The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-05
The 3Oth iii Battle
History of Operations of Old
Hickory Division Received by
Governor Cooper.
{By Harold Booke-A


ficial history, Of the oper; tions Of tn
Thirtieth Division has been receive
in this country. Representative ~
r. Bradford, chairman of the way
and means committee Of the house
is in receipt of a printed booklet Civ
ing the official account of the op
/ ferations of the divisions in France
The book was sent him by Sergsan
A. c. Lytle Of Company G. 11Sth In
fantry. This is the Fort Mill com
pany Of the Old First South Carolln:
regiment. Representative Bradford
was the-first captain of this compan.
which was. at that time known a
Fort Mill Light Infantry
Coy. Cooper is in receipt of al
original copy of the account, tfi.
having been sent him by Col. Holmes
3: Springs. The achievements of this
wonderful fighting machine are
among the most wonderful in the
| history Of warfare and their nara.
tion makes a thrilling story. The
story tells in a graphic way of the
operations Of the division and in de.
tail relates how the "Old Hickory
division attacked the Hindenbure
line, capturing two: German divisions
taking several thousand men and
capturing that wonderful under
ground tunnel system which was
considered by the Germans an alb
solutely inlpregnable sector, because
Of the unusual barbed wire and ma
chine gun protection and the subter-
ranean system of secret tunnels, con-
Meeting several villages.
Seventeen staff officers Of the divis-
ion were cited by the commanding
general, Major General E. NJ. Lewis,
for their ''Untiring zeal and entire
devotion to the responsible duties of
their respective positions during the
operations of the Thirtieth Division
from September to October 20,
1872 The following officers re
ceiyed this Communications Of their
commander: Col. John Keer, chief
of staff; Lieut.. Col. F. 3. Kotes,' A.
C Of s.; Major Burton-Y. Read, A
A. C.. of'S., Col. "A. NJ. Whaley, Di-
vision Surgeon, Col H. B. Springs,
Acting Division Quartermaster; Lieut..
Col. James G. Taylor, Division Sig
nal Officer; Major Frank A. Mon
trose, Division Signal officer: Ma
jor. J: Shapter Caldwell, Acting Di-
vision Adjutant; First Lieut.. Frank
e. Barber. A: D. c.; Brig. Genetal L..
D. Ryson, commanding 5sth Brigade;
Brig. Gen. S. L. Faison. Commanding
69th Brigade; Col. Joseph H. Pratt,
Commanding 105th Engineers: Col.
Carey F. Spence, Commanding 111th
Infantry: Col Orrin R. Wolfe. Com
mandfng 11Sth Infantry; Col. j.. Van
3. Motifs, Commanding 11sth Infan-
try and Col. Sidney L. Minor, COM
manding 10th Infantry.
In his order commencing these
staff officers the commanding general
refers to the loyalty and able: service
Of all the, officers Of the division
remarkable for it's harmony. indus
try and efficiency"
The history received by Governor
Cooper was prepared by Col. John
K. Kerr, chief Of Staff of the division
whose signature appears in the back
Of the book.
In the history of the divisions op-
erations are published letters from
the conmander-in-chief expressing
appreciation of the wonderful work
of his men. There are also letters
from Major General John Monash.
commanding the Australian Corps.
which was closely associated with the
Thirtieth Division in the fighting
against the Hindenburg line. from
General Henry Rawlinson, command
ing the Fourth British army and
Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. In
these letters the commanding gener-
ais express their admiration for the
irresistible energy, courage and deter
mination displayed by the men from
Dixie who saved the world from the
Hun. In one of his letters Sir Doug
las Haig said:
con the 29th of September you
took part with distinction in the
great and critical attack which shat
tered the enemy's resistance in the
Hindenburg line and opened the road
10 maj FiCIOI Liz NCSuS ~ eAA>
27th and 3Oth American divisions who
on that day took Bellicourt and Maui
roy; and so gallantly sustained the
desperate struggle. for Bony. will rank
with the achievements of this war.
They will always be remembered by
the British regiments that fought be-
side you.
Since that date. through three
weeks of almost continuous fighting,
you advanced from one success to
another, overcoming all resistance,
beating off numerous counter attacks
and capturing several thousand pris-
oraers and many guns. The names OF
Brancourt, Fremont, Busigny. VauS
Asigny. st. Soupret and Mazing Helm
testify to the dash and energy of your
attacks