davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02
Liquid Fire the
Last Attempt

Later in the day something that put NOR.
life into the heroic band of survivors than
anything they had experienced was ths
growing sound OF machine gun and rife frs,
Enthusiastically American, coming from tbs
south. Men went and set their Jaws tirmer
together.
Evidently the Germans heard thess
sounds, too And they played their last
card-liquid fire. This was the height Of
humane sentiment against men they know
had fought a heroic battle and were bravo
enough to fight it out until none remained.
if need be.
Jets Of liquid flame, accompanied by
steady streams of machine gun, rife bullets
and grenadcs, struck at the American left
flank. With oaths too terrible and weird
to repeat, the survivors rushed to the de-
fence of the menaced side OF the hollow
square and fought like supcrmcn. The re-
naming machine gun poured its lcaden
streams into the fire bearers at pointblank
range. Rifles worked as fast rs cartridges
could be pumped INTO the chambers. The
attack failed. The enemy withdrew, but IN
almost every case the iamo throwers re-
NAMED dead upon the ground, with their
humane weapons shooting fame weaker
and weaker, harmcssly into tho brush, into
the air.
An officer later that night reported to
Major Whittlcscy. He was strange Off
ccr, unknown 10 the battalion He was Of
the 3o7th infantry Regiment. which had
fought its way first to the relief Of the
Lost Battalion" His men we're living in
the woods on the right flank A brief time
afterward elements of the 30sth Regiment
came through from the south. They carried
food and ammunition. An effort was made
by Major Whittlcscy TO keep the full news
Of the relief from all his men. The Ger
mans still occupied the northern cliff. Bu.
the news spread and by morning the relief
was complete, without further opposition
from the enemy, who now, placed on more
equal basis had skulked off through tho
wood to the north
The following morning go men. some
sick or wounded. filed down toward the
south for proper care and rest. They were
the survivors of the "Beleaguered Battsl-
ion No one here in the 77th Division to.
day will admit of the expression "Losa
Battalion" They say it was "beIeagured,<
but never lost
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

brushed pto feed them

German pronunciation that the nearest
doughboy fired and, judging from howl
that came back through the brushwood, he
got his man,
Throughout tnat night sniping and gre
made throwing was the general ordcr. Ma
chine guns occasionally burst forth in
answcr TO the Fash of AN American sol
dicis rlnc. 1t was the same hollow square
Of Americans. but q rapidly thinning
square, 6ghting, surrounded. without much
hope against horde of Tcutonic savagcs
who sought by cvcry means to destroy
Chem, A rustic in tho undcrbrush was
answered 10y tho ping" OF an American
rifle. This brought down fro from many
directions on tho American, who crouched
lower in his foxhoc
Jecrs in broken English reached the
of the officers and men. They yelled
back their answers in palmer English-an
expressive English or, more typically
American, an English that seldom appears
in print.
Daylight came and went Chilly rain
fell. We lost all track of time Many
foxhole sheltered n dead man. Others Law
sprawling in grotcsque attitudes on tho
hillside, literally blown from their shell
ters by the big trench mortar shells which
the enemy threw into the position at in
tervals night and day. Those who lived,
lived in agony OF food there was none.
Water existed but it trickled hcndishly
and tantalizngly in that swampy little
creek at the bed of the ravine and to reach
it meant death by day. At night the enemy
sprayed this creek and the water filled
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

ravlnc. They cut loose viciously, attempt
ing to sweep clean every yard of ground
from which the flashes came. Nine men of
two relief parties that left battalion head
quarters al the head Of the ravine fell be
fore they reached the scene Of action. But
eventually the machine gunncrs ceased fire.
except for occasional bursts, and the ight
passed without further startling incident
for the bclcagucrcd men.
Daylight October 4, brought realization
to all that the situation was desperate.
Famine began to stalk within the ranks. It
was too plain that starvation stared all in
the face. Patrols sent from time to time
into the German lines had all failed to PASS
through. The total strength of the Amcr-
can force, go at the beginning had dwin-
died to 500
Heavy German trench morta, shells fell
into the ravinc at intervals. Bursts Of ma
chine gun fire continued. The Germans re-
sorted to tricks. English speaking Germans
sent fake message into the American line
that general retirement had been ordered.
One man actually arose from his foxhole
and started to retire. An officer stopped
him His move had been the move that
German "ccvcrncss" had dictated for the
entire American force. A German plan.
once laid in tho mcthodic German mind,
cannot fail Therefore the move made by
the incredulous soldier was the move which
the Germans expected every man to make,
and when sufficient time had elapsed for all
loose.
Over tho cliff In front hand grcnadcs
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02
of the "Lost Battaion"-A Yankee Epic

