Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1919-05-29
HERO OF CHATILLONS WOODS
HONORED WITH ID. S. c." HERE
Lafayette Field Scene of Decoration Of
Lieut.. E. A. Macguire, of 5th Division.
Wounded, Fought Days Longer.

With the 18th Infantry band play
ing martial music and a battalion Of
the regiment standing at strict at
tention, Lieut.. Edward A. Macguire
of New York city was given the dis
tinguished service cross Monday
morning on Lafayette field for spe-
cial bravery in France. The medal
was conferred by Maj. Gen. Grote
Hutcheson, on the approval of the
Communicated chief of the A. e. F.
As Lieut.. Macguire is assigned per-
manently to the overseas replace
ment depot, much interest attached
to his honors in that section. He
came here April 81 from the Walter
Reed Hospital, Washington, after
having been disabled since Novem-
Der 5.
Gen. Hutcheson, in the presence of
a number of persons, including Col.
N. P. Adams, c. M. G., of New Zea-
land, and Maj. Heron, the British
military attache at Washington made
a short address and read the citation
comforting the cross and then re-
viewed the troops with Lieut.. Mac
guire.
Disliked Trappings.
A request was made by the hero to
Col. Wilson, chief of staff, to omit all
ceremony in connection with the af-
fair, but Gen. Hutcheson believed
that due honors should be accorded
the officer for his work, and the usual
arrangements were planned and ex-
ecuted.
During Ave days Lieut.. Macguire
fought with his men to secure foot
hold for his division, the 9Th, on the
other side of the Mouse river, all the
while having terrific wound in
his intestines, one on the head and
one on the back. He was finally
ordered to the hospital.
- The feat which Lieut.. Macguire en-
gineered and for which he felt that
his men rather than hiEseelf should
be rewarded. was one which the d.
vision had tried to accomplish sew.
eral times. each effort but his prov
ing unsuccessful.
The Germans held the Bots de
Chatillons and the American COM
mander could not cross the Meuse as
1t was heavily guarded by machine
gunners, and Lieut.. Macguire was
given a detail Of 176 men and or
dered to effect q crossing ana clear.
the woods.
Several unsuccessful efforts had been
made by engineers lower down the
stream to throw bridges across the
stream which was about seventy -f1ve
feet wide, the Canal de List being al
most alongside and offering a further
barrier of nearly fifty feet. The river
was crossed without a casualty, except
the wounds of the officer, by using logs
and duckboards, the men pulling each
other over by means of ropes, the nom
swimmers being tied to the logs
Fooled the Boche.
The work was done at night and when
the other side was reached the Amer
leans lay still until several hours after
the regular time for an attack. They
spread out over q wide area and when
they went forward the boche thought
they were battalion or perhaps regi-
Inent
BY pm, Lieut.. Macguire signaled
his commander that the woods were
cleared of Germans and that the cross
ing could be carried out by the dfvi-
sion without dificulty. Instead Of stop
ping he went ahead wfcs- AS men I'VE
days. driving the Germans back about
eight or ten kilometers. His men were
from Company I, eth InGcAtry.
Having served six yes.se t6 the Army.
Lieut. Macguire was eexam & commits
sion before his regiment Mens to France.
He had been graduateo from Fordham
Z University, In. 1S12 At college he was
captain Of the foot ba and base ball
teams. being an end o. ~ slrmer aIsi
-