New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-02
Jersey Regiment
Lauded for Valor
In Argonne Drive
Capture of Grandpre by
3llth Infantry in Final
Days of War Great Feat,
Says Colonel to Edge

TRENTON. N. j., Feb. lin the
capture of Grand Pre- our brigade had
one OF the hardest propositions to con-
tend with along the whole battlefront"
wrote Colonel Marcus B. Stokes. COM
mander of the regiment, in a letter to
Governor Edge praising in the highest
terms the valor of the 311th Infantry.
we took part in three or four en-
gagements along this front in Octo-
ber,' he wrote, in part, "and as the ex-
IRENE left organization of the Ameri-
can army in the great and final drive
OF the war we made the jump-off on
the early morning of November 1.
Alter four days of pursuing and fight
ing our division was finally relieved
after gaming twenty-one kilometres.
1t was especially gratifying to me to
note that the 311th Infantry was in the
lead by several miles of other organi-
cations in the division when the divi-
sion was withdrawn.
Nv hlle your estimate of JERSEY mon
IS undoubtedly great, it would have
nlied you with the highest admiration
1or the way these men conducted them
selves under these greatest of hard
ships. '''- ="
Lauds Own Men
MY own praise for them is simply
beyond expression. 1t did not matter
what they were called on to do at anv
time, day or night, in the deepest Of
mud and the blacklist of night. thew
always responded to every demand.
WIN IN, every man doing his fullest duty.
we are now we'll back in Central
france FULLY reorganized and equipped,
ana are prepared either to take our
turn IN Germany or go home.
while our men are, of course, anX
ious to get back, they understand the
situation and are behaving finely. Their
reputation as soldiers is too good to do
otherwlse. l am sure the good people
OF New Jersey will be as anxious to
sec us back as we are to find ourselves
again on our own shores.
ne 311th Infantry landed in Eng
land and was Immediately sent to
france via Calais. For the first three
months of our service we were asso-
ciated with the British troops in North
ern France. All of our training and
equipment was soon put on British
basis. We were stationed in reserve
along the British front at places from
Calais to as far south as Arras.
Went Near Switzerland
From Arras we were transferred to
the American sector in the extreme
east, not very far from Switzerland
over IN this new sector we had again
to take on our American methods. After
a few weeks of training I'VE began by
marches to approach the part Of the
me IN winch we were to take our first
part in battle, which proved to be in
the drive against the St. Mihiel salient
For the first day or two of this
campaign we we're in reserve, but were
soon assigned to position in the
front line. Our particular sector was
right up against the Hindenburg line.
1t was here that we began our career
which soon made us a regiment of
veteran soldiers. Our entrance into
the fight was under particularly
severe and trying circumstances, but
the men demonstrated fully their true
! worth and made US proud not only of
/ our regiment, but of our division.
after about three as severe trials
as any soldiers were ever subjected to
we were suddenly taken out of the
line to the east of St. Mihiel and
moved by forced marches at night
westward. Of course, we did not
know at the time where we were going
! 10 Inaily turn up. DuC IL eventually
proved to be the Argonne forest, Just
west Of Verdun. The drive here had
already begun, and in a few days we
were placed in the line just south of
Grand Pre-
Many Decorations Won
you may be sure that the troops
from your state have made wonder
full record, one Which the people of
New Jersey will remember with
PRIDE" declared Major General G, G..
Morton, of the goth Division in re-
Spouse to cablegram from Governor
Edge. "Somc of your gallant officers
and men have fallen in battle with
their faces toward stubborn foe.'
General Morton stated that full
list of decorations and citations would
be made public when the soldiers have
reached home.
1t was announced at the Governors
Office to-day that General March. chief
of staff, had stated that the Goth
Division had not been placed on the
priority list for return to this coun-
try. The general said that. although
it will not sail in the very near future,
the assumption is that it will do so
before the divisions now in Germany.