davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-15

writing in his diary Oct 3.
This is a rather bad day. The first
thing we find our communication again
cut off to the rear. Jerry strafng us.
Major Whittlesey sends pigeon asking
for artillery support. Shrapnel Injuries
the new pigeon man.
The day had now become more than
rather" bad, and he wrote:
Germans are on all sides of us, and
we set ourselves for any emergency
with our rifles by orders of officers.
Germans can be heard calling back and
forth to each other all around
But even in situation SO tense, the
diarist could catch a spot Of humor that
has never appeared in published ac-
counts.
"One prisoner, young fellow, brought
in and questioned. Manson offered him
some Bull Durham and he took it all
in a big porcelain pipe that he pulled
from his hip pocket"
laughed at Manson.
The next entry Of Oct. is frag-
mentary. Then it reads:
"Our machine gun men report that
they gave EN- hell 1t is good as i'm
RA1S14aAN ~ LIS IA q So1o ah5Qdt
exposed as we are this is hot corner
for us. Several pigeons sent back. Our
artillery has not materialized yet at 2 or
3 p. m. Terrible cries Of wounded men
through the woods are pitiful, Wounded
lying around US waiting for way to rear
to be opened up SO stretcher can pass
Sent back three pigeons reporting situa-
ton. Lieut.. Wilhelm tKarl Wilhelm of
Buffalo. N. ", with 'E' Company went
out Lieut.. ]. ". Leake came back with
some men and reported Lieutenant Will
helm had cut his way back to regiment
losing most of his men. Germans are
raising hell with .ninnenwerfers which
are large bombs about inches by Is
inches, carrying about 80 pounds of
dynamite They hit the ground and ex-
plode after about 10 seconds
Today Larney smiles at this description
and calls it weird probably something
someone told me-" Quite likely ii shows
the impression upon his young nerves
OF the crashing, rending explosions, the
fountain of earth, the hot han of iron
fragments among the men sringing in
their funkholes. The German mine
throWers were somethingi
Larney's description OF what was hap
pening comedies remarkably well with
the official records in Washington.
The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-15

WTHITTLESEY, as he advanced, re-
ported his progress to Col. Cromwell
Stacey, commanding the 308th Infantry,
by sending written messages by his
chain of runner posts. Arrived on his
objective, Charlevaux Valley, while
Larney and his buddies were digging
their foxhole and preparing TO sleep,
the commander was writing still another
message telling just where he was Next
morning, Oct. 3, he carried out the or
ders Colonel Stacey had given him. At
6 o'clock in the morning he sent back
Lieutenant Wilhelm and Company E 70
try to strengthen communication TO the
rear: and within an hour he received
reinforcements.
Up from the marshy valley bottom
came Company K of the 307th Infantry,
the regiment on the 308th's right, COM
manded by Capt. Nelson M. Holderman
(noW commandant of the veterans home
at Napa, Calif). They alone of four
companies sent forward 10 reinforce
Whittlesey had managed to reach him,
working forward by way Of the runner
posts.
Then came reports that the Germans
were breaking the line OF runner posts.
the thin thread connecting the advanced
troops with the rear, whence alone could
come supplies and help.
Noon, Oct 3, 1918. Strong German
forces were both in front Of and BE-
hind the position Whittlesev had been
told to hold there IN Charlevaux VAL
ley. The Lost Battalion was not lost,
but surrounded.
And then, a German voice cried out,
stM1f91 Nj 10 -g3Sdyrl ~ %
And all together they came. Tie
Americans threw back the attack-but
still the Germans ringed them round
Major Wlittlesey sent the third OF the
three carrier pigeons Larney mentioned.
telling Colonel Stacey all this, saying
that 25 per cent Of his 554 men were
killed or wounded and he needed am
munition- and ending situation seri-
Gus" But he and MeMurtry, his second
in command, personally gave these or
ders to all their company commanders:
Our mission is to hold this position
at all costs. No falling back
The siege had begun.
The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-15

