The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-22
TELLS OF RESCUE.
How the "LOst Company" Was
Taken From. Forest.
Officer Back From the Front
Sent to Ft. Riley.

(By Union Pacific r. r. Press Bureau.)
New York, Feb. 22.-Details of the
rescue of the lost company of the
356th infantry in the Bots de Bauthe-
Vile were told in the Polytechnic hos
pital here by Lieut.. Erskine Meyer,
who passed thru New York en- route
from overseas to the convalescent hos
pital at Fort Riley, Kan. Especial in
terst is lent the story by the partici-
patton of Lieut.. Marcellus H. Chiles, of
Denver, who has just been awarded
the congressional medal of honor for
a later gallant exploit in which he was
killed. Before his death he was made
a captain.
The first battalion of the 356th was
in the wood when it received the or
der to send a strong combat patrol to
the northern edge, cooperating with
a similar patrol of the 355th. Com
pany in command of Lieut.. Frank
w. WEIGH, of Kansas City, was sent,
ana guided by Sergeant McFee, the
best scout in the organization, reached
it's objective after heavy fighting. Not
being able to esta hlish connection with
the patrol of the 355th, which had
encountered greater resistance, the
company was forced to take defen-
SlVe DOSltlOn ana was SOOIl lldAh6O anu
surrounded. For three days it held
out, without food, water, or attention
for the wounded other than first aid
on the spot.
Kansans We're There.
Capt. J. w. Harris, in command OF
the battalion received orders to re-
lieve the besieged company at all costs
Wounded and i'll, but holding out
gamely to the last, he finally went UNI
IaST I ant
Joe Schwfnn. of Wellsboro, Kan,
Lieut.. Matthew Winters and Lieuten-
ant Meyer as the highest commissioned
Officers left. Led by Lieutenant Chiles.
they got together, ordered the advance
and fought their way thru the new
German position, wiping them out,
capturing many machine guns and re-
lieving @ company.
During the three days in which the
company was surrounded the only
communication was established by
Lieutenant Meyer and Lieutenant
Chiles, who succeeded in crawling thru
the German lines between their ma
chine gun nests, and by Sergeant Nc
Fee and Litter Bearer AldersoA, who
made the dangerous trip several times.
McFee was mentioned in orders for his
skillful and daring performances in
guiding the company to their objec-
tive at night by map and compass only,
and for using the same skill in getting
thru the German lines with communi-
cations from the company.
During a portion of the advance
thru Bautheville wood, of the 356th,
Lieut.. Joe Schwinn of Company b.
lost a portion of his men in the dark
ness and confusion of the battle. TAX
ing Sergeant Halter. of this company,
with him, he started out to look for
them. Just forward and to one side
of his position was partially ruined
house, which had been used by the
Germans during their occupancy
Rounding this, Schwinn and Halter
ran face-on into three men of the
Prussian Guard organization opposing
them. Halter, his comrades relate
never stopped moving. Grabbing one
of the Huns around the neck, he drew
his revolver with his free arm and
Schwinn shot the third boche and
they hustled their prisoner back to the
American line. When daylight came
they found that the incident had oc-
CURED within 20 yards of a German
battery
Had Enough Ammunition.
That the artillery of the S5th divi-
sion had plenty of ammunition, al
least during the Argonne drive, is
stated by an ammunition train officer
here, who describes how his men
worked night and day bringing up the
full quota of shells before the advance
commenced. The men never left the
trucks, he relates, when one driver
gave out, his helper taking his place
Apparently insurmountable mud, rair
and other difficulties failed to stop
the middle westeners, who claim tc
have delivered to the front all the
ammunition asked for. In spite of the
fact that four crack Prussian Guard
divisions were said to be Opposing
them, 35th division men here say thai
the infantry set such a hot pace thru
| the three lines of German defense III
as far as Exermont, that the artillery
couldn't get their guns up thru the
mud fast enough to keep up. This
| fact seems to be agreed upon by the
many 35th division infantrymen now
| in hospitals here.
nRECc kC FACE