The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-08-29
MEYERSDALE'S BRAVE SONS
WON A CROWN OF GLORY
THAT SHALL NEVER FADE
Rev. D. LaViolette, Y M c. A. Secretary Tells Meyesdae
Audience How Their Boys of the Fighting Tenth Held Off
Six Divisions of the Kaiser's Army

ME1 ERSDALE, Pa, Aug. %
History will lay upon the people of
Somerset County and New Brighton a
crown of glory that shall never fade
away"
Such was the summing up of the
message brought to the people of
Meyersdale yesterday afternoon by
Rev. F. A. LaViolette, direct from the
battlefield of France, where Companies
c and B of the 10th Infantry (the old
k'Fighting Tenth" of Pennsylvania
won everlasting fame on July 18th by
holding at bay six diyisions-no less
than 100, 900 men-of the kaiser's pick
ed troops and blasted the Huns last
hope to march VIGOROUSLY into Paris.
DR.. LaViolette, who was an eye wit
ness of the great battle and with his
own hands dressed the wounds of some
of the Somerset county boys and helped
to bury some of those who gave their
lives that liberty and democracy might
not perish from the earth. declared most
positively that the second battle of the
Marne was absolutely the Huns last
great drive on the Western front, and
that to the boys from Somerset county
and New Brighton belongs the credit
for turning the tide of battle and start
ing a retreat by the invaders from
which they will never recover.
DR.. LaViolette was pastor of Meth
odist Church in Seattle, Washington,
when he offered his services to the Y.
M. c. A, as field secretary to accom-
pany the American army to France and
was with the 10th regiment from the
time they landed over there until July
25th, when he started on furlough to
his home in Seattle and stopped off in
Western Pennsylvania enroute at the
special request of Gen. Coulter to de-
liver a message direct to the fathers
and mothers of the boys who played
such heroic part in the battle that is
considered the turning point of the war.
Although under great nervous strain
from the narrowing experiences he
passed through. DR.. LaViolette has
visited number of the towns of West
ern Pennsylvania during the past week
to proclaim the heroism of the 109th,
10th and 1llth regiments, composed
largely of men from the southwesteln
part of Pennsylvania. and especially of
Companies c and B of the 10th, which
stood the brunt of the Hun attack July
18th.
He said he left what was left of our
boys on the 25th of July, after the Huns
had been driven back across the Marine
and miles beyond the position they
had occupied since July list and were
still falling back as the result of the
defeat they suffered through the heroic
stand made by the Pennsylvania boys
and the Allied counter attack after the
Huns had spent their fury in the first
few days of their drive.
When the full history of this great
world war is written. he said, no other
community will enjoy the peculiar dis
tinction that belongs to New Brighton
and Somerset county. No distinction
has come in all history to any people
that will come to US on account of the
part taken by our boys in the action
which has resulted in descending Ger
man power and the waning glory of
military autocracy. They shall not
pass" was the watchword thas was
given our boys when they were put out
in front at the very point where the
Germans had planned to break through
on their way to Paris.
He told of the Germans welI-laid
plans to break through. Their pro-
gram was magnificent and their STRAIT
egg perfect. 81 don't know why il
wasn't carried out" he said: "but
there are two reasons: First, the
Pennsylvanians were there, and God
was there.
DR.. LaViolette gave a graphic de-
scription of the battle that ragged during
the week of July 14-2l, telling about
the terrible gunfre started by the Huns
on the night of July l4th along a 200
mile front, with the little Pennsylvania
battalion, chiefly composed of boys from
Somerset and Beaver counties, living
out there in the very vortex of the
mslestrom of battle. For three DAYS
the German assault continued and the
thin line of Americans that was being
pounded with all the might of the Ger
man hordes wondered why the reserves
did not come and relieve them. But
the French corps commander was bid
ing his time-that was part of the
French strategy. At last the hour to
strike back was made known in a very
providential manner.
DR.. LaViolette said on the night of
the 18th, when he was all worn out and
filled with despair, he went back to his
hut and drew himself on a cot for a
little rest. Before he could close his
eyes in sleep poor little dove f1uttered
in at his open window and dropped on
the window sill. With no thought that