quite way through more
woods, starting and stopping. ducking
and running exposed places, until we
came TO another deep ravine and dug
in for the night on the farther side
Thus simply, Private Jim Larney oi
Watertown, N Y, recorded his entry
into one of the great episodes of Amer
lean history--the siege of the Lost Bat
talon, Major Whittlesey's slight, youth
ful signalnan wrote in a blackboard
diary which he carried with him all the
five days and nights that the embattled
American force held in THE Pocket"
They had been driven there. after
pla,.s for Americas biggest battle had
gone aWry and efforts to capture the
formidable Argonne forest by surround
ing ii had failed. Then, at the begin
ming OF October. 1918, the doughboys
were, told to burst straight through that
tangled woodland by frontal assault
Push ahead" roared General Alex
ander, the T7th Divisions aggressive
commander. Drive across that Charlie
vaux Valley through the forest, and on
its northern slope, seize that road-and
hold it!,,
Orders
A1ut--~ttA &IClIiidAl SNEIlilaS III lflG
forest behind Us have cut us off once
already" said Major WhittIesey, COM
manding the advanced troops. Suppose
they do ii again?"
Even today, l9 years later, many peg
pie think that Whittlesey himself was
responsible for the desperate predica-
nent of his troops because he rushed
ahead OF everyone else But a little
group of his soldiers who We're close to
their leader all through, know that the
truth is the exact opposite. Whittlesey's
orders forced him TO run the risk of Just
what did happen. He knew it and said
so before he started.
''You will advance regardless Of
hanks," said his superiors.
Ordersi What else could WhittIesey
do, but obey? The seandal-mongers are
answered by what Jim Larney wrote
Oct. 2, 1918, there in "the Pocket.
Messages sent back that we are ar
rived and are on position Of objective"
They had obeyed orders-no more. no
less They knew where they were
just where they were supposed to be.
So did General Alexander. The Lost
Battalion was never lost; that was d
asnappy8 name it was tagged with.
All night the men were cold but un-
molested, and the morning sun OF Oct.
: found them sitting on the edge of their
funkhoies having smoke and Jim Lar
The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-15

Meet Week: Laraey's diary de-
scribes hour Whittlesey's men mere
fred on by their oun artillery. ana
hoto their lives hung on the fight
OF their last pigeon.
The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-15
INeWIu Discovered Diary
Ofhp LOST BATTALION
BY Thomas M. Johnson

IIYNAIR autumn day. Warming up
!. Left dugouts again in
middle of the day and went
The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-10-15

Major WIaistEesey
lleft), the Lost Bat
TALON commander.
was dubious
about pushing ahead, !,
but he was sxsader
orders. ayosx will
advance, regardless
Of TANKS = was the
command from
Gen. Robert Alex
aader (righs,, the
7TsIs Division's
coansnazade~.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Grimes Banished Axain.

