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

by William Allison Sweeney

The 1st battalion on October 29, 1918, moved up into support positions in the vicinity of the same village. During this time the 3rd battalion was located at Manneaux Farm in reserve. The battalions remained in various positions in the vicinity of Grandlup until November 5, 1918, on which date the enemy again began to retreat, and while thus occupied were subjected to severe shelling and those units occupying front line positions to much machine gun and rifle fire; casualties were few except in Company A stationed in the vicinity of Chantrud Farm, where an enemy shell fell in the midst of the company at mess, killing thirty-five men and wounding fifty, thus causing the company to be withdrawn from the lines.

On the morning of November 5th, a general advance was ordered and the enemy retreated before it. The retreat of the enemy was so rapid that our troops did not catch up with them until about November 8th, on which date a general attack by the division was ordered. The 2nd battalion on the left of the division was given the task of clearing out the enemy from positions along the Hirshon railroad and the Heights of Aubenton. After an all day fight the battalion reached its objective about nightfall. The French division on the left did not advance as anticipated, owing to enemy resistance on their front, and the 2nd battalion having advanced about two kilometers to the front suffered severely on account of the exposed flank, three men being killed and two officers and thirty-three enlisted men being wounded. On the morning of the 9th the enemy again retreated and the 2nd battalion continued the pursuit to Goncelin, resting there for the night and on the morning of the both was ordered to cantonment at Pont d'Any, where it was located at the taking effect of the armistice.

On November 6th the 1st battalion took up the pursuit in support of the Battalion Michel of the 325th Regiment of Infantry, advancing via Brazicourt and Rapeire to Hill 150 near St. Pierremont. Company C having passed on into the front lines at the Brazicourt Farm, upon arrival near St. Pierremont were ordered on the morning of November 6, 1918, to attack and occupy St. Pierremont, cross the Serre River and take up a position along the railroad track. The mission of the company was successfully accomplished in spite of the strong resistance of the enemy, St. Pierremont being occupied, the river crossed and three pieces of enemy artillery as well as several machine guns taken. For this operation Company C was cited and awarded the French Croix de Guerre with a Palm, the highest French citation received in the regiment. The battalion continued the pursuit until arrival at Mont Plaisir, when it was ordered back to Fligny, where it was in cantonment at the taking effect of the armistice.

The 3rd Battalion took up the pursuit on November 5th, resting in the open fields the nights of the 5th and 6th. The battalion in moving up advanced via Bosmont and Mont Plaisir and passed on into the front lines at the Rue Larcher on November 7, 1918. In the afternoon of the 8th orders were received to deliver a cover fire for French units which were to make an attack on the village of Logny, which was strongly held by the enemy. Company M, having been assigned for this work, moved out from Hurtebise and advanced to a position where the cover fire could be effectively delivered, and opened fire. About this time word was received from the French commander that his troops could not advance on account of the severe shell and machine gun fire, and Company M having arrived at a position where it was safer to go ahead than to retreat, attacked the town and drove the enemy therefrom. For this action Lieutenant Osceola A. Browning, commanding Company M, and several others received the French Croix de Guerre and Sergeant Lester Fossie both the Croix de Guerre and the American Distinguished Service Cross. On November 10, 1918, the advance and pursuit was continued. At Etignieres the battalion was temporarily stopped by intense shell fire. On November 11, 1918, the pursuit was again taken up with Resinowez as the principal objective. Later the objective was changed to Gue d'Hossus, Belgium, which objective was reached a few minutes before the taking effect of the armistice, an enemy combat train of about 50 vehicles being captured about this time.

A few days after the armistice, the regiment began to move southward, taking station in villages in the vicinity of Verneuil-sur-Serre.

SOME WAR CROSS WINNERS OF 8TH ILLINOIS (370TH INFANTRY). FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: CAPT. G.M. ALLEN. LIEUT. O.A. BROWNING. CAPT. D.J. WARNER. LIEUT. ROY B. TISDELL. STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: LIEUT. ROBT. P. HURD, LIEUT-COL. OTIS B DUNCAN. MAJOR J.R. WHITE. CAPT. W.B. CRAWFORD, LIEUT. WM. WARFIELD. CAPT. MATTHEW JACKSON.

On December 12, 1918, the regiment formally passed from the French command and to Brest via Soissons and Le Mans, arriving at the latter place on January 10, 1919.

On February 2, 1919, the regiment embarked on the S.S. La France IV, en route to the U.S., arriving on February 9, 1919, and taking station at Camp Upton, Long Island, N.Y.

On February 17, 1919, the regiment left Camp Upton for Camp Grant, Illinois, via Chicago, where it was accorded a wonderful and never-to-be-forgotten reception by the citizens of Chicago.

After arrival at Camp Grant, work incident to the demobilization of the regiment was commenced. The majority of officers and enlisted men were discharged from the service during the latter part of February, and finally on March 12, 1919, orders were issued declaring that the regiment had ceased to exist.