New-York tribune., 1919-02-10

line which offered the greatest danger
as we'll as the greatest opportunity for
training in trench warfare and rading
ing. A small number Of the 15ths men
were sent with each French company
with instructions to observe all regula-
tions and famliarize themselves with
the tactics of the French. The French
poilus were delighted with their negro
comrades and soon taught them all they
knew.
After two weeks experience obtained
in the manner described the negro
troops were sent to the Bois d'Hauze,
Champagne, where they, unassisted by
the French, held Il complete sector
which in length continued 20 per cent
of all territory held by American
troops at the time.
Checked German Assault
BY this time the fighting effectiveness
OF the negro troops from New York
was recognized by the high command.
and after resting behind the lines
for a few weeks they were transferred
and placed in the path of the expected
German offensive at Minancourt, near
Butte de Mesnil where they bore the
brunt of the German attacks of july
10 and thereafter. Against the enemy
in this action the old 18th was COM
plctely successful. holding against the
German fire, repelling German attacks
and by counter attacks becoming pos
sessed OF the front line German
trenches.
AT The end Of July the regiment.
after three days march to the rear,
went into training for open warfare,
but had hardly started work when a
hurry call was sent for them to take
over the same place in the line which
they had left few days before.
During the action which followed it
was the policy of the French strategists
to retreat from the lines then held
after having "gassed" all the dug-outs
The advancing Germans thereupon were
met with such heavy shell fire that
they were forced into the underground
shelter and so fell by the hundreds.
victims of the noxious fumes released
by the French.
Took Foes Rifles
The negroes after advancing again
after this defeat of the enemy found
enough Mauser rifles lying beside the
dead Germans to equip an entire brig
ade. Finding the German Mauser to
resemble the Springfield formerly used
by the American troops and prefer
ring it to the French weapon fur
nished them, the men of the 18th
promptly adopted the captured rifle,
and 1t was with considerable difficulty
that the French equipment was finally
restored to them
Early IN September the black SOL
dlers were transferred from the 10th
French Division, in which they had
been serving, and made an integral
part of the 161st French Division. And
then, on the morning of September 2G,
they joined with the Moroccans on
the left and native French on the
right in the offensive which won for
Guerrc and the citation Of 1872 indi-
vidual officers and enlisted men for
the Legion of Honor, the Croix de
Guerre or exceptional gallantry in
action. The action began at Maison-
en-Champagne; it finished seven kilc-
metres northward and eastward and
over the intervening territory the
Germans had retrcatcd before the
feroclous attacks of The 18th and its
French comrades.
First to Reach Rhine
A month later a new honor came to
the regiment-the honor of being the
first unit of all the Allied armies to
reach the River Rhine The regiment
had left its trenches at, Thanh, Sun
day, November IT, and, marching as
the advance guard of the 161st Divi-
sion, Second French Army, reached
Blodelsheim, on the left bank of the
Rhine, Monday, November 1S. The
regiment is proud of this achievements
1t believes also that it has been under
fire for g. greater number of days than
any other American regiment. Its his
torian will write down:
That the regiment never lost man
captured. a trench or foot of ground
That is was the only unit in the
American Expeditionary Force which
bore a state name and carried a state
flag.
That is was never in an American
brigade or division.
That it saw first and longest service
of any American regiment as part of
foreign army.
That it had less training than any
American unit before going into action.