The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-11-10
Eight Hundred Odd Americans
Who Fought For France
COVERED WITH GLORY
Ranks Have Been Decimiated
Flying Corps; Exciting
Incidents
from Mondays Daily.
~ HENRY WOOD


With The French Foreign Legion,
France, October, 19.-[By MALL
Eight hundred odd Americans en-
listed in the famous French Foreign
legion in the early part of the war.
The legion, which is one of the
finest fighting regiments in France,
has participated in nearly all of the
big offensives to date, and many of
the American volunteers were killed
Tor permanently wounded in these
actions. The American contingent suf-
fered especially heavy during the big
French offensive in Champagne last
September, where, the regiment, as
usual, covered itself with glory.
Since then, fully fifty of the Ameri-
can DICTIONARIES have been transferred
at their own request into the Franco
American Flying corps; others have
secured their discharge, while quite
recently the remainGg ones have
manifested an ardent desire to get
into the French regiments which the
French government has finally per-
mitted them to CO.
What Region Is Doing.
The legion at the present moment
is defending one of the more quiet
sections of the French front, where
the first line trenches run just in
front of one Of the most beautiful
and most historic chateaus Of france.
The chateau Itself has been completely
destroyed by the Germans, but the
grounds, in which the legion is en-
camped, remain almost as beautiful
as ever.
The transfer of the legion into this
ideal spot for a few weeks of quiet
trench fighting is in recompense for
the brilliant part played by it in the
early part of the Somme offensive,
where it suffered heavy losses.
Almost the first man whom l met
in the legion, after the officers, was
a nineteen year-old boy of ST. Louis,
Missouri sAlthough a member of the
legion for only the past nine months
he is proudly wearing the much
coveted decoration of the Croix de
Guerre which he won in brilliant
bayonet charge on the Somme.
Only Four Remain.
or the original 100 American
volunteers, who sailed from New
York on the Rochambeau August 4,
1914, Immediately following the
declaration Of war, only four remain.
These are Lieutenant of Seattle
who is undergoing special treatment
at Paris for bullet through the
lungs; a sergeant of New Orleans; al
private of San Francisco and private
of New York So
IN the legion's brilliant bayonet
charges on thee Somme three out of
the four battalion commanders were
killed, thep remaining one, Command
ant Weddell, an Englishman, having
been decorated with the Legion OIL
Honor foryhis bravery.
Numerically, the legion has stuff
fered heavily since the beginning of
the war, owing to the large number of
volunteers who have been released in
order to return home and fight with
their own armies The Italians. forl
example, returned home when Italy
declared war;; the Greeks at the mo-
ment of Greek mobilization, and the
Roumanians with their country's en-
trance Tito the conflict.
Nevertheless, the legion still has
members from forty eight different
nations. One Of the few Greeks re-
naming told me he had come all the
way from Jerusalem to fight for
France and had preferred to remain
rather than return to his own colors.
Likewise, a remaining Italian, who
had lived all his life only two days ION
foot" from Rome without ever having
seen the Eternal City" had pre-
ferred to continue fighting for France
rather than return to his native land.
From Msnday's Daily
Frank Hurd spent Sunday with |
friends IN Rochester.
Mr.. ard Mrs. H. Walton are spend
ing sevfral days at Albert Lea.
Leonard Rosquist of st. Peter spent
Sunday at his home in this city.
Ed Bsrnes of Vernon Center was
business caller in the city today.
A. L, and E. w. Goldenstar spent
the AFTERNOON on business at Nicol-
let. Il
Agnes Shepard of Hutchinson,
Mimi, + visiting her aunt, Miss Essie
Mesdsmes F. o. Thompson and T.
elliott If st. James were in the city |
shoppins today.
Mr.. and Mrs. William o. johnson
of Amby visited in Mankato Satur-
day anf Sunday.
Hale elements was at Minneapolis |
SaturdS and attended the Mime
ota-Illhois football game.
LeR0 Bowen of ST. Paul is spend |
ing seHral days in the city, coming |
home = cast his first vote.
Mrs. Ben E. Fox of Lake Crystal !
spent Sunday as a guest at the home
of her Father, J. F. Johnson.
3 Floyd Crandall has returned from
Washington, d. c., and will spend
the wiiter with relatives in Man
Mrs. Anna P. Shepard of Lake
Crystal spent Saturday visiting at |
the home of her son-in-law and
daughter, Mr. and Mrs. C. d, OFT.
Peal Rieke and Clara Fullerton
have hturned to resume their studies
|at the normal school after several
days 'isit at their homes in Fairfax. :
Mist Augusta Schramm of Fairfax
was tie week end guest of the Misses
Elizahth Brennesholtz and Grace
Parke at their home in the Security
m