New-York tribune., 1919-01-27
Epic Tale Told
OF HerOis111 OF
18th Division
New York's Fighting Engi-
neers Led Field in Nalor,
Reports Colonel Greene
Took Forest of Argonne
Metal of Men Was Proved
in l53 Tempestuous Days
of Battle and Pursuit

This is the story of what happened
when the nth Division, New York
citv's own drafted men, was thrown
against the German line in France. 1t
was told yesterday by an officer Of the
division. Captain Frederick S. Greene,
Of the 3O2d Engineers, who spoke at q
meeting of the 302 Engineers Associa-
ton. held at 20 West Thirty-ninth
Street. In 1913 days of battle and pur-
suit Of the Germans, Captain Greene
said the 7lth:
Captured the Argonne Forest. virtu-
ally by itself;
sible for the French to take Sedan and
wipe out the disgrace of II;
TOOK more towns, more guns and
more railroads than any other National
Army division:
Germans Made Furious
Earned the following criticism from
"A captured German officer who said
wrathfully, Your infantry is crazy;
YOUR artillery insane and your engin-
GERS are worse than either
After sketching in the history of the
entire division in action, Captain
Greene dwelt at length upon the epic
part played by his command. This. he
said, almost justified the Germans
criticism.
people sing of the boys who are
coming home with bayoncts rusty and
dusty uniforms" he said, "but | want
TO tell you that the last time ] saw
the 302d they were on the JOB as much
as ever, with clothes and guns il good
ork people is you don't realize what 1
wonderful regiment OF yours this is"
From the time the battle of the
Argonne began. Captain Greene said,
The Engineers were always pushing
forward. Sometimes they followed in
the wake of the infantry attack as they
should. Sometimes they forgot all
about proper martial procedure and
vent through German barrages, their
own barrages, machine gun fire and
everything to throw bridges across
treams where bridges were needed.
Much Of the victory was due to them,
he speaker said.
Took Forest of Argonne
And regardless of what other or
eanizatious took part in the battle Of
The Argonne," he added, "the forest
was taken from the Germans by the
nth Division. Remember that he
added
AS unit, the 302d was unvarying in
its courage and dash individually its
members were filled with the same
spirit. At one time German snipers
were hiding by dozens in a group OF
nine battered wooden buildings beyond
the American lines. Their fire was
CALLING and volunteers were asked for
to silence it.
Three men were chosen, and one black
night they crawled out through the
bullet whipped tract between the lines
and headed for the buildings. Shells
burst near them and bullets were con-
tinually singing over them. Once or
twice incautious moves brought vol
ley Of hand grenades from the Ger
mans and flares were fired.
The men wormed their way steadily
onward, as calmly as though each one
did not carry on his back tank of
gasoline which was almost certain to
burst into flame if struck. They
reached the buildings from which the
snipers had withdrawn at nightfall,
and set them all afire.
Ready to Try Again
They came back safely" said Cap
ain Greene. "All nine Buildings were
burned and when they got back one
man still carried can Of gasoline.
asked MIN why he hadn't used it and he
said they had saved this so if they had
not been successful on their first at
tempt, they cou.d try again."
More than $3,00O,000 worth of Ger
man supplies were taken by the 302d
alone, Captain Greene said.
The speaker was introduced by the
Rev. Dr.. William T. Manning, rector
Of Old Trinity and chaplain of the 302d
Engineers while they were at Camp
linton