The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-09-13
STORY OF FIRST SHOT FIRED BY
AMERICA IN WAR AGAINST HUNS.
Alex Arch, of South Bend, Indianas
Pulled the Landyard at Dawn,
October %, 1917, According to
Battery Commander.

October %, 1917, According to
Battery Commander.
o
New York, Sept 1O-The story of
the first shot fired by the American
expeditionary forces in the war witn
Germany-a shell sent crashing into
the German lines as dawn was break
ing on October %, 1917-is contain
ed in a letter sent to the Associated
Press by the commander Of the In
diana battery, which performed this
action important in American history.
slev Arch. of South Bend, Ind, a ser
geant in this unit-Battery 6 of the
ivth field artillery-is the veteran
soldier, who, according to this letter,
yanked the lanyard of the pioneer gun
to speak for the United States on the
soil of France.
Newspaper CORES pondents who in
spected the gun on the day it was
fred were permitted at that time to-
say in their cablegrams only that this
sergeant was from South Bend. The
honor OF firing this first. shot had been
claimed by another member of the
same battery. Capt Idus R. McLen-
dou. in command of the battery c..
m writing Of this event. expresses his
conviction that the people of the
United States should have available
2n authoritative account. both because
Of the signiscance of the deed and
because. in his opinion, credit should
go to the right man to whom the Of
fcers of the battery say it is due
se-gt. Alex Arch.
"Sergt. Alex Arch, of South Bend,
is the man who pulled the lanyard and
-ent the first American shot into the
,ostiie lines on the morning of octo-
her %. 1917, at G5'' Capt. McLendou
says. 81 was present during all the
s:ring of that morning.
"In the gun drill of the "a field
pieces, the gunner, a corporal, lays
the gun for direction only; cannoneer
No. / sets off the range and, at the
command of the chief of section, fires
the niece The chief of section merely
repeats the command, Fire which
is ordinarily given by the lieutenant
who acts as battery executive officer.
"on this particular morning, Arch
had a special gun crew made up OF
the, other sergeants who were in
command of gun sections in the bat
tery. all of whom were anxious to
have hand in the job. Arch himself
set off the range and acted as No. l,
pulling the lanyard at my command.
Fire."
Twenty-four shots were fired thai
morning, Capt. AIeLendon continued.
snd added: "The firing of the first
shot was an event which our division
commander considered worthy Of
special mention and record and or
:ered the shell cases of the first eight
rhots sent to his headquarters with
view to their preservation. Later,
tie commandments of the Ameri-
can expeditionary forces ordered the
IN which fired the first shot to be
withdrawn from service. and under
stand it has been or will be sent 10
40 ssa+ec TO re kept as, a relic of the
Great war.
'sThe question of who fired. this first
! shot is not a personal affair at all. 1t
is something which concerns not only
.his battery, but the Sixth field artil-
lery and the First field artillery bri-
gade as a whole The men OF this
brigade are proud of having been the
first to fight. And we have not stop
ped fighting, and do not expect to stop
until the last shot of the war is fired"
Regarding Arch, Capt. McLendon's
letter dated August IL, says that ne
.ls still living and still fighting the
Huns and his fellow soldiers who
i'helned in firing the first shot are still
living and dghtins, and the old. bat
tery is still in the game and going
| strong" aN ajs,N