Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-11-06
MARYLAND'S GUARD
REGIMENT IS TAKING
PART IN THE BATTLE
Col. Reckord, Hundred And Fif-
teenth's Commanding Officer
Writes Of It's Work
ANNAPOLIS SOLDIERS IN
ATTACKING BATTALION
Days Toll Of Prisoners Was l.
500, And Marylanders Live Up
To States Best Traditions


In a letter written to Adjutant Gen
eral Warfield, Col Milton a. Reckord.
of Bel Air, commanding officer of the
115th Infantry, formed from units of
the Maryland National Guard. and in
cluding Company Nj. and the Machine
Gun Company. the Annapolis organi-
cations of the old First Maryland In
fantry, gives. for the first time, au-
thentic information that the 115th
has been in the stiffest kind of action.
That it has done its full duty. is only
confirming what everybody knew
would be the case when the original
Maryland organization got its chance.
Col Reckord's home is Bel Air He
is well known in Annapolis, and has
served with a number Of citizens of
this town who formerly belonged to
the First Maryland. All of these feel
that Col Reckord is the right man to
lead Maryland's soldiers His high
principle and sense of fairness and
consideration for others. are predomi-
nant qualities, while his military abil-
ity is conceded. He is a comparative
ly young man, being barely 40 years
of age.
Col Reckord mentions. among other
things that one days toll of prisoners
for the 115th was 1.500. Company M
is in the third battalion, commanded
by Major Finley. and was a part of
the third line of attack on the day
mentioned by Col Reckord
In another part of the letter Col.
Reckord mentions in a matter of fact
manner, several narrow escapes from
death which he experienced He
speaks of them as matter Of course
and as something which are a daily
occurrence in the life OF a soldier
One of the escapes was when a shell
burst within 25 feet of him. Another
was when two officers were struck
down while in conversation with him.
A part of the letter follows:
"You will be interested to know
that we spent two months in Alasce,
just north of the Swiss border, and
there learned a great deal of trench
warfare. We had no real battle, but
numerous patrols and several raids
while holding this line. Then we were
ordered to the big front, and since
that time, can tell you, know what
war is.
We've just finished one battle last
ing nine days and at present l am
sitting about 30 feet underground in
a German dugout without pen, ink or
any convenience except pencil and
candle. We have been through all the
hell / ever expect to see and the Off
GERS and men of the regiment lived up
to every tradition of the old State.
I'VE have steadily driven the Huns
back Their lines are nests of ma
chine guns and they are well placed.
One instance showing how well they
are organized was on a high piece OF
ground which one company crossed
and captured 20 machine guns in one
big nest. / stood one day at my p. c.,
and watch my regiment cross a river
and attack the hills on the other side.
They went at it splendidly. | had
Barrett's battalion in the front line,
Hancocks second and FinIey's third.
In about two hours the prisoners be-
gan coming in. We took that day no
less than 1,5OO and it was some sight,
can tell you.
"That day our losses were slight,
caused, believe, by the fact that we
surprised the enemy. We dug in
here and have never yet given up any
ground. At one point we have gained
very high ground and have been or
dered to dig in and it looks to me as
though our active fighting may be at
an end for time at least.
"The regiment has led the way in
the division without doubt and every
body comedies the fact Captains
Knight, Hutchins and Tydings have
all been promoted to majorities and
sent to other regiments TO help the
good work along. 1t is of course,
hard on us to lose good officers, but
they all deserved promotion. Old
Maryland certainly permeates this di-
vision as General Gather has, no