Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-01

Hel-for- Certain, in Leslie county,
KY. was first made famous by the
late John Fox, Jr., but it is now
laying it's claim to fame on ,6 ex-
citizens of Hell-for-Certain have
read with pride the official army
citation of heroic deeds of the
boy who was reared on their creek
and was their neighbor until he
joined the army in 1913.
And we'll might they be proud
of this mountain boy who left
barely able to read or write and re-
turned as one of the great heroes
of the war. For the exploits OF
this mountain boy are vouched for
by General Pershing himself, who
Honor on his breast.
When war was declared he was
offered a commission in the officers
reserve corps, but refused it be-
cause of his lack of education. This
fact is shown on his discharge. The
discharge also shows that he was
classed as an expert rifteman.
His discharge also shows that
he was awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor, the French CrOiX
de Guerre and Medal Militaire for
heroic action September "a. The
discharge is dated May 80, 1919,
Camp Grant, III.
= l.
about his achievements, and shows
a distaste for discussing the fight
ing on the 26th of September. He
recently visited an old friend in
Hazard, KY, County Judge A. M
sistence of Judge Gross and other
friends that he was persuaded to
tell how he killed twenty-four
Germans and captured six machine
guns and three dugouts.
On September 26 his division
(the Praire) was advancing through
the Argonne Forest fighting it's way
step by step. Sandlin was in com
mand of platoon of fifty-seven men
when the advance started. At Bois
de FORCES, the ground over which
rolling hill country reasonably well
wooded through which ran the
Muese river.
The line had been fighting for
hours, advancing slowly, when they
We're suddenly held up by a machine
Sandlin was five or six PAGES IN
front of the line leading his men
and did not know that they had
stopped.
Thinking they were behind him.
he charged up the slope at the ma
the machine gun and automatic
pistols of the Germans whistlinG
by him. He was 100 yards in front
Of his men when he stopped and
threw a grenade at the nest. This
fell short, and he ran forward and
midst OF the Germans.
He then charged the nest with
his bayonet, and found five dead
men and three men still living.
These he bayonetted; He took four
empty automatic pistols which had
hpPn shot 6T0ntV and two machine
guns.
When the line had advanced and
come up with him he rejoined his
platoon and borrowed four more
again going up the slope of the hill
with very little protection from the
trees. At the crest Of the hill, an
other machine gun nest halted the
line, but Sandlin kept right on go
ing until he came to a point where
some seventy-five yards ahead of
his platoon. When he was within
twenty yards of the machine gun
nest he threw two grenades, both
making clean hits, and again charged
with his bayonet. This time he
found four dead and three wounded
Germans, and he bayOnetted the lat
ter. Two machine guns were cap
tured.
After the line had again come up
with him they advanced over crest
of the hill and down the other
slope toward the DIuese river. Sergt.
Sandlin, who was a few PAGES ahead
OF his men saw German lieuten-
ant in the Medical corps hiding in
the branches of a fallen tree. This
officer saw Sandlin about the same
time and made for his automatic,
but Sandlin shot him through the
heart, and took the pistol from
him. He was allowed to keep this
pistol and now has it with him at
his home.
When they had proceeded about
500 yards another nest stopped the