the food parcels dropped by the airplanes
They had encountered German outpost
and five were killed, the remainder wounded
or captured. During the afternoon a figure.
dirty and bedraggled, carrying an unloaded
rife to which a white rag had been tied.
was brought to Major Whittlesey. The
battalion commander was comforting with
Captain McMurtry and Captain Holderman
at the time. The man was survivor of
the food patrol and he bore message from
the German commander:
TO the commanding officer, - Infantry,
77th American Division
"Sir: The bearer of this present, Private
-, has been taken prisoner by us.
He refused to give the German intelligence
officer any answer TO his questions and is
quite an honorable fellow, doing honor to
his fatherland in the strictest sense of the
word.
He has been charged against his viii,
believing that he is doing wrong to his
country, to carry forward this present letter
to the officer in charge of the battalion OF
the 77th Division with the purpose to rec.
commend this commander to surrender with
his forces, as it would be quite useless to
resist any more, in view OF the present
conditions.
The suffering Of your wounded men can
be heard over here in the German lines and
we are appealing to your humane senti-
ments to stop. A white flag shown by ons
of your men viii tell US that you agree
with these conditions. Please treat Private
-- an honorable man. Fl IS quite
soldier. We envy you.
"THE GERMAN COMMANDING OFFICER"
Whittlesey read the note and passed il "a
McMurtry. The latter read and passed IL
to Holderman. No one spoke. Whittlesey
passed out OF the dugout and picked UP
some white panels placed on the ground
to attract American acroplanes. White flags
were repulsive. He reentcrcd the dugou;
Soil no one spoke. Clearly tho appeal to
"humane sentiments" hadn't penetrated.
Contrary TO many reports, Whittlcsey did
not write note and send it back saying,
AGO to hell" He sent no note. But a ego
to help sentiment was that which spread
over the hillside az the news of the German
message was whispered from foxhole to
foxhoe. Weakened voices yelled it into
the German lines, and they yelled worse
What they yelled wouldn't set well in print
but it was the sentiment, the American
sentiment.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

hell and worse Chilled through and without
any sort of covering, weakened physically
from lack of food and water, subjected to
bursts of hateful fire which seemed to
rake every yard of ground they occupied,
all suffered torture. The man killed out
right by a bullet or she'll fragment was
cnvied by his comru, eho was struck and
lived Bandagcs exhausted early.
and it was necessary for tho two remain
ing mcmbcrs OF the medical detachment
to search tho dead for their emergency
dressings They did this, hcrocally
crawling from corpse to corpse until they
found sufficient material. then back to the
wounded to dress their hurts, sometimes
gaping she'll wounds which they knew it was
useless to touch.
On October 5, an American airplanc
had been placed on the ground near Major
Whittlcsey's shelter, but through the trees
it seemed improbable that the aviator
might see them. Some time later, however.
American artillery fire from guns miles
away began to crash on the ridge of the
hill to the south, and creeping slowly down
the slope the barrage plainly caught a
mass of the enemy gathered there pre-
sumably for an attack. Their bodies and
pieces thereof were hurled into the air
and wild screams sounded in the din of the
explosions. 1t was a cheering but equally
anxious moment for the survivors of the
NLost Battalion" huddled there on the
opposite slope.
The barrage which played stationary for
some time in the enemy position moved
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

sheliholcs below with machine gun fire. and
to get water at night meant death in the
majority Of cases.
Many the brave youths crept from
their foNholes after darkness and wormed
their way slowly down the ravine side.
Some returned with their canteens full
which they shared with their nearest com
rades but others paid with their lives and
daylight saw them down there stark and
stiff in death on the edge of that devilsh
stream
Throughout those last few days the
officers and men suffered all the tortures of
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

