The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-15
First To Fight And
Last To Give Up
Splendid Tribute Paid tho Marines by
Major General Barnett In His
Annual Report.

Washington. Dec. 1.-THE spirit OF
first to fight and last 20 give up
was so strongly inculcated In the
United States marines sent TO the
battlefront, that in the period from
Apri1 | to September their casual
ties were % per cent, almost a fourth
of their entire strength, and only
twenty five men were taken prisoner,
according to the annual report OF
Major General Barnett. commandant
of the marine corps. issued today.
In large measure the report deals
with the administrative functions or
the corps much of the official data
of the battle record of the organlZa-
ton having been printed in the navy
report.
The report shows that before sign
ing Of the arniistice 53a officers ana
2l,321 men were sent to France. The
list of casualties shows that forty
four officers and LIS enlisted men
died i'm action and that seventysix
officers and 2,s32 men were wounded
One OF the most striking statements
of the report indicating the mar
vicious morale and lighting spirit or
the corps, Is made in answer to a
question raised as to the wisdom OF
reducing the recruit training period
from fourteen weeks to seven weeks.
The statement IL from the comman-
der OF the Sixth regiment of marines.
which bore a heavy part in the night
ing al Chateau-Thierry. and states:
THE remarkable conduct of raw
replacement troops which joined this
organization on the night of June 8.
when thrown into the line Is trans
mitted for the information OF the
major general commandment. The re-
placement detail of 21S men Included
among 1t a large majority who we're
enlisted two months before their re-
porting to this organization. II was
necessary to replace Immediately
losses sustained in the second bat
TALON which was holding the right
flank OF our position and the strong
hold OF the town of Bourcsche, line
vitality i'm portant to the success of the
present, operations. The detail ar
rived at ting regimentaa. headaaaE1ers
az ssssz1xi Va, AJusfe q, Essle- y y tssss
placed In the woods and organized
for relief 1t Was necessary TO detail
five officers, accompanying them to
! the Third battalion for the purpose
of reorganizing that battalion upon
its relief that night. These troops
were marched past the lines at 1880
r. NJ under detail from regimental
Headquarters to a point where they
were met by platoon guides and con-
Quoted to their stations. The regi~
mental sergeant major reports that
the men obeyed orders without a
word. moved in splendid order and
across terrain which was shelled by
| the enemy with high explosive and
/ lighted up by flares.
:, Their arrival in the lines of the
! Second battalion relieved ii pressing
need for men at a vital moment The
remarkab BILE steadiness OF these men,
many OF whom had not had more
| than two months service. under con-
ditions that would have been trying
to veteran troops. Is eloquent evil
! dence of the fine material from which
the marine corps Is drawing its men
! in critical hour of the nations
! history"
! The report brings attention to the
! fact that officers are charged 81 a day
In hospitals, the regulations calling
/ for cash payment. The report recon-
mends that this service be given the
officers free of charge.