THOUGH the weather man washed
out all but three games yesterday.
those three provided enough excite
ment to 60 around. The Boston Bees
s-5 trimming of the Brooklyn Dodgers
was marked by Brooklyn Manager
Burleigh Grimes second consecutive
expulsion from the field. bold Burleigh
beefing too strongly at one of Umpire
Larry Goetz's decisions
In Boston, Bobby Doerr, 19-year -old
Red Sox recruit second baseman from
the Pacific Coast League, was beane0
by Washington Right-hander Ed Linke
in the course of Boston's 1875 slaugh-
tering of the Nationals. Doerr went
to Hub hospital for an X-ray and
observation.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
DERBY CANDIDATES
BRAVE CLARK J|NX
Not Since 1901 Has Horse
Winning Downs Fixture
Also Won Classic.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Y OU1SVILLE, KY, April 81
/ Will the 35-year jinx be broken
this year in the $4,000 added
IL Clark Handicap, feature of the
program Saturday at the opening Of
the l9-day meeting at Churchill
Downs?
Not since 1901, the last year the
Clark was run as race strictly for
3-year-olds, has the winner gone on
to capture the Derby. generally held
a week later. The Clark now is an
event for 3-year-olds and up.
Headed by Milky Way Stables
Military, eight Derby eligibles have
been nominated this year for the
Clark, a mile-anda-sixteen spin,
but whether any of them accept the
issue remains to be determined Other
Derby candidates who may start in
the Saturday special are H. C. Apple
gates Chigre, Rosedale Farms Lake
View, Alvin Untermyers Gurkha and
and Petrose and Mrs F. L. Navin's
Kermay.
Other Possible Starters.
OTHER possible starters among the
46 nominees are Hollywood, Spar
ia, Silk Mask, Threadneedle, Grand
Manitou, Bow to Me, BaniSter, Count
Morse, Professor Paul, Cristate, Para
disical, Dnieper, Seventh Heaven, Tat
terdemalion, Roustabout and Gyral.
Founded in 1875, the same year as
the Derby, the Clark frequently has
undergone altera tions. Its distance
has been changed five times and since
1902 has been a handicap.
Before the bars we're lifted to older
campaigners, 10 future Derby cham
pions copped the Clark. The string
started in 1881, when Hindoo won
both races and ended with his emf
nence's double victory in 1901. In
between, other winners OF the two
stakes were Buchanan, Spokane,
Riley, ARA, Chant, Hama, Plaudit
and Lieut.. Gibson
Double Winners.
TWO Derby winners in later years
captured the Clark. In 1917 it
WAS old Rosebud, then a s-year-old,
and in 1922 Exterminator, 1918 Derby
champion, romped home first. Hodge
won the Clark in successive years,
1856.
Mrs. E. Denemark's Corinto won
the Clark last year. He was not
nominated this year.
Evening star., 1937-04-27

WcdAo. ~ WdSu u, however, WQaL ne
said as much as how he said it. He
reminded you, all Of sudden, of the
1888 Cronin . not the Cronin of
1885 and 1896.
In 1933-his first year as manager
OF the Washingtons-Cron was a
young man in whose eyes burned fiery
ambition. Nobody gave much of a
thought to Joe at the start of that
season, just four years ago. The Ma
tionals were just another ball club and
Cronin was just another manager,
even if he was only kid.
But Joe seemed to know he
had , team that was going to
fool people and eventually it
did.
The Cronin Of 1885 and 1886 was a
different person. After he won the
pennant in 1888 he was bought by
Boston for s25O,oo and placed at the
helm of a club that ostensibly was
made to order. "Cronin's got pen
nant winner" everybody said. 1T
ought TO be breeze"
Evening star., 1937-04-27
l8-Year-Old Carolina Pitcher Draws Scouts

leigh Grimes He has been
kicked out of two ball games in two
days Ossie Solem made q big
hit with Syracuse alumni here Sat-
urday night He makes good
appearance and knows all the an
swers :. Syracuse rooters make no
bones about it-they are looking for
q return Of the good old days along
about the Fall of 1898 >. With
the hiring Of Solem, Syracuse has
gone Minnesota in big way >.
Ossie and two of his assistants
Clarence Mum and Bud Wilkinson
are former Golden Gophers
Mum, crack guard in his play
ing days, will be line coach, while
Wilkinson will help Bill Boelter
with the bAckheld.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Big Race at Salisbury.

