Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30


line by the seven days of
~ the Meuse-Argonne Often
sive that caused the Ger
man resistance to weaken and undoubt-
eddy made it easier for nay immediate
command to outf1ank the enemy on the
ridge and get to The Pocket where
Maj. WhittleSey's command had been
surrounded on the night of the Sd of
October"
In this modest manner, Maj. Carl F..
Mckinney, who commanded the Sd
Battalion of the 307th Infantry and
other elements which effected the relief
of the Lost Battalion sought to mini
mize his personal part in one of the
most thrilling encounters Of American
arms of all time.
stationed at Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, Nd, Mai. Mckinney dis
played the usual reluctance to be inter-
viewed on a battle in which he had
taken part, but in the course of the
questioning, he finally told the complete
story of the relief, which War Depart
ment records fully authenticate.
Surrounded in THE Pocket" the
remnants of two brigades. under COM
mand of Maj. Charles w. Whittlesey,
had. for five days and four nights. by
stark courage and heroiSm alone, held
back the attacks, launched from all
sides and with every sort of weapon, of
many times their number of enemy
forces. And it was this heroic command
that Maj. Mckinney relieved on october
z, 1918.
This thrilling battle reproduced with
the utmost fidelity from War Depart
ment records and other authentic
sources of information, is to be the main
feature of the Military Exposition and
Carnival which is to be held at Wash
| ington Barracks. October 4, and 6.
practically on the tenth anniversary OF
the real battle.
| When Maj. Whittlesey had sent back
a runner to his regimental headquarters,
describing the location of his forces
| Immediately after reaching his objective
on the evening of October 3, and later
had sent five pigeon messages, each of
which told of his position, there was.
| however. a misunderstanding as to his
exact location by those in command of
the forces Immediately to the rear,
which undoubtedly delayed the relief
| On account of the confusion as to the
exact location of the surrounded bat
talon, the desperate efforts made by
elements of the 154th Brigade, 77th Di-
vision, and others to reach the be-
leaguered forces was directed up a val
ley running south from a point near
the Charlevaux Mills to the American
line. 1t was through this valley that
Maj. Wh!ttleseys command had infil-
trated to reach the position that his
force was so desperately defending. It
was therefore thought that by an infil-
tration Of troops through the valley
| 20 nj f1x
Battalion" could be effected. But the
enemy, strongly positioned on the
slopes commanding the valley, repulSed
every attempt of the Americans to force
an entrance.
Previously, on October 2, the division
commander had caused the Sd Bat
talon. 307th Infantry. commanded by
Maj. Mckinney, which had until this
time been held in reserve by the 154th
Brigade, to be pushed forward to Mai
WhittleSeyS advance. Maj. Mckinney
ordered Companies K and NJ to effect
this contact. Owing to the darkness
and the thick underbrush. only K Com
pany. commanded by Capt. Nelson M
Holderman, got through to the Lost
Battalion" and word was sent back
by a runner that they had reached
Maj, Whittlesey's force.
| X y
MAJ. MCKINNEY was placed in COM
1'A mand Of operations on the morn.
ing of october 6. Knowing the direc-
ton of the route taken by Company K
he determined on a turning movement
from the east. The attack at early
morning on the 9Th. delivered on the
right and continued by steady pres
sure throughout the day, advanced the
line only slightly. That night M Com.
pany was brought into the line anc
effected a bombardment of the enemy,
position by mortars. At dawn, October
Z, the attack was resumed and tn.
, enemy by noon showed the first sign'
, of withdrawal
/ Moving along the ridge under con
slant machine gun fire. and cutting IL