,000.
And enormous quantities of artillery and small arms ammunition, grenades, clothing and blankets, en- gineer storcs and other equipment. Also several
Page 60
VICTORY
HONOR ROLL
locomotives and a number of railroad cars were taken. Prisoners taken and easualties imposed upon the 10th German Division and the 77th German Reserve Di- vision which opposed the Division rendered these Divisions incapable of further immediate service.
The casualties were: Officers: Killed, 16. Wounded, 69.
Men : Killed, 281. Wounded, 2,040. Missing, 29.
While in the ST. MIHIEL sector the 89th Ameri- can Division was "Mentioned in Orders" and "Com- mended" as follows:
G. O. No. 141, 32nd French Army Corps, 1918:
"The General commanding the 32nd Army Corps highly congratulates the patrol of the 356th I. R. U. S. which, on August 14th, having encountered an enemy detachment, succeeded in capturing 4 prisoners.
"For a long time, in that difficult sector where both adversaries have been using best artifice, we had not taken any prisoners to identify the troops in front of us.
"This action shows the care taken by the 89th D., I. U. S. in the preparation of night raids.
"It also shows the Go and Dash of the soldiers of this fine Division. "The General Commanding the 32nd French A. C. Signed: PASSAGA."
G. O. No. 142, 32nd French Army Corps, 1918:
"The command of the sector of Lucey will be taken over today (August 20), at 3:00 p. m. by General Dickman, Commanding the 4th Army Corps, United States Army, the Headquarters of which will be at Toul.
"Upon relinquishing command of this sector, the General commanding the 32nd Corps of the French Army wished to congratulate the 89th Division, U. S. A., upon its discipline, its spirit and its determi- nation, all of which surely guarantee laurels soon to be gained by this fine Division, under the distinguished command of its chief, General Winn.
"The General Commanding the 32nd French A. C.
Signed: PASSAGA."
G. O. No. 6, Hdq. 4th American Army Corps. 1918:
"The Fourth Corps has defeated the enemy and driven him back on the whole corps front. All objec- tives were reached before the time prescribed in orders, a large number of prisoners and a considerable amount of booty captured. The rapid advance of the corps, in conjunction with the action of the other elements of the First Army, rendered the ST. MIHIEL salient untenable to the enemy, who has retreated.
Page 61
"The greatest obstacle to the advance was thought to be the enemy wire which presented a problem that caused anxiety to all concerned. The Corps Com- mander desires to express in particular his admiration of the skill shown by the small groups in the advance battalions and their commanders in crossing the hostile wire and in general to express his appreciation of the hostile spirit and daring shown by the troops, and the rapidity and efficiency with which the opera- tion was conducted.
"By command of Major General Dickman: Signed: STUART HEINTZELMAN,
Chief of Staff."
G. O. No. 7, Hdq. 4th American Army Corps, 1918:
"The Corps Commander is pleased to transmit to the command the following telegram received by the Commander-in-Chief: 'My Dear General: The First American Army under your command on the first day has won a magnificent victory by a maneuver as skillfully prepared as it was valiently acted. I extend to you as well as to the officers and to the troops under your command my warmest compliments .- Marshal Foch.'
"By eommand of Major General Dickman: Signed: STUART HEINTZELMAN, Colonel, General Staff, Chief of Staff."
G. O. No. 8, Hdq. 4th American Army Corps, 1918:
"The Corps Commander takes great pride in repeating the following telegram received by him from the Commander-in-Chief of the American Expe- ditionary Forces:
'Please accept my sincere congratulations on the successful and important part taken by the officers and men of the 4th Corps in the first offensive of the First American Army on September 12th and 13th. The courageous dash and vigor of our troops has thrilled our countrymen and evoked the enthusiasm of our Allies. Please convey to your command my heartfelt appreciation of their splendid work. I am proud of you all .- Pershing.'
"By command of Major General Dickman: Signed: STUART HEINTZELMAN, Chief of Staff."
G. O. No. 18, Hdq. 1st American Army, 1918:
"The following cablegram has been received by the Commander-in-Chief and is published for the in- formation of all concerned:
'Accept my warmest congratulations on the bril- liant achievements of the Army under your command. The boys have done what we expected of them and done it in the way that we most admire. We are deeply proud of them and of their Chief. Please convey to all concerned my grateful and affectionate thanks.
WOODROW WILSON.'
"While we are all proud of the splendid success that has come to the Army even in its initial effort, and while we feel that our countrymen are justly
VICTORY
HONOR ROLL
exultant, let us fix our minds firmly on the final victory and strive more earnestly than ever to carry out our great purpose."
G. O. No. 238, G. H. Q., A. E. F., 1918:
"It is with soldierly pride that I record in General Orders a tribute to the taking of the St. Mihiel salient by the First Army.
"On September 12, 1918, you delivered the first concerted offensive operation of the American Ex- peditionary Forces upon difficult terrain against this redoubtable position, immovably held for four years, which crumpled before our ably executed advance. Within twenty-four hours of the commencement of the attack, the salient had ceased to exist and you were threatening Metz.
