Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-02-15
FIFTEENTH NEW YORK
REGIMENT ARRIVES
FROM FRANCE

No sCraDpin% Amer cans ever greet
cd tho Statue of Libcr y with more fer
vcr than tho 1000 who arrived ycxstet
dyy BY tho superb t"'encn liner france
and whose KHAKI uniior:I,G al most i'll
stances ua.inon Led with thc,r com
plex.oDs ana chat of the sky3craping
bronco girl. More than. 500 CT them
originally were recruited in this neigh
bornood ana had been members of
the olu f'n,@cnLn NOW York Infantry,
and they were clatcd to SEQ again tho
tower punctautcd skyline and gave
Won't to tho. feelings II the ultra hap
py manner of tho Yankee Negro sol
der. They como back with Il record
that i'll some respects IL finer than
that of some Of tho crack white units
rcontly firm French battlcGelds and
thoy were gree cd by an extra steam
danced eXultngly i'll the waypooooh
bo1S. the Correction, with 300 Hair
lem colored patriots, personal friends
of the Third Batttlion OF the 3G9th,
Tie present nnmo OF tho famous black
reg mcnt.
The Patrol official greeting ship Of
the Mayors Committee also had rep
rosenthtiveS OF tho city's colored cit
steam of the soldiers, was blown off
chiefly i'll the direction Of the Corrcc
tIon. Tho sold crs, not only IL o men
Of tho Third BattaL on, but hundreds
OF others OF tho 1000 aboard waved
their trench hclmoto. danced cXultilg
iy in tho way the only men OF their
race can, and sang everything from
planth., on mclod cs to ragti'rc while
I, l. ..,
tll they wcro hcarsc. There is really
no place like homo to tho American
Negro and he showed it when the wei
coming bands sent that tune over to
him.
All tho Negro troops In tho France
wore in command Of Col. A. Il. Rob
erts Of the Regular Army, who halls
from Springfield, ILL.,, and who had
lots OF fine things to say about them.
His own command since July has been
the 307th Regiment, which he
brought back complete, minus tho los
ses sustained In battle. He said: Il
nave received high Communications on
the fighting qualities Of my mon and
their general bearing. They wore &C
tually over tho Belgian border when
tho armstice was signed. or 1913 OH
eSl . Va Ihc III lHico are "Illlos
The record OF the colored officers Is
excellent
Tho returning battalion Of the old
18th Is under Maj. David A. L'Espo-
rance Of Pelham Manor, whose wife,
instructor of pathology at Cornell, Is
a neico Of Chauncy Dopew. He said he
could not find the right kind OF words
to toll what he thinks of tho 36Oth,
n W. ny hnu
de Guerre and three tho Distin
guished Service Cross. He went into
the drive in the Champagne sector In
the latter part OF September with 20
OILERS and Too mon and came out with
Z officers and $50 mon.
Tho battalion was relieved On Oct.
7 and went back of the lines five days
for rest and to receive replacements.
Later they operated with tho French
In the Vosges and went forward after
the armstico rs the advance guard to
the Rhine. reaching tho river on No
vemDer Is, with the first regiment
to got there.
commander Of the battalion, who was
wounded badly and sent home, was
at the pier on crutches to greet his
old command and they made the vel
kin vibrate when they saw him. Major
lDsperance spoke glowingly OF Major
Spencer's gallantry and consideration
for his men. He praised the 369th as
whole, saying it had the distinction
or never having lost a prisoner in
all the l91 days 1t was in action. The
regiment in the September offensive
captured four IT'S $50 machine guns
and 400 prisoners.
Major Espcrance is entitled to wear
the decoration Of tho Legion of Honor
and tho Croix de Guerro with one
palm. He led his battalion in the Sept
ember Offensive, broke through tho
enemy lines capturing guns and pris
oncrs. The French General LIE Rouc
said tho Major had proven an inspira
ton to his troops but tho Major says
It's the other way around. S officers
OF the old Fifteenth came back with
tho Major, all wearing the Croix dc
Guerrc-Capts. John r. Outwater.
Cummerford, Mclaughlin, L. e. Shaw
and Edward A. Walter and Lieut..
w. r. Lockhart.
Private Elmer McGowin, $50 Lenox
Ave, wears the Distinguished Service
Cross for gallantry In laison duty in
the Champagne district and rescuing
wounded from No Mans Land. He
carried messages under deadly fire.
lie was not sent out to bring in tho
wounded, but went Of his own accord
His uniform was ripped and he was
gassed when bullet tore his mask.
RESCUED MEN UNDER FIRE
Corporal Elmer Earl, Middletown.
N. Y, was with a platoon of fifty
eight men fighting rear guard action.
An "vcn"t eight were killed or dis
abled and the Corporal ventured sew
oral times on hands and knees in the
open and got about dozen OF his
comrades to safety. That is why they
gave him the Distinguished Service
Cross.
Tho armored cruiser North Caro-
lima berthed yesterday at lIoboken az
tor stormy trip from Brest with now