Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-01-13
No USELESS loss Of
LIVES on ARINISTICE
DAY, SAYS PERSHING

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.~-Chs rges
made before a house war invcstigat-
ing committee that American lives
were needlessly wasted on Arnisticc
day are denied in letter from Gen
eral John ]. Pershing made public
tcGay by Representative Tulls~, Re-
publican. Of Massachusetts,.
The generals letter is dated No
vember 81, 1919, and Is in reply t.
charges contained in a letter to Mr..
Fuller from Captain George X. Liver
more, of Winchester, Mass, former
ly operations officer of the One
Hundred and Sixty-SeXenth field
artillery brigade. Of the Ninety-Seo-
ond (negro) division. Mr.. Fuller eX-
planned he had made the letter pub
lie in view of statements recently
made before the investigating com
mlttee by Brigadier Sherburne, COM
handing the artillery division Of the
Ninety Second division, about which
much of the controversy regarding
Armistice day losses has centered.
Text OF Letter
The letter follows:
81 had no knowledge before 6 a.
m, November IL. that the armistice
had been signed and that firing was
to cease at II a. m, November II.
THE armistice, effective at II a.
M, November II, was not signed
until a. m, November II, hence
the information which Captain Liver
more states he received about mid
night of November 10 was only a
rumor, although that rumor proved
to be correct.
For several days prior to No
vember IL, false rumors of the sign
ing Of an armistice were prevalent
in all the armies. You may recall
that at least one of these rumors
even reached the United States AMI
that November Z, I think, was made
day Of celebration on account of
false report.
Foch Urges Action
"A1l armies took steps to correct
these rumors and at S:45 p. M, No
vember 8, the following telegram
was received by me from Marshal
Foch:
THE enemy, disorganized by our
repeated attacks, is withdra wing
along the whole front. 1t is i'm
portant to maintain and hasten our
action. I appeal to the energy and
initiative of the commander-in-chie
anG their armies to secure decisive
results
"All of the allied commanders re-
ceived similar kilograms from Mar
shall Foch.
Neither British nor French head
quarters ordered firing to cease
prior to the going into effect of the
armistice, that is, at II a. M, Novem-
Der II, and, in general, firing by all
the allies and by the enemy, con-
tinued on the whole front from!
Switzerland to the sea until that
hour. In places the firing died away
prior to IL a. M, and in few places
firing continued until after TINT
hour.
Casualties s7igl:S
"The Ninety-Second division
astride the Moxelle, attacked at Z a..
H., November 10, and at a. M.
November IL, advanced short dis
tance but the, troops had retired to
cover in the face Of reported heavy
fire when the commander of the at
lacking brigade received information
at 7:1S a. M, that IN armistice would
be effective at IL a. m. The brigade
commander reports that he ordered
all firing stopped by 1o:455 a. M.
md that the firing was so stopped.
The casualty records show that on
November II. the Ninety-Second d.
vision lost seventeen killed and 1855
wounded, of whom ninety-nine were
gasscd The casualty records of the
marines show that their losses on
November II were nine killed anu
1T2 wounded.