Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-12
THIRD iowa
LOSES men.
Centerville, Des Moines and
Headquarters Companies
In Thick of Battle March
4, When Germans At
tackled American Forces.
CAPTAIN M'HENRY
DIES DURING FIGHT

! The attack of the Huns on the posi-
tion of the American troops in France
the night of March and the day fol-
lowing, has brought home to Ottumwa
| more than anything thus far, that
America is in the war and that OF
! tumwa is vitally. interested. News
+, dispatches tell of the killing, OF
| fifteen and wounding of twenty mem
bers of the 16sth U. S. infantry, but
none of Ottumwa's soldiers Is named
in the casualty lists.
The list of dead and wounded con-
tains thus far only members of and
D companies and the headquarters
company. B company is from Des
Moines. d company from Centerville,
but both these commands End the
headquarters company have members
from other cities in Iowa. They are
all members of the famous Rainbow
division of which G company is one OF
the commands.
CAPTAIN M'HENRY DEAD.
Among those to fall was Captain
Harrison Cummins McHenry OF B
company, Des Moines. Fourteen Of
his fellow fighters also sacrificed their
ilisass A eeaEs.sInSrg Of there brnsr
Hawkeyes of the 16Sth were wounded
in action. The casualty list repre-
sents many sections of the state. The
action in which the casualties occur
red was the first this unit participated
in.
The details Of the battle in which
these men laid down their lives are
not known. Their names are not in
cluded in the casualty list given out
by the war department yesterday
afternoon and which in addition con-
tains many names Of killed and
wounded some of whom may be
Iowans.
LETTER TO MOTHER.
A letter received by the mother Of
Captain McHenry, the last before he
went into action, shows the type of
men and soldiers that the 16Sth is
made up Of The brave sacrifice they
made for the nations sake only serves
to bring home to those left behind,
that a war is being fought in which
all have part to do.
The letter:
Mother dear as we are ready to
60, just waiting for the word to set US
in motion your old pal wants to say
adios to you all alone.
We've been good pals. and have
liked the same things, and now for
the time being are separated, but,
mother dear, it will be only for a
little while and I will be back with
you again.
81 will try to be a credit to you, Is
will never be a coward to bring dis
grace to you.
Goodbye, mother God keep you
safe"
MARRIED ON BORDER
A telegram the official notice from
the war department, brought the news,
to Captain McHenry's wife, who as
Lucille Ronine was married to Cap
tain McHenry when he was lieutenant
in service at Brownsville. Tex, in
1916.
Captain McHenry and his bride had (
never been able to begin life together
as they had planned. because of trou-
BILE on the border and the later out
break of the war. In recent letters
Captain McHenry had mapped out a
six months honeymoon" after the
war was over. full of pleasure trips
and compensation for enforced separ-
alton of the past two years. .
HEADQUARTERS CO. SUFFERS
The casualty list indicates that the
headquarters company. suffered the
greatest casualties while two compan-
les. B and d of the One Hundred Six
ty-eighth have been in, violent action,
and in all probability Captain Nc
Henry died leading detachment
of men from his company. three priv
ates having been killed and nine
wounded
Six of the dead were members Of
the headquarters company. This or
ganization, which usually handles
when in action. was
subjected to the greatest
danger during the engagement.
d company also suffered severely,
three being reported dead. and eleven
more wounded. Two more deaths are
recorded in the headquarters company.
1t is probable that the list of killed
and injured as given is not complete,
and other names may be added to
both lists. The nature of the injuries
suffered by the score of men Who
we're among those reported woundnA