Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-13
Whole Regiment of
Co)ored Jole;,rs
Cited For .raver,

correspondence Associated -freSS.l
With the American Armies in France,
June 30.--One regiment OF negroes in
the American army tnumber deleted by
censor) has had its baptism Of fire on
the fighting fields Of France and ac-
Quilted itself so well that the French
of the sector HAS cited the
whole regiment as worthy of receiving
the war cross. This regiments repuIse
ing of June IL (possibly at Belleau
wood or Bouresches) was briefly re-
ferred to in the official communique.
A later and official report Of the en-
gagement brings out interesting details
and gives credit to the officers and men
for fine fighting qualities displayed In
their initial experience under shell and
machine gun fire. The French COM
mander OF that sector has given the
regiment the highest possible common
dalton for the results accomplished and
the splendid fighting spirit shown by
the American negroes.
For several days preceding the attack
there were evidences that the enemy
was preparing to. strike a blow Two
days before one of the main points
held by thee regiment had been sub
rjected to a strong !. bombardment OF
nearly 100 shells, gas and shrapnei
Prior 10 the heavy enemy artillery barr
rage occurring on the morning Of the
18th, our advance troops heard move
ments apparently of narrow gauge
track trains in the wood back of the
enemy lines, indicating they were get
ting ready for an attack.
Every preparation had been made fol
meeting the move II it came. Besides
the usual. combat groups at the main
points of the line. a special machine
gun section occupied specially chosen
position on a small salient projecting
into the enemy line. 1t was accom-
panied by a combat group detailed
from reserve company and carrying
rifles and hand grenades ,..s8s
1t was ans on the morning OF the
18th that the order to stand to- was
given and all combat groups and the
machine gun. section took their fighting
position. The enemy artillery now
opened a violent bombardment, engag-
ing in n box barrage'' five of our mair
groups and the special machine CUR
position. The lines Of this box barrage
are well defined on the ground, showing
its outer circuit, with considerable
scattering of hits inside. The shells
were mostly It's. with some 1858, shrap.
nell and high explosives. One of oul
points received particular attention
probably by. minenwerfer, the craters
Of whichi were two yards in depth ant
Ave yards in diameter. The artillery
bombardment was extremely violent al
the start and tapered off gradually un.
til it stopped after thirty minutes.
Meantime, under cover of the ,artil-
lery. the enemy infantry began it's op.
erations. adopting the infilteling proc.
ess by which detached groups ar,
thrust forward at number of point.
instead of moving in mass formation
One group came on with two light ma.
chine guns firing a rather intense fire
into one Of our positions. Another
group was estimated to be about TWEEN.
| ty- five Or thirty. At another point OF
our front a stationary enemy patro
took position, firing with two small ma.
chine guns. Now and then squad.
would dart, forward from their CUR
positions, Eight Germans got up tt
the wire in front of one of our posi-
tons. sand four others approached al
another point. BESIDES these assault
groups which reached our. line there
were undoubtedly additional enem,
forces in assantling columns and sup.