Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-08-20
NEGROES UNDER fire
Black Troops Stand Ground With.
out flinchlRg.
whole REGIMENT CITED FOR BRAVERY
Description of the Splendid Manner
IN Which they Handled Machine
Guns and ArtiIIery-Not Frightened
at Anything the Enemy Can Do.

Guns and ArtiIIery-Not Frightened
at Anything the Enemy Can Do.
| With the American Armies in
! France, June 25.-(Correspondence OF
the Associated Press.)-One regiment
OF negroes in the American army,
! Number deleted by censor) has had
its baptism of fire on the fighting
fields OF France and acquitted itself
SO well that the French commander
vi the sector has cited the whole regi-
ment as worthy OF receiving the war
cross This regiments repulse OF the
enemy attack on the early morning OF
June II (possibly at Belleau Wood
or Bouresches) was briefly referred TO
in the official communique.
| \ later and official report of the
engagement brings out interesting de-
tails and gives credit to the officers
and men for fine lighting qualities dis
played in their initial experience un-
der shell and machine gun fire. The
/ French commander Of that sector has
given the Ie6hucHt thS "6hSSs poSSH
BILE commentator for the results ac-
complishsd and the splendid fighting
spirit shown by the American negroes.
For several days preceding the at
tack there were evidences that the
enemy was preparing to strike blow.
Two days before one of the main
points held by the regiment had been
subjected to u strong bombardment of
nearly 100 shells. gas and shrapnel.
Prior to the heavy enemy artillery
barraSe occurring on the morning OF
the 18th, our advance groups heard
movements apparently of narrow
gauge track trains in the wood back
OF the enemy lines. indicating they
were getting ready for an attack.
| Every preparation had been made
for meeting the move IL 1t came. Be-
sides the usual combat groups at the
main points Of the line, special ma
chine gun section occupied a special
| ~ chosen position on a small salient
projecting into the enemy line 1t
Il "itS dNSoiupaiieu W q SohiDeS oioeb
detailed from reserve company to
carry rifles and hand grenades.
II was Els 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 fight
ing position. The enemy artillery
now opened a violent bombardment.
engaging in a box barrage" five of
our main groups and the special ma
chine gun position. The lines of this
box barrage are we'll defined on the
ground, showing its outer circuit
with a considerable scattering of hits
inside. The shells were mostly IT'S.
with some l65s, gas, shrnpnei and
high explosives. One Of our points
received particular attention, prob
ably by minenwerfer the craters Of
which were two yards in depth and
five yards In diameter. The artillery
bombardment was extremely violent
at the start and tapered Off gradually
until 1t stopped after 80 minutes.
Meantime under cover of the artil-
lery, the enemy infantry began its
operations. adopting the nfiltering
process by which detached groups are
thrust forward at a number OF points
instead Of moving in mass forma-
tion. One group came on with two
light machine guns. firing a rather
intense fire into one OF our positions.
Another group was estimated to be
about % or 80. At another point on
our front a stationery enemy patrol
took position, firing with two small
| machine guns. Now and then squads
would dart forward from their gun
positions. Eight Germans got up to
the wire In front OF one Of our po-
stions, and four others approached at
another point. Besides these assault
groups which reached our line. there
were undoubtedly additional enemy
forces In assaulting columns and sup
| porting columns which were unable
to enter the field.
The special machine gun group un-
der command OF Lieut. l.. +. Shaw.
was In one of the most exposed GEN.
ters OF the fighting. being under ter
rifle artillery fire and the fire Of two
| German machine guns. Loeut Shaw
handled this very difficult situation
with cool bravery. The enemy bar
rage was so close that It was impos-
sible TO stand up and Lieut.. Shaw
controlled his guns by rolling from
one to the other. His two guns fired
Ave thousand rounds.
| Under this violent onslaught the
men stuck to their posts. carried out
every order without hesitation, often
under CALLING fire. and showed a high
degree Of skill with their weapons
and cooness and courage. Each ma-
chine gun jammed three times. was
partly disassembled and cleaned under
fire, continuing in action throughout
the engagement.
One team fired fourteen clips when
the gun jammed. Reporting this to
Lieut.. Shaw they were ordered to
clear the jam. While under intense
fire of artillery and machine guns
they coolly dismounted the gun. re-
mounted 1t and continued firing until
ordered to cease. The fire Of this
machine gun section was doubtless
unexpected by the enemy. and this
fact coupled with the effective fire
laid down was chiefly instrumental In
causing the withdrawal Of the enc
my.
There were instances Of individual
bravery during the action. Private
Howard Gaillard with a small rapid
fire piece was unable from his position
to get a good fire to bear upon the
advancing enemy groups. so he cool
lily and with entire disregard Of dan
ger, mounted the parapet, and while
enemy bullets were flying around him.
fired his rapid fire piece from the nip
first at one group and then at the
othar prfypfe Smithf3eld Jones and