NARRATIVE OF AN OFFICER
Special Article by Captain John H. Patton, Adjutant of 8th
Illinois--Summarizes Operations of the Regiment--From First Call to
Mustering Out--An Eye Witness Account--In Training Camps, at Sea, in
France--Service in Argonne Forest--Many Other Engagements--A Thrilling
Record--Battalion Operations in Detail--Special Mention of Companies and
Individuals.
Captain John H. Patton, regimental adjutant of the 370th, who commanded
the second battalion through most of its service, presents a summary of
the operations of the regiment from the first call to the mustering out.
Being in charge of the organization's records, his account is detailed,
authentic and highly valuable as supplementing the data of the previous
chapter; gleaned from departmental records and other sources. It carries
additional interest as being the testimony of an eye-witness, one who
participated in the stirring events in a marked and valorous degree. The
recital in Captain Patton's own words, the phrase of a highly trained
and efficient military man, follows:
Pursuant to the call of the President, under date of July 3, 1917, the
8th Illinois Infantry reported at the various rendezvous on July 25,
1917, as follows: At Chicago, Illinois regimental headquarters;
Headquarters company, Machine Gun company, Supply company, Detachment
Medical Department, and Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H; at
Springfield, Illinois, Company I; at Peoria, Illinois, Company K; at
Danville, Illinois, Company L; at Metropolis, Illinois, Company M.
On the date the regiment responded to the call Colonel Franklin A.
Denison commanded the regiment, the other Field Officers being
Lieutenant Colonel James H. Johnson, Major Rufus M. Stokes, Major
Charles L. Hunt, Major Otis B. Duncan and Captain John H. Patton,
regimental adjutant.
The strength of the regiment a short time before responding to the call
was approximately one thousand officers and enlisted men, and orders
having been received to recruit to maximum strength, 3604 enlisted men,
an active recruiting campaign was begun. On July 25, 1917, the strength
was approximately 2,500. Soon afterwards orders were received that the
regiment would be organized according to Minimum Strength Tables of
Organization, which gave it an authorized strength of 2,138 enlisted
men. After reporting that the regiment already had several hundred men
in excess of that strength, authority was granted to retain the excess
men. From this time until demobilized at Camp Grant in March, 1919, the
regiment had from 600 to 1,300 men in excess of its authorized strength,
and upon arrival in France in April, 1918, the entire personnel
consisted of men who had voluntarily enlisted.
Intensive training was begun immediately after the regiment reported at
the various armories and the public streets in the vicinity were
utilized for this purpose until October 12, 1917, on which date the
various organizations entrained for Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, arriving
a few days later.
While stationed at Camp Logan, the regiment was engaged in intensive
training. Officers and enlisted men attended the various schools
established by the 33rd Division to which the regiment had been attached
and acquitted themselves with credit.
At the end of October, 1917, on the date of the closing of the Second
Liberty Loan Campaign, out of a total of 2,166 officers and enlisted men
belonging to the regiment at that time, 1,482 officers and men
subscribed $151,400.00.
While at Camp Logan, approximately 96 percent of the regiment took out
$10,000.00 War Risk Insurance per man.
On December 1, 1917, the official designation of the regiment was
changed from the 8th Illinois Infantry to the 370th Infantry.
On March 6, 1918, the regiment left Camp Logan enroute to Camp Stuart,
Newport News, Va., arriving on March 10, 1918, and immediately taking up
its interrupted intensive training.
While at Camp Stuart, Va., Lieutenant Colonel James H. Johnson was
discharged from the service, and Major Otis B. Duncan, who had commanded
the 3rd battalion, was promoted to the grade of lieutenant-colonel and
Captain Arthur Williams was promoted to the grade of major and placed in
command of the 3rd battalion.
On April 6, 1918, the regiment embarked on the S.S. President Grant en
route overseas. In attempting to get out to sea, the vessel ran aground
in Hampton Roads and three days later having been refloated, the journey
overseas was resumed. On account of this delay the journey was begun
without convoy, the warships assigned to this duty having departed as
scheduled on or about April 6, 1918. On April 20, 1918, the steamer was
met by a convoy of torpedo boats which accompanied us to Brest, France,
at which place the regiment arrived on April 22, 1918.
The following day, April 23, 1918, the regiment debarked and marched to
camp at Pontanezen Barracks, near Brest, and two days later entrained
for Grandvillers (Haut-Rhin), arriving on April 27, 1918, and taking
station.
