Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-14
Sod. c. CO[ORED g
MEND|ED
1St Separate Battalion Play
ed Heroic Part in Defeat
of Huns.
200 ON CASUALTY LISTS
200 ON CASUALTY LISTS
BY a stan Correspondent.

CAMP UPTON. y. Y, February IA.
eolored soldiers from the Dis
triet of Columbia who went to France
with the lst Separate Battalion OF
the District National Guard made tho
extreme sacrifice for their country on.
the field of battle.
OF the more than 400 colored men
who made up the old ist Separa4e
Battalion approximately 200 figured
In casualties. These facts, obtained
here today, indicate the active part
which Washington colored troops took
in driving the Germans out of Franes.,
Coming to Camp Meade.
Despite the long months of contin<
uous battle which they went throuUh
with the French army, these men ars
IN the best of spirits. as they take
life easy in this camp. They were
elated today at the news that the
372d Infantry, of which they are y
part, is to be broken up into units,
each unit to be sent for demobilfza-
tion to the camp nearest its home.
This is taken to mean that the colored
men from the District will go to Camp
Meade. This change is likely to. ~
made within a week. ss5s-
In addition to the record Of casual-
ties. the entire regiment to which the
District negroes belonged was deco
rated by the French government
three days before it sailed for the
cited several times for vaior while at
the front. and twenty-five of the cell
ored men from the District are wear
ing the croix de guerre for distin-
guished service. -sa
In Trenches When War Ended
The old list Separate Battalion was
in the front-Hne trenches on the day
the armistice was signed, and they
received the news with mingled toy
and disappointment, for they had made
all preparations to advance with the
French through Lorraine.
The colored men were briga1e4
with the French army the entire tIEnD
they were at the front.
Their most distinguished services ~sas
rendered at yerdun and IN the Ar
gonne forest. With the exception eH
the chaplain, all the officers who
commanded these coiored troops were
Mi cserk :. Diokses. thetr ~
-
one Of the youngest battalion leaders
in the American Army. He 10 wearing
the croix de guerre for bravery II
action Eleven other cnicers ~ tE1
outat have been decorated ss<4
Scorned Hun Heavy Fire.
The colored soldiers from the Dls-
posed them in the Champagne 40
in the Argonne forest. because stho
heaviest fire of the enemy failed 70
stop their advances. ~ sxss
This was the statement of Lieut-
Jerome Meyer, son of Simon N Meye<.
rived on the Leviathan with the 1t
Separate Battalion. ~. y {
The 1st Separate Battalion was mado
part of the 372d Infantry and before
going into action was brigaded with
the 18th Division9of the French army,
under Gen. LIE Bouc. As part of that
division the 3s2d Infantry saw In
tense fighting in Champagne and on
the fringe of the Afgonne. Asked to
relate the work Of the 372d. Lieut..
Meyer said:
Colored Lads Fought to Last.
Casualties were heavy because the
colored lads fought to the last, cheer
fully accepting death in preference
to captivity. Their adeptness in mae-
tering the throwing of hand grenades
and in operating the machine guns
qickly won them the esteem Of the
French. Remember, that the colored
lads were quite new to warfare But
in the Champagne they fought with q
persistence and courage that enabled
them to hold permanently the ground
they gained and won for many OF
them the French Croix de Guerre.
"Not few of the prisoners taken
by the regiment declared that the
Germans were in positive fear Of the
negroes. who, they complained, would
never ouit even under terrific fire."