Emooldened by the inactivity on the
American side the Germans began to nre-
pare for another attack. This time they
came out of their cover, their forms Sill
houetting hazily over the top of the ridge
suddenly an order was given on the Ameri-
can side, and every rifle cracked. Howls Of
anguish were heard from above, and it was
evident that the enemy's boldness had been
the undolng of at least several Of his num-
ber.
The stabs of light from the American
rifles was q signal awaited bv enemy ma
chlne gunners on the opposite side of the
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02
( aughf i'm a
Ditch

imagine email ditch such as q plough
"'Ent make, with broken, irregular sides
S'n a. the bottom trickling, muddy stream,
"''" 'hcn magnify that in the imagination
'sfnaps million times, with scraggly but
'"''@ Dfushwood On the slopes, and you have
"'ms idea Of the raync Of death where the
'"ss Battalion" experienced it's six day
nightmare. The rayine proper was per
"aSs ooo yards long, plugged at the upper
'"a oy another slope which made 1t actually
vs fay'ne at all but a sort Of gigantic
'sSspsd blind alley, the lower end of which
''sSsa out into nat stretch of marshy
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

ground, interrupted quite some distance be-
yond by another wooded hill.
On the northern slope of the V-shapcd
blind ravine a wagon road leads into the
rocky soil, leaving a steep slope upward
from the trickling stream, fed by spring
somewhere in the hills, TO the road Then
upward from the road again is almost a
perpendicular rocky wall to the crest some
twenty feet above.
It was on the northern slope and into
the sides Of the rocky wall along the road
the Viergette- Bnarvile road it Is called
that most of Whittlesey's men dug their
foxholes for the night
Machine guns were posted to sweep the
valley and protect the fanks, and, though
no man had carried either blanket, pack or
overcoat, all were fairly comfortable and
unmolested by the enemy
Each man had carried but one days ra-
tons and at daybreak the following morn
ing, October 3, small bodies Of men were
sent toward the for food Two COM
panies Of the battalion, possibly at reduced
strength, numbering 250 men, had dug in
on the opposite side of the ravine for the
night. Consequently company in com
mand of Lieutenant Wilhelm was sent back
to attack toward the rear, thus aiding the
other two companies to advance.
Patrols were sent out in other directions
with the mission of ascertainng the
strength and position of the enemy. They
returned, one by one, with reports Of Ger
mans everywhere. No liaison was possible
Later Lieutenant Lcnke returned With
eighteen men from the company that had
been ordered to attack toward the rear
with the report that the company had been
surrounded by the Germans. little later
Lieutenant Wilhelm returned with few
men making the same report
Shells had now been falling in the ravine
position for some time but doing small
damage. The men were we'll protected in
their foxholes on the slope. The two COM
panies across the ravne had joined the main
body when a German trench mortar opened
fire at close range.
A number Of men we're sent out to locate
and destroy the trench mortar, but they
returned to report that heavy machine gun
Gra Lo1l 4bo,
brought back prisoner who verified for
the first time that the enemy in strength
had taken up positions between Whittlesey's
battalion and the rear. This meant that
the men sent back for food would not
return. Further information told that the
liason posts-smal groups Of men dropped
from time to time by any advancing troops
to carry out communication with the rear
had been broken up.
1t was as plain as day that the battalion
was surrounded.
1t was then that hollow square
formed, fringe of men on all four sides
of this boxed- in ravine to ward off attack
from all directions. A carrier pigeon was
loosed to report the situation to regimcntal
hcadquartors This bird was the "Lost Rat
talion's" only liaison-~the only hope for
what proved during the next five days to
be an island Of heroic grit completely sur
rounded by savage enemies
EnffnroIc Ernr,, fha
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02
Guffurais From the
Darkness

AS darkness settled down that night en-
emy voices were heard. Dark forms wcre
seen fitting through the underground
around the sides Of the hollow square. 1t
was evident that the enemy was binding his
hold on the position by bringing up rein
forccments, and men in odr ranks who un-
dcrstood German asccrtaincd from the gut
turals that the enemy was preparing to
attack.
1t was from the crest above the La Vicr-
gctte Binarvile roadway that much of the
talking came through the darkness. From
this point it appeared that action was com
ing. And it came after two or three cultural
commands in the form of scores Of hand
grenadcs thrown from above into the fox
holes on the slope below. The fusllade
continued for some timc. The Americans
under orders passed down the line. re-
maincd steady, but each man was ready.
with his rife loaded and finger on the trir
ger. Many had been wounded and some
killed in the hand grenade attack, but the
former as effectively az tho latter stilled
their tongues.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02
CHATEAU VILLAIN, France,
Headquarters 77th Division)

