The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-07
HEROIC DEEDS OF NEW ENGLAND'S
 OWN TROOPS LAUDED IN VERMONT
General Pershing Cables Message and Secretary Baker and General March Write Special State ments About Vermont and New England Troops in France.

In an address last night, Feb. s at Che capitol before a joint session of the Vermont Legislature at Mont pelier, and in response to a special invitation extended to him as ma tive son of the state (Crafton, Wind ham County, John Barrett, Director General of the Pan-American Union and former United States Minister to South America and Asiatic countries, read direct communications which he had just received from General Pershtng, Commanding the American Fxpeditionary Forces, Secretary of War Baker, and General March, Chief of Staff commenting upon the records of Vermont and New Eng land forces over seas.
 General Pershing's Message.
 Under date of Great Headquar- ters, American Expeditionary Forces, February g." General John J. Persh- ing cabled Director General Barrett as follows
 Replying to your caolegram it gives me pleasure to send you mes sage about Vermont and New Eng land troops. Briefly stated they merit the warmest praise by the people they represent. They have maintain ed the best traditions of their New England ancestors and the Spirit of Seventy-Six has been theirs. They have played their full part in the splendid achievement of American arms on the battlefield and in the supporting services"
 Secretary Bakers Statement.
 On the same date Honorable New ton D. Baker, Secretary of War, wrote MT. Barrett as follows:
 T have just received your note of the first.
 ''The 26th, or New England, Di- vision includes the 102nd Regiment of Infantry, the 101st, lo2nd and 10srd Machine Gun Battalions. In each of these organizations there are components of the old First Yer mont In order, therefore, to have any adequate appreciation of the services rendered by the Vermont soldiers in this war 1t Is necessary to follow the fortunes of the 26th Division which went into the line on July eighteenth and fought at Cha teau ThierTy, Torcy and Bereau Wooda- In September this Division occupied the left of the American Army in the attack on Saint Mihiel, and closed the gap between the two American attacking wedges, cutting off the right of the Germans at mid night Of the first day of that battle. Immediately after the Saint Mihiel yintnry +hA 2Rfh waE rnoyed into +ha line east of the Mouse where it re- na1ned in active combat until the signing of the arnistice- With the 1st, and the 2nd Regular Army Di- visions, and the 42nd, or Rainbow Division, the 18th is numbered, they being considered the first four vet eran Divisions of our great American Expedidonary Forces. and I would be glad to haYe the people of New England know that their division. the first of the National Guard troops to embark overseas, bore itself with distinction and gallantry, and that 1t contributed on every battle field to AmeCtca's real participation in the fighting and the unbroken success of our arms"
 General Mnrcah's Statement.
 General Peyton c. March, chief of staff, provided MT. Barrett with the following summarized "chronolog1cal statement of such activities of these troops as are now available In the War Department
 The Vermont troops were tncor- porated into the 26th Division, tn, 1oS5r1iharS haHrr dfEtr{b11+ad %1,ro,,e1l,