"Your divisions, which had never been tried in the exacting conditions of major offensive operations, worthily emulated those of more arduous experience and earned their right to participate in the more difficult task to come. Your staff and auxiliary services, which labored so untiringly and so enthu- siastically, deserve equal commendation and we are indebted to the willing co-operation of veteran French Divisions and of auxiliary units which the Allied commands put at our disposal.
"Not only did you straighten a dangerous salient, capture 16,000 prisoners and 443 guns, and liberate 240 square miles of French territory, but you have demonstrated the fitness for battle of a unified American Army.
"We appreciate the loyal training and effort of the First Army. In the name of our country, I offer our hearty and unmeasured thanks to these splendid Americans of the *** 89th *** Divisions which were engaged.
"By command of General Pershing : JAMES W. McANDREW, Chief of Staff."
After this operation the Division organized the FLIREY sector, took over the PANNES sector from the 42nd American Division and the LIMEY sector from the 78th American Division and held a large sector of the area gained by the above operation.
The 164th Field Artillery left Camp Funston on June 5, and trained in France near BORDEAUX, joining the Division on September 15, and supporting it up to the time it left for the ARGONNE-MEUSE sector. During the ARGONNE-MEUSE drive the Division was supported by the 57th and 58th Field Artillery . The 164th Field Artillery joined the Di- vision in Belgium and accompanied it on its march into Germany.
On October 9, 1918, the Division was relieved in the PANNES-FLIREY-LIMEY sector by the 37th American Division, and moved, embussing and march- ing to the ARGONNE-MEUSE sector near the BOIS de BANTHEVILLE.
On October 19 the Division, as a member of the First American Army, Fifth Corps, went into the line along the SOMMERANCE-ROMAGNE road where
it relieved the 32nd American Division. Between that date and November 1 the BOIS de BATHE- VILLE were attacked and cleared of the enemy, the lines pushed up to the north edge of the BOIS and preparations made for a further advance.
On November 1st the Division attacked in the final phase of the ARGONNE-MEUSE offensive and in five days advanced to the west bank of the MEUSE, the line extending from opposite STENAY, thru LANEUVILLE, CESSE, LUZY, LETANNE to opposite POUILLY.
From November 5 to November 10 the river and towns opposite were patrolled and preparations for a further advance to cross the river were made. On the night of November 10 the crossing on foot bridges and rafts took place with the result that on November 11 at 11:00 a. m., when the armistice went into effect, the line extended from east of STENAY and INOR to east of AUTREVILLE on the east side of the MEUSE.
During this operation the average advance of the Division, which included the crossing of the river MEUSE, was 26 kilometers, extreme depth, 31 kilo- meters, and the towns REMONVILLE, BARRI- COURT NOUART, TAILLY, LE CHAMPY HAUT, LE CHAMPY BAS, BEAUCLAIR, BEAUFORT, CESSE, LUZY, LANEUVILLE, POUILLY, AUTRE- VILLE and STENAY were taken.
Prisoners, material, etc., captured and casualties were as follows:
Prisoners: Officers. 114
Men 2,660
Rifles
400
Machine guns
360
3-inch pieces
12
77 mm. guns 24
Guns larger than 77 mm
6
Guns, 155 mm
4
Guns, 150 mm
5
210 mm. Howitzers
2
9-inch Howitzer
1
Anti-aircraft gun
1
Minenwerfers
15
Caissons. 30
37 mm. guns.
7
Auto trucks 3
Truck, oil burning
1
Wagon train 1
Horses . . 9
and a large quantity of ammunition of all calibers.
Casualties were: Officers-Killed, 29.
Men-
Killed, 771.
Wounded, 2,944. Missing, 189.
While in the ARGONNE-MEUSE sector the 89th American Division was "Mentioned in Orders" and "Commended" as follows:
G. O. No. 82, Hdq. 89th A. I. D., 1918:
"The Corps Commander commented today most favorably on the discipline of the Division as ex- emplified by the soldierly bearing and conduct of the Pace 62
VICTORY
Wounded, 105.
HONOR ROLL
officers and men. The Corps Commander had heard of the Division's reputation in this regard before it came overseas, and he had seen it in the LUCEY sector. He was glad today to express his approval.
"It now becomes the duty and pride of all ranks to foster this reputation. No matter what hardships may come our way, we have an enviable name to uphold. We have not trained these many months as soldiers to lose our grip in the presence of the enemy, the hardest troops the Germans can throw against us.
"A Division of American men who hold their heads high, who are thorogoing soldiers all the time, such a division cannot be defeated, cannot be stopped, cannot be denied the prize of victory.
WRIGHT, Commanding."
Letter, Hdq. 1st American Army, 1918:
"The Army Commander directs that you convey to the Commanding General, officers and men of the 89th Division, his appreciation of their persistent and successful efforts in clearing the Bois de Bantheville of the enemy.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.