COLONEL DONOVAN IN FIGHTING TRIM AFTER ST. MIHIEL
FATHER DUFFY’S
STORY
A TALE OF HUMOR AND HEROISM, OF
LIFE AND DEATH WITH THE FIGHTING
SIXTY-NINTH
BY
FRANCIS P. DUFFY
CHAPLAIN, 165TH INFANTRY
WITH AN HISTORICAL APPENDIX BY
JOYCE KILMER
NEW
YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
Copyright, 1919,
By George H. Doran Company
Printed in the United States of America
TO THE MEMORY OF OUR DEAD
THIS BOOK
IS REVERENTLY DEDICATED
PREFACE
On one occasion, after having had to swallow an exceptionally large dose of complimentary eloquence, I stated that I was going to borrow a title for my book from my favorite philosopher, Mr. Dooley, and call it “Alone in Europe.”
The title that has been given it sounds almost as egoistic as that; but there will be found in these pages other names than my own. Indeed, objection may be made from a literary point of view that the book bristles with names. I could not write my story otherwise. I knew these men, and what they did, and my only regret is that I have undoubtedly overlooked some, especially amongst replacements, whose names and deeds should be mentioned. Battles are not fought by commanding officers alone, not even by chaplains unaided; and the men who do the fighting usually get little personal credit for their valor.
My chronicle claims no merit save that of being true. The only critics I had in mind while writing it were those who fought in France. If they say that the pictures are true, I am content. The diary style has been deliberately chosen because it permits the introduction of incidents, and also lends itself to the telling of a plain unvarnished tale.