YER in the Argonne
Wood to-day, in a
deep ravine, there is
q small stone marker,
erected by the 308th
Infantry regiment, to
locate a spot where
American h ROT s m
c r e a t c d something
that will live to COM
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

forward down toward the bottom of the
ravine, and it appeared that it would mount
the opposite slope into the American fox
holes. But something intervened at that
moment. The barrage lifted as if guided
by an unseen hand, and hopping" the
northern slope completely came down again
with multitude of crashes on the crest
OF the northern slope. Here again it caught
the enemy-the jeering grenade throwers
atop the clF-and it scattered them as il
crept northward. Their howls were heard
for some time afterward in the American
line, and these were the howls of agony
and death.
Even now it is still unknown to survi-
vors of the Lost Battalion" here whether
that American airplane saw and reported
their exact position, or whether it was lust
plain Providence which directed that mar
VeilOuS DdrTaBe.
On the previous night faint ray of hope
sprang into the breasts Of the beleagured
men as they distinguished the faint "tat-
tat-tat" Of Chauchats-the light machine
gun adopted from the French-somewher
to the south. The Chauchat has distinc-
tive sound, a different "crack" from other
machine guns, and these sounds seemed to
tell that relieving force might be on its
way. But by daylight the crack of Chau-
chats died away and no reinforcements
came.
Following their experience in the American
barrage, the Germans moved scores of addi-
tional machine guns to the southern ridge
and started barrage Of bullets across the
ravine into the American position which
seemed intent wiping out all life.
Showers OF leaden pellets chewed up the
rocky soil, searching almost every foot,
penetrating the shelters, killing and wound
ing many.
That night weakened men, further weak
ened by wounds, filled the darkness with
uncanny moans-they couldn't help it.
Things seemed to be nearing the end.
Ammunition, like food, was practically ex-
hausted. Men were beginning to take des-
perate chances for food. One crawled into
the enemy line and came back with a morsel
of black bread he had taken from an enemy
corpse. Another found a strip of bacon
rind in his pocket which he had carried to
soften some scratches on his hand. He
divided it with a companion and they ate
their first bite in several days. Others dug
roots from the hard soil and tried to get
nourishment from them
October dawned with an overcast sky
and eventually rain. II was Sunday. No
one knew it was Sunday, but it was a day
of near despair, when it took strong men
to believe that anything remained but death
From information I have gathered here in
Chateau Villain, however, / am convinced
that not one man thought of surrender
The firing from the south seemed trhe
nearer that day, but there were many things
to indicate that reinforcements could never
arrive in -e American airplancs oomed
over the ..,jne occasionally, dropping par
cells OF food, but never in the ravnc itself
With terrible regularity thcsc parcels fell
in the enemy lines, and it wns too plain
that the aviators were mistnking the Ger
mans positions for American. They were
feeding the Roche. Starving Americans
were being denied American food,
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

ralned, as on previous OCCASIONS and from
the TWO Sides and rear machine guns
opened up if by given signal. But for
the steadiness of officers and men, who saw
through the fake retirement Order, many
would have been standing erect, easy tar
gets for that simultaneous fuslade Of
lead and high explosives.
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02
Nothing i'm American Military History Su1as Magnificent Stand
Major Now olone) WhiIeev and Ills 700 Men Beaguere
Argonne Wood Here First Told in Detail

By Wilbur Forrest
So0 Correspondent The 1ucran Forces 1Jroad
New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

A Ruse That
Failed
Later false gas mask order was shouted
from the left. 1t was so obviously Of
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-05
MORE CHILDREN
IN SCHOOL THAN
INFORMER YEARS
INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE IN
TENNESSEE ESTIMATED AT
10000 TO $4,000.
PAYS TRIBUTE TO MAURY COUNTY
Prof Smith, of the State Department,
Declares That Il Ranks Among the
Best Educationally in Tennessee.
To Organize Teachers.