The regiment, upon arrival at Grandvillers, was attached to the 73rd
Division, French Army, and orders were given for the reorganization and
equipping of the regiment to conform to that of a French regiment. All
American arms, ammunition and equipment were salvaged and French rifles,
machine guns, ammunition, wheel transportation, packs, helmets and other
necessary equipment furnished. Except for the uniform the regiment was
outfitted exactly as were the French regiments of that division. French
rations were issued with the exception of the wine component, for which
an extra allowance of sugar was substituted.
The Division sent officers to take charge of the instruction of the
regiment in every phase of the work to be later undertaken and another
period of intensive training was begun. Even French cooks were present
to instruct our cooks in the preparation and conservation of the French
rations.
After six weeks training at this place, the regiment entrained enroute
to the front, arrived at Ligny-en-Barrios (Meuse) on June 13, 1918, and
moved up toward the lines by easy stages.
On June 21, 1918, the regiment began occupying positions in the Saint
Mihiel Sector, completing the occupation on June 24, 1918. This being
the first time the regiment had been actually in the lines, the division
commander deemed it advisable to intermingle our troops with French
troops in order that officers and men might observe and profit by close
association with the veteran French troops. Thus the units of the 1st
and 2nd battalions, which had been assigned to the front lines were
intermingled with platoons and companies of the 325th regiment of
infantry.
Many valuable lessons were learned while in this sector, which was
exceptionally quiet at the time. Except for occasional shelling and some
scattered machine gun and rifle fire, nothing of interest occurred while
in the sector, and there were no casualties.
On the night of June 30-July 1, 1918, the regiment, having been relieved
in the sector, began withdrawing, and on July 3, 1918, the withdrawal
had been completed without any losses.
After resting a few days in the region of Lignieres (Meuse), the
regiment entrained en route to the Argonne Forest, arriving behind the
lines on July 6, 1918, the 1st Battalion, under command of Major Stokes,
moving up immediately into the reserve positions at Brabant (S.
Groupement Courcelles) and later into the front lines in the Center of
Resistance de la Foret, Sub-Sector Hermont.
The 2nd Battalion under command of Major Hunt took station at
Rarecourt, the latter moved up to Locheres (Plateau of Gorgia) at which
place the Major located his Commanding Post. From this position
companies of the 2nd Battalion were sent into the lines alternately, the
companies being relieved after a five days' tour of duty.
On July 12, 1918, Colonel Franklin A. Denison, who had commanded the
regiment up to this time and had become incapacitated through illness
contracted during the strenuous days incident to the preparation of the
regiment for service in the lines, was relieved from command on this
account and Colonel T.A. Roberts, cavalry, assumed command of the
regiment.
The 3rd battalion under command of Major Williams, was held in reserve
at Vraincourt, and only Company M of that battalion was sent into the
front lines. This company took up positions in the supporting point at
Buzemont on August 7, 1918, and remained until August 14, 1918.
On August 1, 1918, the Stokes Mortar platoon under command of Lieutenant
Robert A. Ward took position in the lines in the sub-sector Vaquois, and
on August 4, 1918, took an active part in a coup-de-main arranged by the
French. His mission, filling in the gaps in the French artillery
barrage, was so successfully accomplished that his entire platoon was
highly commended for their work by the commanding general of the
division.
Although patrols were operating between the lines nightly and the
positions occupied were under artillery, machine gun and rifle fire a
number of times, the only losses sustained during the six weeks in the
Argonne Forest were 1 killed, 1 captured and 4 wounded.
On the night of August 15-16, 1918, the regiment was relieved from its
positions in the Forest and marched to Rampont and entrained for
villages in the vicinity of Fains (Meuse) for a period of rest, arriving
on August 18, 1918.
Upon arrival at the new stations, instruction was begun again, more
attention being paid to open warfare than to work incident to trench
warfare. This training proved of great value to the officers and men in
the latter days of the war, when the regiment was actively engaged in
the pursuit of the enemy to the Belgian border.
On September 11, 1918, the regiment left its various stations and
proceeded by train to Betz, where it detrained and marched to stations
in villages in the vicinity of Mareuil-sur-Ourcq (Meuse).
On September 11, 1918, Majors Hunt and Williams having become
incapacitated through illness and injury, were relieved from command of
the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, respectively, and Lieutenant Colonel Otis B.
Duncan and Captain John H. Patton were assigned to the command of those
battalions.
