The sun., 1918-10-20
FIGHTS INCOGNITO
WITH THE OLD GOTH
Col. Charles D. Hine Sneaks
Back on Leave and Fights
in Ranks.
IN ST. MIHIEL BATTLE
Helps Private Kill Two Ma
chine Gunners and Capture
Twelve Germans.
N ST. MIHIEL BATTLE

From overseas comes the tale Of a Col
onel who loved his old command so
much that when he was transferred
from It he seized the first chance to
sneak back. incosnito. and 60 over the
top with his boys.
by God" said one of the doughboys,
suddenly getting a flash Of the old boss's
face, "our old Colonelr'
The story is printed in The stons and
Stripes, the newspaper Of the A. z. F..
and the Colonel It talks about is Charles
DeLano Hine. the man who trained the
old Sixty-ninth Regiment: the man who
rode at Its head so proudly MP Fifth ave-
nue.: the man who converted half baked
militiamen into the finest regular troops
In the world. Here's the story:
IAN American Colonel who came to
France with an infantry regiment sew
eral months ago. and who had fathered
1t through many trials and troubles from
the day war was declared until that
eventful night It went into battle with
a French division. stared blankly through
an open window one morning a few
WcGhS dSo WAiiO oit iiio ucBh 40 Oil ofotE
relieving him Of his command
Order Relieves Him.
The order went on to say that owing
to the great number Of men available for
infantry leaders, while but few were
available for the task which he was to
take over. II was quite necessary to re-
lieve him in order that the machinery OF
the army should move on without In
terruption, and SO on.
The Colonel's fatherly eyes filled with
tears as he turned over in his mind the
proposition that lay before HIM. He
cared little for that other thing he was
to take hold Of and wrestle with 1t was
nothing compared with his regiment, al
though, by all probability, it meant more
than a division in turning the wheels of
an army when It came right down to
figures
ut was a sad evening. both for the
Colonel and his regiment, when he said
good-by to officers and men and left
for a three weeks vacation before taking
over his new Job.
Two weeks passed and the Colonel
was about to spend the last of his three
weeks vacation at q famous watering
place in France when one evening ne re-
ceived word that his old regiment was
That night the Colonel left by mid
night train and travelled all night and
late into the next day. At the end of the
railroad he procured an automobile and
travelled by a familiar road until after
dusk.
Fights Beside Private.
Presenting himself at resimental
headquarters. he shook hands with a
grinning orderly and asked for the COM
nanding officer.
The new Colonel OF the regiment
shock hands with him and after q cor
thing he could do for the Colonel
Yes said the old commander, can
I stick around for a while ana eat at the
officers mess for q few days?'
You certainly cam said the new
Colonel. and we're mighty glad to have
you
THE next day the regiment went into
hattie and helped deliver the thrust that
wiped out the st. Mihiel salient
During the first hour of the battle. as
the regiment swept through a town that
lay in its wake. a private observed an
American soldier going in and out of
buildings looking for Germans. Later
both entered the same building and
killed two Germans who were operating
a machine gun. After that they romped
of down the street and captured a
dozen Germans In a cellar.
"As tho two were bringing back their
prisoners an NJ. p. flashed a light on
them. The NJ. p. suddenly Strengthened
up and saluted.
by God = said the other private. as
the light played over their faces. Our
old Colonel!
That was the best part of my vaca-
tion.' the Colonel declared after 1t was
all over"