There are not les than 10000 more
children attending the public schools
of Tennessee this fall than ever be-
fore have attended q session. This
statement was made this morning by
Prof. Samuel l.. Smith, of the rural
section of the state department Of ed
ucation, who is here today for con-
ference with County Superintendent
Graham.
There has been genuine educa-
tional revival in Tennessee following
the, war; continued Prof. Smith.
This is accounted for on many
grounds. In the first place the war
lesson emphasized the value of educa-
ton as nothing else ever did. Again
the people have never had so much
money. They are sending their chill
dren to school. Moreover, the attend
ance law is being generally enforced
and it has public sentiment behind it
which makes it an easier matter.
.'We regard Maury county as one OF
the foremost counties educationally in
the state. Your county has certainly
made great deal of progress in re-
cent years and it has been very graft
flying to the state department.
"At our meeting on January IA, we
expect to organize real teachers as
ISOLATION in Tennessee. 1t will not
be affiliated with any federation or
union and will acknowledge its first
allegiance to the state, We hope to
have Maury county well represented
at that meeting
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-05

Although the number of mules
shipped out through the Columbia
stock yards as the result OF Mondays
business will be less than the number
from the first Monday in November,
there will be little difference In the
actual value OF the two consignments.
approximately thirty-five car loads
will go out today and tomorrow. From
the first Monday in last month the
shipments aggregated forty car loads
Of nearly a thousand mules. The total
for this month will be about S75 head.
But mules were actually higher on
yesterday than they were month ago
which had been record breaker. Sew
eral pairs went out in todays ship
ments that did not miss the thousand
dollar mark very far. These are ex-
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-05
HONOR IS CONFERRED
UPON GEO.. 7. HUGHES
YOUNG MEMBER OF THE BAR
WILL WEAR THE TITLE OF
JUDGE FROM NOW ON.

1t is Judge George Taylor Hughes,
Jr. At meeting Of the Columbia bar
on Monday afternoon an election was
held by Clerk Anderson for a Judge
to sit during the temporary absence
of Judge Turner. The honor fell on
Judge Hughes. He was the unanimous
choice of the bar. He will have to do
some work for several days without
any monetary compensation, but he
will be more than repaid in the knowl-
edge that from now henceforth, to the
end of his life and finally when his
obituary is written, he will wear the
title Of Judge" The young Judge
presided with the dignity and nonchal-
ence of one of the veterans.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-05
MEETING COMMITTEE
Of SIXTEEN CALLED
WILL DISCUSS QUESTIONS CON.
cERNiNG LAW AND ORDER
LEAGUE OF STATE.

There will be meeting of the com.
mittee of sixteen of the state confer.
ence of law and order and the chair
men of county organizations of law
and order at Nashville on Friday,
Dec. 5. The committee has been very
much gratified at the observance Of
law and order week in the state, but
wants to take counsel on some impor-
tant matters.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-05
HIGH WATERS CAUSE DAMAGE TO
ROADS AND BRIDGES or COUNTY

The Theta pike. was badly washed
in several places and the repairs
made necessary will cost sizeable
sum of money. The water came over
the floor Of the county bridge at
Darks Mill. se
The forms for the new concrete
bridge across Lyle Creek on the Cul-
leoka pike were washed out The
forms had been finished ready for
pouring in the concrete. They were
rescued and County Supt. Butler be-
lieves that he will be, able to use
them, but the bridge, badly needed,
will be further delayed. Many other
streams Of the county were out o.
banks for hours and the lowlands
were covered - e.
The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-12-05
MONDAYS MULE BUSINESS WILL
AGGREGATE A QUARTER OF MILLION

IRENE cases but an average OF $3.50
would be low conservative estimate,
which would bring the aggregate val
ne of the shipments to'Sbn1e 100000
which added to the sales made to
farmers and locally would run the
days business to more than a guam
ter of million dollars which was the
estimate made by The Herald month
ago. That estimate may have been
too low, but in any event there is but
slight difference between the value
of the December business and that OF
November. They are to date the two
best months sales ever made in the
history Of the Columbia mule market,
and together will aggregate on CEN
sentative estimate a half million dol
lars.