The battles of Chavigny, Leury and the Bois de Beaumont having reduced
the effectives of the 59th French Division, the regiment was placed at
the disposition of the division and was assigned as one of the three
infantry regiments thereof. Upon joining this division the effective
strength of the regiment was approximately double that of either of the
two French regiments; and in future operations a large share of the work
of the division fell to our lot.
On September 15, 1918, the regiment received orders to move again toward
the front. From Mareuil-sur-Ourcq to the region of St. Bandry (Meuse) the
movement was made in motor trucks. On September 16, 1918, the journey
was resumed, the regiment proceeding by marching. Upon arrival at
Tartier, Companies F and G were sent to Monte Couve (Aisne) to join the
232nd Regiment of Infantry, and Companies I and L pushed forward to
Bagneux (Aisne) to join the 325th Regiment. The 1st battalion proceeded
the next day to the caves in the vicinity of Les Tueries, the 3rd
battalion moved up into the reserve in the region of Antioch Farm with
the remainder of the 2nd battalion.
As soon as Companies F, G, I and L had moved up and taken position in
the lines opposite Mont des Signes an attack was ordered. Attacks on the
enemy positions on the plateau of Mont des Signes were almost continuous
from the date of arrival of these companies until about September 21,
1918, when they were withdrawn and joined their battalions. These
companies acquitted themselves with credit. One platoon under command of
Sergeant Matthew Jenkins, Company F, took a large section of the enemy
works for which the sergeant was awarded both the French Croix de Guerre
and the American Distinguished Service Cross.
About the 22nd of September, the regiment for the first time took over a
full regimental sector, the Battalion Stokes relieving the Battalion
Garnier in the positions outlined by La Folie-l'Ecluse on the Canal
l'Oise-l'Aisne and the Farm Gulliminet, the Battalion Patton going into
the support positions at Mont des Tombes and the Battalion Duncan going
into reserve at Tincelle Farm. Colonel Roberts located his commanding
post at Antioch Farm. From the date of arrival in these positions until
the enemy began to retreat on October 12, 1918, the entire area occupied
by the regiment was almost constantly shelled, gas being used
frequently. The front lines were almost constantly under the fire of
enemy minnenwurfers and numerous machine guns located in the Bois de
Mortier, a very dense wood north of the canal.
On the night of September 26-27, 1918, the Battalion Patton was ordered
to relieve with like units one-half of each of the companies of the
Battalion Stokes in the front lines and soon after the relief was
completed an attack along the l'Oise-l'Aisne Canal was ordered. By the
extreme of effort the remainder of the Battalion Patton was brought up
and having completed the relief of the Battalion Stokes, the attack
began as ordered. The attack continued until October 4th, on which date
all objectives had been gained and the enemy pushed back across the
canal. On September 30th the Battalion Duncan was thrown into the fight
and two companies of the Battalion Patton withdrawn to the support. The
Battalion Duncan was ordered to make a frontal attack which necessitated
an advance across the open fields. This was successfully accomplished,
the battalion being subjected to intense artillery, machine gun and
rifle fire continuously. The Battalion Duncan, having gained its
objectives, the Farm de la Riviere and the railroad south of the canal,
held on tenaciously in spite of the intense fire of the enemy and held
the positions gained until the pursuit began on October 12, 1918, when
it passed into the reserve of the division.
During the occupancy of the sector, from September 22, 1918, to October
12, 1918, patrols from the three battalions were out night and day
between the lines making necessary reconnaissances. On October 4, 1918,
a volunteer patrol of twenty men under command of Captain Chester
Sanders in an effort to discover whether the enemy had abandoned the
woods, penetrated the Bois de Mortier to a point about 100 yards behind
the enemy positions and having been discovered were fired on from all
sides by numerous machine guns. The patrol returned to our lines intact.
For this exploit Captain Sanders was awarded the French Croix de Guerre
and the patrol received the commendation of the commanding general of
the division. On October 7, 1918, after 5 minutes violent bombardment by
our artillery, three raiding parties from Company F made a dash for the
triangle formed by the railroad, the L'Oise-l'Aisne canal and the
Vauxaillon road. One of these parties gained the enemy trenches along
the canal, ejecting the enemy after a hand grenade fight. All parties
returned to our lines intact though several were wounded. Lieutenant
William Warfield of the Battalion Duncan single-handed took an enemy
machine gun nest which had been harassing his company, and after
disposing of the enemy machine gunners returned to our lines with the
gun. Numerous other acts of gallantry were performed in this sector for
which officers and men received both French and American decorations.
