The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-28
COL. HAYWARD MADE
KNIGHT OF LEGION
Receives Accolade Of French
Generals Sword in City
College Stadium.
CEREMONY Is INSPIRING
IS. G. Is Conferred Upon
Major Lorillard Spencer
Crosses to 3 Women.

General flashing in the sunshine flooding
tho Stadium Of tho City college; voileys
OF Gallo eulosy while a battalion OF
sturdy black man stand at attention and
10000, folk of many. races look on from
the stone benches and from among the
wide spaces Of the gray white halls Of
the college; 4 glimpse of the brave red
color as a decorat on passes from the
hand Of the little French General IN
horizon blue to the breast OF the big
American Colonel in olive drab a light,
swift accolade upon tho left and right
shoulders Of the American; the high,
clear notes of n busle; the crash Of La
Msrseillaise," and Col. william Hayward
Of the late 8ssth United States Infantry.
Col Bill Hayward OF the old Fifteenth
New York Infantry, is an officer of the
order which stands for nobility Of heart
ana mind. the order instituted by the
Little Corporal. the Legion of Honor.
Others, 1t is true, were honored for
their sufhcient deeds by the French, Re
public yesterday afternoon within the
Immense oval of the Stadium, but It
seemed as IL the ceremony which gave 10
Col Hayward the Cross of the Legion OF
Honor was the fitly eliminating episode
Of an inspiring afternoon.
France thanked the whole disbanded
regiment OF black men that fought with
the Fourth French Army under Gouraud
in the Champagne offensive. and which
was led from first to last by the white
officers OF it's own choosing-Hayward
l>orillard Spencer, Hamilton Fish and the
many others-by so signally compliment
ing the big. boyish. smiling Colonel
80 hod all he
battle flag OF the 36sth the Croix de
Guerre with palms and stars. but the Of
ficer's cross which went to Col. Bill and
The war crosses that were pinned upon
the breasts of Major Spencer and other
officers completely emphasizing the
thanks of France TO the whole fighting
regiment.
Occasion for Ceremony.
The occasion for the ceremony of yes
terday. in which horors were paid to
Col. Hayward, Major Spencer. Capt
Hamilton Fish. Capt &C. W. Fillmore.
white officers OF the black regiment !:
Sergeant William Butler and Sergeant
George Valeska, negro non-coms, and
Mrs. Charles Dean. Mrs. S. Holden and
Mrs. Frederick cobb. two mothers and a
widow, respectively. OF officers Of the
S6sth that were killed in action after
heroic deeds was the memorial service
called by Col. William Jay Schieffelin OF
the new Fifteenth Regiment. State Guard,
In honor Of tho men OF the old regiment
that lost their lives in France.
At 80 P. NJ. the hour set for the
ceremony Of decoration. the half oval OF
the Stadium stand was almost filed with
white and negro friends OF the regi-
la
In the majority. A lovelier day for the
ceremony could not be picked from the
calendar. for the sky was unlocked by
Cloud and the sunshine was 30 warm
hat overcoats and wraps were quickly
aid aside.
Squarely at the front OF the centre OF
the oval of wide stone benches. down
in the smooth brown soil Of the athletic
field the officers OF the 369th came to-
gether in a company, every man of them
wearing some decoration or another, ex-
cspt perhaps, Major Spencer himself. So
many French War Crosses have not been
seen in a similar small company since
the troops came home, and here and
there were the beautiful insignia Of the
Legion OF Honor, Major temperance dis
,,laying the coveted decoration with
huch pride.
g. BrillianN1 Of Color.
The American group was Joined pres
cntly.by a brilliant stan of French Off.
ers whose horizon blue uniforms. the
.nartest looking military garb anywhere
to be lseen. added just the right and
vely touch of color to the black and
.shite background of the benches and
% the sober drabness Of the American
Uniforms. There was Gen. Collardet
tl.. a1l,a hA ~ oh TN.
bassy, his breast covered with cam
paign stripes and the insignia OF deco
Iations his aids, Lieut.. ]. Labat an6
Capt H. Blaise, tall, blond men with
he look of fighters about them and other.
French officers connected with the High
commission and other services Of theii
ountry.
Then at this time, a little before
, NJ, there came on the wind from TN
direction OF the southeast gates of thu
:tadium the swinging notes OF a mill
,ary band, then the hammering OF {
lie and drum corps, and the vanguard
rf tho new Fifteenth. its very proud
and. came through. the gates leading
q battalion of the regiment, most o
he men being veterans OF the late wa
md many of them. as one noted a Nttl'
,ter. wearing the Croix de Guerre. lie,
Nv Col. Schieffelin the battalion parade'
he inner border OF the great field, thel
Irew IN opposite the stadium, the regl
mental and battalion STATS advancing Z
DIN the former officers OF the 36sth.
What followed was very simply done
,oL HAYWARD himself. walked littl
vay forward and. facing Major Loril
lard SPENT .,~sSerred upon this OIL
cor by authority 80 Zen. Pershing. tn
distinguished Service Cross, alludin
briefIy to the citation which commende
Major spencer for exceptional valor u
the attack Of July II and 16. 1918, an
I'm the attack of September %, 1915
when the Major was shot through bot
legs by, machine gun bullets. He Ia abou
n undergo another operation In the hop
~ regaining the use OF his right leg.
Sergeant Buffers Exploit.
When the band had played a fey
bars of the national anthem Col. Hay
ward turned toward the negro Ser
seant william Butler and recited tn
exploit which made Butler. who Is froT
salisbury on the Eastern Shore G
MARYLAND, one OF the special heroes @
the regiment Bravery and determine
ton enabled him. single handed. to RET
cue a patrol of Americans from raidin
Germans, to kill Ave OF the German
sIrnsek and to take the rest of then
incluinS a Lieutenant. prisoner. There
upon Col. Bill pinned upon the breas
of the young sergeant the ID. y. C., an
again the band played THE Star Spar
eied Banner" while the battalion stoo
al attention, every officers right han
Leld rjKidly at salute. and the 1000
,necta tors looked on with heads bare,