NOTABLE among these are the Is
hlometer national championship
At Norwich, Conn, on May 81, and
the 20-kilometer title race June at
Canton, N. Y. Jaunts Of these dis
tances are mere workouts for the lads
who like the stretch of 26 miles 385
yards.
The only full marathon scheduled
between now and The Stars will be
held on Memorial day at Salisbury
Beach, Mass, to be run from Law
renee, Mass, to the sea. Several WASH
ington athletes are expected to COM
pete in this event, which will be held
in celebration Of the opening of a
Summer resort. A whopping good time
is promised the runners by the Sails
bury Chamber of Commerce In
formation concerning the race may be
obtained from John Semple, a popu-
lar participant in Washington Star
gallops Johnny may be reached in
care of the Salisbury Chamber of
Commerce.
Evening star., 1937-04-27

Heavy play on Pompoon has
heightened the odds on Col. Brad
ley's Brooklyn as a Kentucky Derby
choice II Tommy Heinrich
makes the grade, the Yanks will
have two of the best throwing out
f1elders in base ball q. Few can
rifle them in like Joe Di Maggie
And last season Heinrich had
81 assists . His total for his 383.
game career Is 80.
Heavyweight Junior Munseu, who
comprises Pepper Martins f1stic
stable, has been signed to fight in
st. Louis May 4 .. Washington
wants Red Rufnng, but the Yankees
say they'll not trade him.
Evening star., 1937-04-27

Southern operatives report one big
league club offered Templeton
$4,000 to sign a contract . An
other said it would better any bid
the kid received by 1000 One
report has it the Cardinals have
the inside track and that II Archie
hasn't already made up his mind to
cast his lot with st. Louis, he will
soon Branch Hickey made q
personal visit to Winston-Salemt to
watch the youngster in action ).
who's going to bag Bucky Jacobs,
U. Of Richmond pitcher, who has
turned in two no-hitters in a.
many weeks?
One rookie" who is more than
living up to expectations u Bur-
Evening star., 1937-04-27

or at least it seemed so, and nothing
much to gain.
He went through a couple of tough
years, did the erstWhile boy wonder
No. 2" Of Washington. AS a first
year manager he was fortunate enough
TO fall heir TO an elderly club, care-
fully picked by Old Fox Clark Griffith,
and the Mats of 1888 did everything
right
Half a dozen of them reached
the peak OF their respective
career all at once and the first
thing Joe knew he was plotting
4 team in a world series.
II he surprised lot of people, Joe
Evening star., 1937-04-27

must be okay now, but it's a question
whether little Dave can regain the
speed that carried him to undisputed
supremacy among the marathoners
on this continent in 1888 and "a. He
is eager to test himself again over
the Washington course.
1t probably will be the best condi-
race, for number Of ganops Of
shorter distances are scheduled at
convenient times apart that will keep
the runners in almost constant train
ing.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Le Slump Has Mats Stun,ed Mnruh0ners Look Race
"POPPlNG ;r'5S'l
OfF"vJtGfo on@zlas.&9.99 s.. IS
Joe Faces a NeU Year.

BY CORRESPONDENT
~ OSTON managing ball club that .verv
X Tom Dick and Harry picking win the
Cronin today Redde
Tor the benefit Of anybody who just
erected
Washington
NOBODY
strongest stuff he n a
All right answered Joseph taking
DER He
viewed Neither
"au right it that everything a
Conin carried
would
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Major Leaders
By the Associated Press.
National LeaEue.

National Leaxue.
Leading batters-q. Waner. Pirates,
500; Brack. DODGERS. 800.
m.dwist Edunsrsordagary' soG M;1. dtn1 csrdinals,
Runs batted in-Mize, Cardinals. :
Medwick and J. Martin Cardinals. 6.
Hits--Medwick. Cardinals. 10; Arno-
vich. Phillies. P. Waner. Pirates. q.
Doubles-Arnovich. Phillies, g. Med
wick. Cardinals. 4.
Triples-Ten men tied with each.
Home runs-Ott. Giants. 2; nine men
stoler bases-J. Martin, Cardinals.
I; e, Bordasary. Cardinals. and Browne.
Pitchers-J Dean. Cardinals. and
Lamaster, Phillies. 20.
American League.
Leading batters-Walker, Tigers. .714;
r. Ferrell. Red Sox. 800.
Runs-Walker. white Sox. Walker,
Tigers. and Johnson, Athletics, g.
Runs batted in-Cronin, Red Sox,
8: Bonura. White Sox. 7.
Hits-Bonura, White Sox. and
Walker. TIGERS. 10.
Doubles-Cronin Red sox. 4; Bell.
Browns: Larry. Indians; Hayes. White
Soy; Sewell White Sox, 3.
Triples-Stone and Travis. Sena-
Home runs-Johnson. Athletics. 3;
n. stolen p, b,ses. .solters. Indians; wer-
.Pitchers-Wnliams. Athletics. 30;
2 men tied with %
Evening star., 1937-04-27
ARMY GETS GRID STAR

