History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With MexicoSweeney, William Allison
History
History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico
Sweeney, William Allison
African American soldiers; African Americans -- History -- 1877-1964; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African American
Private Tom Powell, deceased, Company H; for extraordinary heroism near
Beaume, November 8th.
Private Spirley Irby, Company H, home at Blackstone, Va.; for
extraordinary heroism in action at Beaume, November 8th.
Private Alfred Williamson, medical detachment, home at San Diego,
California; for extraordinary heroism in action near Beaume, November
8th.
Private William G. Hurdle, Machine Gun Company No. 3, home at Drivers,
Va.; for extraordinary heroism in action at Ferme la Folie, September
30th.
Private Harry Pearson, Machine Gun company No. 3, home at Portland,
Oregon; for extraordinary heroism in action near Ferme la Folie,
September 30th.
Private Alonzo Walton, Machine Gun Company No. 3, home at Normal,
Illinois; for extraordinary heroism in action at Rue Lamcher and Pont
D'Amy, November 7th and 9th.
Private Leroy Davis, Company L, home at Huntsville, Missouri; for
extraordinary heroism in action at Mont de Singes, September 18th.
[Illustration: NEGRO WARRIORS ADMINISTERING COLD STEEL. GERMANS UNABLE
TO STAND THE ATTACK. SURRENDERING. IN THE ARGONNE FOREST FRANCE.]
About fifty percent of the 370th met casualties of some sort during
their service in France. Like the New York regiment heretofore
mentioned, they were singularly free from disease. Only 65 men and one
officer were killed in action and about thirty died from wounds. The
total number wounded and missing was 483. Probably 1,000 men were gassed
and incapacitated at times, as the regiment had three replacements,
necessary to make up its losses. The regiment went to France with
approximately 2,500 men from Chicago and Illinois, and came back with
1,260. Of course, many of the wounded, sick and severely gassed were
invalided home or came back as parts of casual companies formed at
hospital bases. The replacement troops which went into the regiment were
mostly from the Southern states. A few of the colored officers assigned
to the regiment after its arrival in France, were men from the officers
training camps in this country and France.
The 370th boasted of the only race court martial in the army. There were
thirteen members, Lieutenant Colonel Duncan presiding. Captain Louis E.
Johnson was the judge advocate, and Lieutenant Washington was his
assistant. It is not of record that the findings of the court martial
were criticized. At least there was no scandal as there was concerning
court martial proceedings in other divisions of the army. The fact is
that there was very little occasion for court martialing among the men
of the 370th. The behavior of the men was uniformly good, as is attested
by the fact that every town mayor in France where the men passed through
or were billeted, complimented the officers on the splendid discipline
and good behavior shown.
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