Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-08-17
4 COL0RED AMERICAN
REGIMENT MAKES
GALLANT FIGHT
One Entire Regiment Cited for the
War Cross for Bravery and
Goodness Under Fire

With the American Armies in
France, June 3O.-Ono regiment Of
Negroes in the American Army ono.
delcted by ccnsor) has had its bap-
tism of fire on the fighting fields OF
France and acquitted itself so we'll
that the French commander of the
sector has coted the whole regiment
as worthy of receiving the War
Cross. This regiments rcpulse Of
OF the enemy attack on the early
morning OF June IL (possibly) At
Bcllcau Wood or Bouresches) was
briefly referred to in the official COM
muniQuc.
A later and official report of the
engagement brings out interesting
details and gives credit to the officers
and men for tho fine fighting quail
ties displayed in their initia! cxpcr
fence under shell and machine gun
fire. The French commander of tina.
scc.or has given the regiment the
highest possible communication for
the results accomplished and the
splendid lighting spirit shown by the
American Negroes.
For several days preceding the at
tack there were evidences that tn:
enemy was preparing to strike n
blow. Two days before one OF the
main points held by the regiment
had been subjected to n strong bonn
bardment Of nearly 100 shells, gas
and shrapncl. Prior to the heavy
81 enemy artillery barrage occurring on
-4A+ate morning OF tho 12th, our az
vance groups heard movements ap
parently OF narrow-gu0go 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 If it came.
Besides the usual combat groups at
the main points Of the line, special
machine gun section occupied spc-
cially chosen position on n small
salient projecting into the enemy
line. Ii was accompanied by COM
bat group detailed from reserve
company and carrying rifles and
hand grcnades.
It was 2:15 no tho 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 bonn
bardmcnt, engaging in Il "boN bar
rage" five OF our main groups and
the special machine gun position.
The lines OF this box barragc arc
we'll defined On tho ground, showing
it's outer circuit, with considerable
scattering Of hits inside. The shells
were mostly IT'S, with some 155s,
gas, shrapncl and high explosives.
One OF our points received particu-
lar attention, probably mincnwerfer,
the craters Of which were two yards
in depth and five yards in diameter.
II oyIn
trcmely violent at the start and tap
cred off gradually until it stopped
after thirty minutes.
WENT OVER THE TOP IN SMALL
GROUPS
Meantime under cover of tho az
tillory, tho enemy infantry began its
operations, adopting the infiltering
process by which detached groups
are thrust, forward at a number Of
points instead OF moving in mass for
nation. One group came on with
two light machine guns, firing n
rather intense fire into one OF our
positions. Another group was csti-
mated to be about 25 or 80. At an
other point on our front 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 tho wire In front
OF one Of our positions, and four
others approached at another point.
Besides these assaults groups which
reached our line, there were I'M
doubtdoly additional enemy forces
in assaulting columns and support
ing columns which wore unable to
enter the field.
The special machinegun group
under command Of Lieutenant l.. e.
Shaw was in one Of the most ex-
posed centres Of tho fighting, being
under terrific artillery fire and the
fire Of two German machine guns.
Lieutenant Shaw handled this very
difficult situation with cool bravery.
The enemy barrage was so close that
it was impossible to stand up and
Lieutenant Shaw controlled his guns
by rolling from one to the other.
His two guns fred flvo thousand
rounds.
THE MEN STUCK TO THEIR
WORK WE'LL
Under this violent onslaught the
mon stuck to their posts, carried out
every order without hesitation, often