The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-07-04
R2MSCZEAHN
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CORPORAL Walter Il. G~aultney, Eleventh In
fantry, Fifth Division.-Corpora Gaultney was
picked out by his commander as an example OF
his finest type OF soldier. Gaultney was wounded;
that couldn't stop him. Alert, ingenious, speedy,
Needless of personal danger, he went at the Hun
like Samson with the well-known jaw bone-only
this young Samsons jaw bone was that nice long
trench knife YOU see strapped along his pack.
Just what this young fellow did is not told evil
IDENTIFY he Is a natural-bOrn fighter and the regular
army training has made him pretty nearly 100 per
cent efficient as an allaround fighting man.
~. Private III. J. Devereaux, Company M, One Hun
dred and Twenty-ffth Infantry, Thirty-second d.
vision.-When his company crossed the River
Ourco and captured the Bots Pelger, the corporal
of his squad fighting beside Private Devereaux
was wounded by machine gun fire. The corporal
fell to the ground and the enemy continued to he
on the wounded man. Mad clear through. Dever-
eauX sprinted across the open and, single-handed,
attacked and put the machine gun out or action.
Greatest Feat Of War.
IT is also known that Chase has painted a por-
trait Of Sergt. Alvin G. York Of Pail Mall, Fentress
county, Tenn, Company G, Three Hundred and
Twenty-eighth infantry, Eighty-second division. 1t
Is TO be hoped that the painter did n first-class job,
for York's exploit was probably the greatest indi-
vidual feat of the war. York, then corporal, on
October 8, 1913, killed 20 Germans, captured 1872
prisoners, including d major and three lieutenants.
put 80 machine guns out Of business, and thereby
broke up an entire battalion which was about to
counterattack against the Americans on Hill o23
in the Argonne sector, near Chatel-Chehery. He
outfought the machine gun battalion with his rife
and automatic pistol. There were seven other
Americans with York, but it was YOrk's fight and
but for him not q man Of them would have come
out alive except as prisoner.
Moreover, the man and his home and his sur
roundings are intensely interesting, being entirely
n"t nf fla nrIinary Eara nrp n fav, oItctnnIipu
facts:
He was born December 13, 1886, stands 6 feet
and tips the scales at 205 pounds. He is red head
ed. He is q dead shOt-absolutely sure death with
either rife or automatic; In the course Of his fight
he killed n German lieutenant and seven men who
charged him from a distance of 20 yards. He is a
fighter who gets cooler and cooler as the danger
grows.
He used to drink, gamble and swear. He quit
in 1915 and joined the Church of Christ and
Christian Union, of which he is second elder and
singing leader. He was a conscientious ObjectOr
until convinced by Capt. +. G. B. Danforth at
Camp Gordon that the Bible proved it his duty to
fight. He believes in a personal God and looks
upon his successful exploit as a miracle. Blessed
is the peacemaker,' he says.
He is n farmer and blacksmith and provides for
his mother, one brother and three small sisters;
the other six brothers and sisters are married.
His forbears for generations were Tennesseeans.
When York landed the other day the Tennessee
society took possession of him and tried to make
him feel that New York city was his.
OF course York was having the time of his life.
yet really, you know, he was regretting that he
wasn't home to lead the singing at the Postum
Trot spring revival.
And at the Possom Trot revival, In the valley
of which Pail Mall, with its 20 houses, is the cross
roads metropolis, Yorks n%eighbOrs were prouder
over the fact that he had "kept straight than
over what he had done to the Hun. Besides, while
Alvin was "all right" God had had him In charge
since the day he enlisted. 1T wasn't Alvin" said
Grace Williams, who Is waiting for him, ut was
the hand Of God"
Which reminds us of the first words Of the Hun
major captured by York.
British % he asked.
American" said York.
Good Lord"