The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1919-04-21
TELLS OF DEATH !.
GREENWOOD BOY
Major Homer Watkins Writes OF Gal.
liant Lieutenant Ward Hamrick,
Who Made Supreme Sacrifice.

Who. Made Supreme Sacrifice.
Mr.. and Mrs j. j. Hamrick are in
receipt Of a letter from Captain Ward
Hamrick's major, in which he descri',-
es the glorious death of this gallant
soldier OF Greenwood. The letter fol-
lows:
Hq. 3rd. BIT. 326 Inf
American A. E. F.. France.
My dear Mrs. Hamrick:
The censorship regulations did not
permit me to even mention Ward s
death, until the Government had done
so. But l knew how anxious you
would be and wrote Mrs. Watkins as
much as dared. Hoping that she
could write letter that could help
your heart more than mine could.
l first met Ward at the training
camp, Ft. Mcpherson, May 13, 1917.
We we're about the same height, and
SO were placed in the same squad. He
slept just one bunk removed from me
for three months. l asked him to
meet some of my Atlanta friends. He
became very dear. to me. He was
welcomed to the best families of At
lanta. When l was married in March.
he was my best and only man; to-
gether with the bridesmaid he went
will, nc to O;r,o;po.bo,o 7 lo,r,ol J.
love and trust him as brother. At
the end of the training camp l was
sent to Fort Oglethorpe and he to the
326 Infantry. In December, 1917, l
joined and took command of the 3rd
Bn. 326. Then Immediately l asked
that Ward be transferred; and short
ly after reaching France l made him
my Adjutant. He was with me
through all the fighting OF my Bn.
He slept with me night after night
in little fox hole, only large enough
to hold our long bodies; when one
turned the other had to turn; we
have shared the last drop of water,
the last morsel of bread or bully beat.
Each morning as we went over the
top we have looked into each others
eyes, and read courage and under
standing there. l knew him as few
men in the battalion knew him. Two
nights before he was killed we both
got mail, and he had letter from
you. We could not read them the
night they came, because Fritz would
not allow us to have any lights; but
at the first break Of day we slid out
our little hole, and read the sweet
messages from home. We both felt
fine. We attacked on October 14th, l
was shot thru the feet that day, and
Ward was by my side, and suggested
that I go back; it was not very ser
ious, and l stayed on. On the night
of the 18th we dug in about TOO yards
from the enemy's lines sleeping to-
gethed in a little two by four fox
hole. On the morning of the 18th
, October, we again attacked, driving
the enemy before us with heavy loss
es. At l Oo'clock the troops on our
left were held up, and we perforce had
; to stop. l established my headquart-
ers behind an old haystack near the
village of ST. Juvin pronounced Saint
Juvan). Another battalion was or
dered to relieve us at this place; they
! came about one o'clock, took our lines,
and Ward, my scout officer, Lieut.. J.
A. Bankston, Atlanta, Ca, and l were
sta1 ting back to the rear, when a
heavy shell burst within ten feet OF
| us. A piece of the shell about the
size of ones little finger, and about
one inch long, struck Ward on the
/. left jugular vein, just where it joins
| the base of the train, severing the
| vein. He dropped by my side, his
blood splashing on my arm, and his
head falling almost between my feet
A piece of shrapnel from the same
: shell hit me in thenleg, (not serious.)
Ward died in less than twenty sec.
; onds, one might say instantly, as he
never spoke, and never had nom.
ent's consciousness after he was hit.
His body was buried in the village
CT st. Juvin on the 10th. The map To-
cation can be got from the 'Grave:
Registration Bureau" A. E. F
France, or Washington. The body
was neatly wrapped in an army blan
!. ket, and laid to rest by a Baptis
Chaplain, George H. Hyman, 326 In
fantry, with military honors. I Wis
tied the grave last week, and it i
No. l in the American graveyard il
the village. Can easily be locate
!, from the map references. While go
i ing over the old battle fields ha
my picture taken where he fell, an
. shall certainly send YOU one if it de
), velops.
j You viii. Of course know that i
battle there are burial details working
under the chaplains who follow up tn
i fighting line and bury all our deas
], Each officer has around his neck tw
!, aluminium tags, each bearing hi