The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-09
HONORS AWARDED NEGRO TROOPS FOR
 COURAGE IN ACTION
Gen. Martin Issues Orders Regarding Men of the 92d Division During Metz
 Advance
By RALPH W. TYLER
(Sent through Emmett J. Scott, Specis Assistant to inc Secretary of WarD.


 Marbach, December s.-(Special)-By l command of General Martin, commanding | the Ninety-second division, general orders have just been issued commenting num- Der of colored officers, noncommissioned officers and privates of the 365th infantry | for mertorious conduct in action at Bois Frehaut, near Pont-a Mousson, No vember 10 and Il, during the drive on Metz. Those named in this general order were Capt. John H. Allen, First Lieuten- ants Loon F. Stewart, Frank l.. Drye, Walter Lyons, David W. Harris, Bonja- min F. Ford, Second Lieutenants George l.. Gaines and Russell c. Atkins, Ser geants Richard W. White, John Simpson, | Robert Townsend, Solomon D. Colston, Ransom Elliott and Charles Jackson Corporals Thomas B. Coleman, Albert Taylor, Charles Reed and James Conley, and Privates Earl Swanson. Jesse Cole. James Hill, Charles White and George | Chancy.
 l In the same general orders the following were cited for bravery in action: Sergt. Isaac Hill, bravery displayed at Frapelle; First Lieut.. John Q. Lindsey, for bravery at Lesseux, both of the 966th infantry, and First Lieut.. Edward Bates of the 3Sth ambulance corps, and Sergt. Walter L. Gross of the 366th infantry, for dstin- | guished service near Hominville.
 l Tn another general order, Second Lieut.. l Nathan o. Goodloe of the 366th machine l gun company was commended for excel 1 lent work and meritorious conduct. Dur ing the operations in the Foret D DArgonne 1 Lieutenant Goodloe was attached to the l Third battalion. During the course of the action it became necessary to reorganize | the battalion and withdraw part of it to a secondary position. He carried out the movement under continual machine | gun fire from the enemy. General Mar | tin said Lieutenant GoOdloe's calm courage set an example that inspired con- l fidence in his men,"
 l General Martin, the new commander of the Ninety-second divisionfi also cited | for meritorious conduct near Vienne le Chateau, Tom Brown wagoner who as | driver of an ammunition wagon dis played remarkable courage, coolness and | devotion to duty under fire. Brown hauled his wagon even after his horse had been hurled into ditch by shells and despite his own painful wounds, worked until he had extricated his horses from the ditch, refusing to quit until he had completed
 
 from a painful wound.
 The entire First battalion of the 367th l (Buffalos) infantry has just been cited for bravery, awarded the Croix de Guerre, thus emitting every officer and man in the battalion to wear this distinguished French decoration. This citation was made by the French commission because of the splendid service and bravery shown by this battalion in the last engagement of the war, Sunday and Monday, Novem- ber 10 and Il, in the drive to Metz. This battalion went into action through val ley commanded by the heavy German guns of Metz, and held the Germans at bay while the Fifty-sixth regiment re- treated, but not until it had suffered a heavy loss. The First battalion was co mmanded by Maj. Charles l.. Appleton of New York, with company commanders and lieutenantS colored.
 In the Ninety-second division of the American army, IA colored officers and 4 colored enlisted men have been cited fol bravery in action and awarded the dis tirguished service cross. This is splen did showing, and especially when it is considered that prior to the drive on te Metz, Sunday morning. November ID, -thls division, with the exception Of the 36Stf infantry, had been in no big engagement Up until November 10, with the exception of the 363th which got into action in the Argonne, the Nnety-second had to con- tent itself with making daily and nightly raids on the German front line trenches to capture prisoners. This, however, re- uuircd daring and courage, and, in some ways. was more trying and more danger ous than being in a big engagement. total of 57 citations for meritorious serv' ice, with report from one brigade not vel ch inp IF | second division.
 The total casualties suffered by tht Ninety second (colored division) since be ing in France have just been obtained by me The division suffered total of 147' casualties Among the killed were sis officers and one officer died from wounds received in action, while S1 enlisted mer died from wounds 40 enlisted men diet from diseases; 2S enlisted men were listed as 'missing;" 16 officers and 54S enlisted men were wounded. and B officers and 6b enlisted men were gassed. The divlsion number of gassed is unusually large. 4 reason is, perhaps that the colored sol diers in the front line trenches of thi: division were unusually daring in mak ing raids into the enery's territory.
 Considering, especially. the desperate advance the colored soldiers of this divi sion made out from Pont-a-Mousson th' morning of November 10, through valle, swept by the heavy German guns O
 Metz. and nests of German machine guns the casualty is slight, for on the mornini I saw them make the advance, and know ing the dangerous ground they were t' cover to make their objective, it appeared
 mira culous that the division was no
 wiped out The casualty in that advance
 was, perhaps, as light as it was bccaus
 of the rapidity with which their line ad
 vanced Officers could not hold then , back, and the German guns and soldier could not stop them. They plunged ol , l to Preny and Pagny, and they rushed int
 the Bois Frehaut and held for 36 hour
 after they took it, this place from whicl I picked Moroccan and Senegalese troop
 were forced to retreat in 10 minutes afte . they had entered it. Occupying this Boi
 Frehaut for 36 hours against murderou fire from the enemy. remaining ther I iuntil hostilities ceased, it is surprising , a miracle-that the casualty list Of tn , Ninety second division did not mount t many times 147S.