The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-04-05
INDIANS USED TO
SEND MESSAGES IN
THEIR OWN TONGUE
CONTINUED from Page ~

emy. A rumor was out that our di-
vision had given false co-ordinates OF
our supply dump, and that in thirty
minutes the enemy shells were fall
ing on the point. II was therefore
necessary TO code every message OF
importance and coding and DECIDING
took valuable time.
While comparatively inactive at
Vaux Champagne, 1t was remembered
that the regiment possessed a COM
pany of Indians, who spoke twenty-six
different languages or dialects. only
four or five OF which were ever writ
ten II was hardly possible that Fritz
would be able TO translate these d,N
lects, and the plan TO have Indians
transmit telephone messages was
adopted The regiment was fortunate
in having two Indian officers who
spoke several OF the dialects. Indians
from the Choctaw tribe were chosen
and one placed i'll each p. {,
The first use OF the Indians was
made in ordering a delicate with
drawal OF two companies of the Sec
ond battalion from Chuffilly to Char
deny OH the night OF October 70. Thi.
movement was completely without
mishap, although it left the Third
battalion, greatly depleted in previous
fighting, without support. The Indians
were used repeatedly on the 9th If
preparation for the assault, on Forest
Farm The enemy's complete sur
prise is evidence that he could moi
! decipher the messages.
Indians Are Trained.
After the withdrawal of the regi.
ment to Louppy-le petit, number o.
Indians were detailed for training il
transmitting message, over the telc,
phone, The instruction was carried
on ly the liaison officer, Lieutenan
Blacl. 1t had been found that th'
Indians vocabulary of military term'
was insufficient. The Indian for Ri.
gun" was used to indicate artillery
Little gun shoot fast" was subsu
tuted for machine gun, and the ba,
talions we're indicated by zone, tive
and three grains of corn" II wa
found that the Indian tongues do no
permit verbatim translation, but 4
the end Of the short training perict
al Louppy-l petit. the results wcr
very gratifying, and 1t is believed
had the regiment gone back into ih
line, fine results would have beel
obtained, We were coNiident the pos
sibl!ities OF the telephone had beel
obtaircd without its hazards.
But | was telling OF Forest Farm.
have gone into details OF the prepara
ton not so much as a record OF tha
tight as TO contrast it with the battl
at st Etienne, where we went in wit
practically no preparation whatever
and at Forest Farm other preparation
and precautions were made which
have not mentioned, among them th
detailing of men with the sole dut
OF reporting the position OF the line.
Gun Barrage Signal.
Promptly at 4:l0 on that thus ia
quiet afternoon, lone gun opene
fire II was the signal for the BON
bardment and barrage TO be laid fc
twenty minutes on the enemy lin,
strbng points and back positions.
was a wonderful concentration Of fir,
masterfully placed. On solid line, bs
ginning on the enemy wire the groun
was torn and shattered so that
seemed impossible for men TO live !
it or obstacles to remain. On the min
ute at 4 20 the l94 men OF the 1hir
battalion and II. company, with
company on the right and a pla,oo
OF machine guns from Company /
l]2nd Machine Gun battalion, ros
ont OF their holes and followed th
barrage. Meanwhile the enemy artiI
lery opened a counter barrage tel
rifle in itself, cutting our wire con
munica,ions in innumerable places, ,bt
the advancing line rapidly passe
through il and closed on the enemy
M ,hs y,abt sb.,. ,s s,p& s,,,srk 4