Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-09-10
HENRY JOHNSON, FIGHTER.
Story Of the Negro Who Killed Twen.
ty-Four Germans.

Story Of the Negro Who Killed Twen-
ty-Four Germans.
A blood and thunder novelist might
have told the following story with
frills and thrills, but he could hardly
have made 1t more real. The incident
has figured in cable reports. which
told briefly how two colored boys from
Albany, New York, had held an Amer
ican outpost position against n small
German army. accounting for some
dozens OF the enemy, and receiving
therefor French and American decora-
tions.
Corp. ]. Rush Norwood of Sylvia,
| Kansas, met the hero of that incident
Corp. Henry Johnson. and wrote home
Johnson's account of the fight in tho
colored soldiers own words.
Corporal Norwood's letter appears in
the Norwood, Kan, News, from which
we quote:
Corp. Henry Johnson. who is con-
valcscinG at nearby base hospital,
/
Field Headquarters of the Press Sec
ton here and very willingly gave n
vivid and awesome story Of the event.
am going to try to offer II to you
as / heard It. Quite contrary to the
well-known newspaper phrase, told
his story blushing and stammering as a
schoolgirl" Johnson gave a rapid and
vivid story. inserting all gestures OF
the fray.
"Yessah, ma names Johnson. Dis is
johnson. what's left OF i'm.
"Yah must a-read all about johnson
and Robinson, shure yau did. 1t was in
all de papers.
"Dere's q silver plate right dere
(pointing to his fooD. yessir, right
dere. they pushed baynet through ma
laig an shot me in de right arm. Day
want to send me home, but All amt
going home. All gonna stay here till
ma company goes home. I'm as good
a man as any Of 'em. Dose Germans
can't fight.
me and ma pardner was at this hero
outpost Bout two in do mornin' we
sees q bunch q Germans comm at us.
All figured maself as good man as
We're going to stick right here" He
says, Pm with yah to de end" SO
stead OF treating to our line we cut
loose grenades and fired away all our
ammunishon. Robinson was wounded
in da laig at de start and fell TO dc
ground still throwing de grenades at
de Huns. Two Of 'em tried to carry
way ma pardner on a stretcher. All
took ma rifle. French gun. just like
dis, I'D hit Dude right on de haid
and broke the rife right here.
"Ah went after de Dudes carryin'
away ma pardner All reached for ma
bowie (trench knife). and hit one fell
Ter right in de haid. pulled 1t out
and bout faced all around and give 1t
to nudder in the CUTS.
took my pardner away from 'em
and brought 'em back to de post. Den
one Of de Dudes comes at ma hollering
| "Kumrad." Kumrad, you say, I'm
Kumrad all right. Ah'll show ye Kum-
rad. Yessah, and den de Germans
what was lef Of EN-, beat it. I band
aged ma pardner with me first-aid kit.
Den de lootenant comes runnin' in
an says. johnson, what's happened?
81 says. It's all over. lootenant.'
"Ah had sixteen automatic and mo
stuff piled in front Of ma
Il says, Go out dere an count dose
Dudes
"The lootenant takes his pocket
light an looks over the ground and
comes back.
"'For heavens sake. Johnson, there's
twenty-four of 'em!'
"Yessah, and II dey hadn't got ma
pardner here. dey would a been a lot
mo.
"The lootenant says. johnson. ar.
you hurtT
"Ah says. no sah.'
eyes, you is.' he says. look. you'se
all bloody
"Oh, says, dat's from de Dudes.
"Yessah. 1 figured maself as good a
man as any of dem and II dey hadn't
got ma pardner we'd a cleaned up"
At this point one Of the listeners in
quired:
johnson. where are you from?"
I'm from Albany. sah."
"Pm from Albany. too" was the re-
ply.
yah ought to know me. I'm Henry
Johnson. the boy who used to drive a
wagon for Hartman on - street.
This ended the dramatic Offering and
Mr.. Johnson was warmly congratulate
ed by his attentive audience.
Baily as Corporal Johnson strolls the
streets Of the village on his GONZALES
cent limp he is stopped by both French
and Americans, who congratulate him
and inquire as to his heroic deed. He
lis becoming a popular character about
the place and many await the appear
ance Of his partner. Robinson, to see
the pait which scored such an extra
ordinary win against heavy German
odds.
| 4 ,ekipo in Ranoe.-"Does the new