The Robesonian., 1918-08-26
Gen. BULLARD WINS
LASTING FAME
Son OF Former Robson County
Man is Believed to Be the Off
Ger Who Refused to Accept
Even Temporary Defeat When
Germans Crossed the Marine
July 15 and Ordered Counter
Attack.
"OUR GENERAL OF
NO RETREAT

NO RETREAT"
General Robert Lee Bullard, son of
Daniel Bullard, native of Robson
county who moved to Alabama many
years ago, is believed to be the Amer
lean general who, when the Germans
crossed the Marne on July Is said
that his troops did not know how to
retreat and ordered counter offensive
which proved brilliantly successful.
The story has attracted wide atten-
tion and, as the New York World
says, "if he (Gen Bullard) was really
the man has added brilliancy to
the record of North Carolina family
already known to the fighting annals
Of the republic" Gen. Billiard is a
first cousin Of Messrs. Lon and Will
Billiard, who live near Elrod, and he
has other relatives in the county.
In a recent issue the New York
World carried the news story and an
editorial about General Bullard both
given below:
"Maj. Gen. Robert Lee Billiard is be-
lieved to be the American officer who
refused to accept even temporary de-
! feat when the Germans crossed the
Marne July Is. He launched coun-
ter attack contrary to the advice Of
the French commanding general and
smashed the kaiser's forces in the
bend of the river east of Chateau
Thierry, so upsetting their plan to
seize the plateau south of the Marne.
| "The French superior officer had
said it was no disgrace for the Amer
leans to be driven back and as they
had fought stubbornly no immediate
counter attack was to be expected. The
American general replied:
"'We regret being unable on this
occasion to follow the counsel of cur
masters, the French; but the Ameri.
can flag has been forced to retire. This
is uncomfortable, and none of our sol
diers would understand their not be-
ing asking to do whatever is neces-
sary to re-establish situation which
is humiliating to us and unacceptable
to our country's honor. We are going
to counter attack
"Followirg the success of this at
tack, American troops we6e used at
vital places in the whole development
of General Foch's smashing of The
crown princes army.
"When told of the action Of the
American officer at the time, Secre
tary Baker said that if the story was
true no doubt the officer would be
courtmartialed, but promoted.
General Bullard was born II
Youngsboro, Ala, Jan. Is, 1861, ane
was graduated from West Point IL
1885. In the Spanish-American wal
he was a major of an independen
battalion of Alabama soldiers. 81
comes of an old North Carolina famll!
of fighters. His people are Scotch
Irish Presbyterians.
"War Department officials Woul'
neither deny nor confirm the stor.
that General Bullard is the officer VIII
made the famous answer.
ssThe Army and Navy Journal, dis
cussing the incident under the head
ing. The Author of a Famous Phrase
says: .4:e:, =,
| officer who sent this message as Ma.
/ Gen. Omar Bundy, N. A., but William
/ Howard Taft, in an article in the Lou
| isville Courier-J Journal, states that tn
message was sent by Maj. Rober
L. Bu]lard, N. A. Ex-President Taft
statement reads:
.3The course of General Bullar
and his command at Chateau -Ih1err
| makes ones heart beat high. He wa
ordered by his French commander t
give ground. He declined, on tn
/. ground that his troops did not kno'
how to retreat. He ordered them fol
ward. The check Of the German oi
fensive on the Marne began with tn!
>. sharp counter Of his men. The az
savored of INSTRUMENTATION. Only
brillian success could justify it. II
| took the chance, and report make
him lieutenant general:
| The World editorial follows: