Richmond planet., 1918-06-22
The Colonel OF CoIored Regiment
Tells Wife Of EAubby's Bravery.
prize Money HWa~ded~= The Letter De-
ScribeS Battle i'm Which TWO Soldiers
Beat Off the German Raiders.

tOlOncl william HayWardS own
story Of the bravery of Private Henry
Johnson, 369th Infantry, which
brought him the French War Cross.
is contained in n letter which the
colonel has written to Private John
sons wife, Mrs. Edna Johnson, p
Monroe street. Albany. \. Y, in
which he cites graphically the in
stances OF c0O,neSs and fighting ahil-
ity Of Private Johnson against great
odds.
Johnson was wounded in Il trench
raid which he and another comradc
effectively stopped and III addition to
the War Cross, fifty francs, which
General Gourand OF the French forces
gave to Colonel Hayward for tho use
Of the family Of the first man in his
regiment 10 he wounded under heroic
circumstances. has been sent to Mrs.
Johnson.
Colonel lIayward's letter follows:
"ionr husband, Private Henry
Johnson is In my regiment, 369th
t.>iiIu .t*tcS infantry, tc"n:cr'v.Eif
tenth Now York Infantry. lie has
bcen at all times a good soldier and
good boy Of fino morale and up
right character. TO these admirable
traits he has lately added the most
convincing numbers OF fine courage
and fighting ability. regret to say
at the moment that he is In the hos
pital, seriously but not dangerously
wounded, the wounds having been
received under such circumstances
that everyone OF us IN tho regiment
would be pleased and proud to trade
places with him.
at was as follows: He and Pri-
Vatc Nccdham Roberts were on guard
together at small outpost OF tho
front line trench near the German
lines and during the night a strong
raiding party Of Germans. numbering
from twelve to twenty Judging by the
weapons, clothing and paraphcrnalia
they left behind and by their foot
prints, stole across No Mans Land
and made 4 surprise attack in the
dead OF the night on our two brave
soldiers.
1--WE had learned some time ago
from captured German prisoners that
tho Germans had heard Of the rogi-
mcnt OF black Americans in this sec
tor, and the German officers had toll
their men how easy TO combat and
capture them ii would be So this
raidin@ party camc over. and On tho
ham Roberts were very much awake
and alert and attending strictly to
their duties.
".Nt the BEGINNING OF the attack,
the Germans fired vollcy of bullets
and grcnadcs and both of the boys
, were wounded. your husband three
times and Roberts twice, then th"
Germans rushed the post expecting to
mako an easy capture. IL spite o.
thcir wounds. the two bows waited
coolN ard coura gcously and when the
Germans were within striking dis
tancC opened fire. ynnr husband with
his rifle and Private Roberts from his
helpless position on the ground With
hand @rcnadcS. But the German
raiiIn" party came on in spite Of the
wounded and in Il few seconds our
boys were AT grips with the terrible
foe in Il desperate hand TO hand on
counter in which the enemy outnum-
bcrcd them ten to ono.
"rhc boys inflicted heavy loss on
the enemy. but Roberts was over
powered and about TO be carried away
when vOur husband. who he'd uScI
Uu al CI the cartridges in tho mag
zine OF his rifle and had Knocked one
German down With the butt end Ct it
Grew his ho'o from his bolt \ holo
is short heavy WraEOn carried by
the American soldier. with the edge
If razor. tho weight Of . ,lraycr
and tho point OF Il butcher knife
lie rushed to tho rescue OF his
former "omr@dr ana r"hIin" drSpnr-
@'riv. c"cnal with his hulo the head
If tho German who was throttling
.'vlprts and termed to he roch" WHO
1.s llrhnrf lv bn feet rfuOoiur tho