CHAMPAIGN, Ill, April ~ R.-
Lowell Spurgeon, star backfleld man
on the University of Illinois foot ball
team and captain elect for 1897 said
today he has received confirmation of
his appointment to West Point Mill
tary Academy, effective July 10, 1888.
Spurgeon. a star passer and kicker,
said he will complete his scholastic
work at Illinois
Evening star., 1937-04-27
BY EDDIE BRIETZ.
Associated Press Sports Writer.

n YEW YORK, April 27.-Big
nj league scouts are flocking
" to Winston-Salem, N. c., to
A watch Archie Templeton
NOV 'em down for the Methodist
Children's Home team Archie,
18, has famed 68 batters in 80 in
nings this season May be an
other Bob Feller or another Babe
Ruth, for they say he can pour the
pine into that leather almost as
well as he pitches (Ruth began
his base ball career in q home for
boys, too
Yankees are mighty interested
and 20 are the Cardinals i. Our
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Homer Standings

BY the Associated Press.
No home runs yesterday in Ameri-
can or National League.
The leaders-R. johnson, Athletics,
3; OFT, Giants, 2.
League totals-American, l3; Ma
tional, IL; total, "a.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Lazzeri Proves "SIicker"

TOUGH TONY has done a lot OF
neat jobs for the Yanks. but few
neater than that in the eighth inning
of yesterdays IL defeat of the Ath-
letics. The defeat showed the AS
out of the lead and moved the cham
pions into it.
With runners on first and second,
Chubby Dean drove one of Johnny
Broaca's offerings straight at Laz-
zeri. Tony elected to gamble, trapped
the ball, then tipped it to Shortstop
Frank Crosetti, his fellow San Fran
ciScan.
Before the AS or the frost bitten
customers knew what was going on,
Bob johnson had been forced at Sec
ond, Dean was thrown out at first and
Wally Moses was tagged by Red Rolfe
as he went into third A likely rally
had been nipped in the bud and
Broaca's spell over the A's-he beat
them four times last year-remained
unbroken.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Grin Made Smart Move.

Joe sensed the expectations. In
stead Of young man with every
thing to gain and nothing to lose :. {.
a man with an eager look about him
he took on a hunted, drawn
expression. He had everything to lose,
Evening star., 1937-04-27
KomOnen Tries Comeback.

THE only man ever to win The Star
race twice, Dave Komonen, the
Finnish Ghost. is making comeback
Komonen romped to victory here in
1898 and "a, lost his title to Dengis in
1885, then suddenly faded from the
marathon picture. It was reported
Komonen, employed at a nickel mine
at Sudbury, Canada, developed lung
trouble. He bobbed up last week for
the Boston gallop and proved his stay
ing power by finishing His bellows
Evening star., 1937-04-27
YANKS HUMBLE AS
WITH TRIPLE PLAY
lazzeri Traps Ball to Put
Across Feat-Dodgers No
Match for Bees.
BY BILL BONI.

~ NCE again in first place in the
I American League, the Yam
I KEGS already are a step ahead
~ of their blLstering 1886 pace.
AS they manhandled their way to
victory in the Junior circuits pennant
race and the world series last year,
the Yanks skipped few team and in
dividual batting honors.
Now they have achieved one peak
they missed in their record breaking
1895 climb with the major leagues
first triple play of the week -old season.
Last season the American League had
seven, to tie the all-time record, but
the Yanks didn't have one.
Credit for setting the three-ply
killing in motion goes to Tony Lazzeri,
the crafty veteran from San Francisco.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
League Statistics
AMERICAN.
RESULTS YESTERDAY.

