The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-10-26
DESERVED FAME !.
DENIED D|CKMAN
"FoREMoST AMERICAN SOLDIER
WHO SAW SERVICE in FRANCE"
HAS BEEN RETIRED.
PROMOTION NOT GIVEN HIM
Man Who Broke the German offen-
sive on the Marine and Commanded
First Corps in the tArsonne. Receives.
Small Recognition. " 49,, 4
By EDWARD 3. CLARK.

Dickman, after fOrty-five years OfNmili-.
tary service for his country, has retired
to civil life The War department said a.
few words about his good conduct and,
the press recorded the fact that he had;
left the active list and that he was a;
soldier in France. Beyond this, moth:
ing. .sss l.. ~ r;
Break the back Of major offensive,
Of the enemy who seems to be just,
on the point Of winning World war ):
later thrash him thoroughly a dozen;
times on a battle-ground of his own,
choosing; and still later lead vic-i
torious army into the foes country
then retire from the service and you;
may get "stickful" of notice in the;
American press and a grudging word,
of commentator from Uncle Sam. j;
High French and British military
authorities hold that Dicllman was the
foremost American soldier who saw
service on French soil. Dickman COM;
manded q division, n corps, and an!
army in succession, and yet he never!
was made a Acknowledgements, as!
everybody, War department officers in
Guided, know should have been the.
case. ;l;fe tftrnH5 III >e &
.YIn5;lthe early summer of 1913 the:
Germans forced the passage of the;
Marine river and began slowly to push,
forward. through the valley of the,
stream OH a front of about twelve,
miles. 1t was one Of the most critical!
situations of 1.-The whole war. Major.
| General gDickmnn arrived with the
| Third division of the American army
| and nftef desperate fighting he sent.
| the Germans HURTING back over the.
Marine. He commanded his division
In the real battle of Chateau-Thierry.;
The Second division also covered it..
self with glory in those days, but It,
was fighting not ut the village, but
on one of the TANKS. - e. .s!
In his report TO the secretary OF
war. General Pershin- wrote: ut was
on this occasion that Il single regi-i
ment Of the Third division wrote one,
of the most brilliant pages in our mill
tary annals" = 81 -, co. .... :
This is all that Pershins said about
the matter He did not give the.
number Of the regiment nor the name.
,of It's commanding officer, nor even the
name of the division commander. Dick
man. The regiment that ''wrote one
of the most brilliant pages in our mill
tary annals" was the Thirty-Eighth
Regular United States infantry, com
manded by Col. Ulysses Grant Nc
Alexander ~,
Wasn't Made Lieutenant General. n
For his fighting quality and the
genius of his work on the Marine,
General iDiclman was made a corps
commander and sent into the Argonne
! where he led the First corps in the
| last month, Of that struggle. Promo
! ton was denied him. although both
Billiard and I.iggett, corps COM
| mu,ulers, had been made lieutenant
| generals. ''~--->~, 50 .; ~ ~ SIS
After Sedan, and mt the time of the
arnistite, General Dicknlan fixed his
! headquarters in half ruined chateau
Just south Of Sedan. 1t happened that
| the writer OF this article WAS with
| hin, in the last days of the conflict.
| iva days after tho yarmistice, Nov
enber r. 1918. a radio came in or
! dering General D!c.intun To report to
| ChaurlUnt for " conference. 7 had
| just enough military sense ANA
Knowledge of the s*rnt"afS career to
| kiIdW SMlnt tllis&nlt,allt.s l said. "You
are going to be given command of
| the Third army and sent into Ger
kmany in command 81 the army of &C.
cupatlon." VI e.
| turned into my bunk on the night
| of the 10Th with word from the gen
| eral that | was to be routed out at
| 4 O'clock to accompany him to Chau-
mont. We made that long ride at
! first in darkness and then IN the
| alories gnf Il rising sun which. to
| borrow \, thought from Byron gave
devastation yildcl halo, We reached
| Chaumont and two hours later Dick
man WAS an army cominandcr-with
no promotion In rank
! Great Soldiers Unknown to Fame.