RESULTS YESTERDAY.
Boston, 12; Washington 5.
New York +: Philadelphia l.
Chicago Cleveland rain.
st. uis-Detroit, rain.
GAMES TODAY. GAMES TOMORROW.
Wash. at Bos.. t2). N. Y. at Wash. 81 3.
st. Louis at Detroit. St. Louis at Detroit,
Chic. at Cleveland. Chi at Cleveland.
Phils. at New York. Phila. at Boston.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Totals - 3S 5 10 "a IL
"Batted for DeShone in third.

Runs batted in-Myer. Kuhel. Simmons,
Lewis. CTompton, Cronin .3l. Cramsr ~.
Two-base hits-Cronin, Mills. Almada
Three-base bits-stone, Travis. Cramer.
Sacrince-Doerr. Double plays--Travis to
mada. Left on bases-WashinEton. II:
Boston. 10.- First base on balls-Oh De-
Shone. 3: Lnke q: Marcum, g. Struck
out-By Linke. 4: Marcum. 3. Hits--On
DeShong. 3 in . innings: Linke. II in 6
innings. Hit by pitcher--By DeShons
DE shong. Umpires-Messrs. Dinneen,
Owens and Hubbard. Time-2:2O.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Waiting for Hitters.

"TF PHIL WEINTRAUB hits we'll be
all right" Dresser continued
"Kiki Cuyler, injured recently, should
be back in week and will help. Scar
sella will start banging that ball
and we'll give them all trouble. The
club hustles and the fans, who've been
coming out to see us, will like us
better as we go along.
I'm not saying where we'll finish,
but if we don't win game soon, I
don't want to run into your Paul
Mickelson He's been plugging us
for the pennant."
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Type to Provide Spark.

A T the time, Joe, aflame with am
bition and probably playing over
his head, was recognized as the best
shortstop in base ball, And he prob.
ably was just that Anyway, at tho
end of a dismal 1884 campaign,
Yawkey offered s25O,OO0 for Cronln.
Grif had no alternative but to ac-
cept. In the first place club owner
can't turn down quarter of million
dollars for ball player. Secondly,
Cronin had just married INTO the
Griffith family and from the moment
the wedding bells rang he was on the
spot. Thirdly, Washington's aging
1888 team had to be rebuilt and this
was no kind of job for q young
manager of Cronin's type
He was the kind to provide
spark for a veteran team; not
the steadying, all-knowing type
to nurse a gang OF kids.
Selling Cronin meant that Yawkey
would have to let Bucky Harris 60.
Grif knew it. He knew, too, that
Harris was the kind to build young
team. He also knew that Yawkey was
intent on mobilizing another ready
made club and Griff figured that Son.
in-law Cronins best interests would
be in Boston, trying to do what he
did for Washington in 1898.
Evening star., 1937-04-27
Breaks Against Reds,

CURE, it's base ball." said Dresser
But in that first game we had
two men on base in the first inning,
ball that was sure hit-and it
struck Weintraub, automatically put
ting him out to retire the side. That's
tough luck. In the 4-3 Pirate win,
bad hop OF ground ball over Scar
sella's head gave the Pirates two runs. :"
Dresser believes his pitching staff
will develop into one of the best in
the game. He plans to use Paul Der
ringer, Ray Peaches) Davis, Bill Hal
lahan, Lee Grissom, Lloyd Moore and
Gene Schott regularly,
Evening star., 1937-04-27
GAMES TODAY.
NATIONAL.
GAMES TODAY.

RESULTS YESTERDAY.
Boston. 2; Brooklyn. :.
Other games postponed. rain.