At 9:20 a.m. on October 12, 1918, the alert was given for a general
advance by the entire division and the battalions assembled at the zones
of assembly previously designated. The Battalion Stokes was given the
mission of clearing the Bois de Mortier and the Battalion Patton was
placed at the disposition of Lieutenant Colonel Lugand of the 232nd
Infantry, and the 3rd battalion was placed in the divisional reserve.
At about 11:00 a.m. the pursuit began, the 1st battalion clearing the
Bois de Mortier and successfully reaching its first objective,
Penancourt, the same date, and continuing the pursuit the next day to a
point west of Molinchart.
The Battalion Patton, having been assigned as the support battalion of
the 232nd Regiment of Infantry, took up the pursuit via Anizy le
Chateau, Cessieres and the Bois de Oiry, bivouacing the night of October
13th in the vicinity of the Bois.
These battalions were commended by the commanding general. The Battalion
Stokes for its passage of the exceedingly strong position in the Bois de
Mortier and the 2nd for its well conducted march in pursuit via Anizy le
Chateau.
On account of the straightening out of the lines due to the retreat of
the enemy, the 59th Division was withdrawn on October 14th and sent back
for rest, the regiment being sent into the St. Gobain Forest and
vicinity for this purpose. Ten of the twelve days in this locality were
spent in hard work on the roads and the last two were given over to the
re-equipping of the regiment.
On October 22, 1918, Major Rufus M. Stokes was relieved from command of
the 1st battalion and assigned to duty as administrative officer of the
Regimental Combat and Supply Trains. Captain John T. Prout was assigned
to the command of the 1st battalion.
On October 27th, 1918, the regiment was again ordered into the lines and
at midnight on that date the 2nd battalion moved up into support
positions in the vicinity of Grandlup.
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.
[Illustration: 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.
The health of the regiment while in the service was exceptional. The
Medical Detachment, under command of Major James R. White, worked
incessantly to protect the health of the command. Before departure for
France a number of cases of pneumonia of a very severe type developed,
but only two deaths resulted. The Medical Detachment was divided among
the various units, Captain Spencer C. Dickerson having charge of the
detachment attached to the 1st battalion, Lieutenant James F. Lawson
that of the 2nd battalion, and Lieutenant Claudius Ballard that of the
3rd battalion. The work of these detachments was at all times of a high
order of excellence, and during engagements both officers and men in
numerous instances went out into the open and rendered first aid to the
wounded after terrific fire. Each man wounded, however slightly, was
given an injection of anti-tetanic serum and as a result no cases of
tetanus were reported, nor were any cases of gas baccilus infection
reported. During the severe fighting around the Guilliminet and de la
Riviere Farms, more help was needed and Lieutenant Park Tancil, dental
surgeon, volunteered to take charge of one of the first aid stations
which was daily receiving showers of shells from the enemy batteries.
Lieutenant Claudius Ballard, though wounded during the fighting,
refused to be evacuated and continued his duties administering to the
wounded. Major James R. White made daily rounds of the first aid
stations in the lines, disregarding the intense fire of the enemy and
personally dressing numbers of wounded. For their heroic conduct in
administering to the wounded under fire, Major White and Lieutenants
Tancil and Ballard as well as several enlisted men of the Medical
Detachment, were awarded the French Croix de Guerre, and Private Alfred
Williamson of the detachment was awarded both the French Croix de Guerre
and the American Distinguished Service Cross.
* * * * *
ROSTER OF OFFICERS OLD 8TH ILLINOIS (370th Infantry)
(All Negroes unless otherwise designated.)
Field and Staff--F.A. Denison, commanding until July 12, 1918, invalided
home; Col. T.A. Roberts (white), commanding after July 12, 1918; Major
James R. White, surgeon; Major W.H. Roberts (white), operation officer;
Capt. Charles W. Fillmore, personnel officer; Capt. John H. Patton,
commanding 2nd battalion; Capt. James E. Dunjil, assistant to adjutant;
1st Lieut. George Murphy, assistant to adjutant; 1st Lieut. Louis C.
Washington, administrative officer; 2nd Lieut. Noble Sissle, assistant
to administrative officer; 1st Lieut. Park Tancil, dentist; 1st Lieut.
John T. Clemons, chaplain.
First Battalion--Major Rufus M. Stokes, commanding; 2nd Lieut. M.F.
Stapleton (white), battalion adjutant; Capt. Spencer C. Dickerson,
medical officer; 1st Lieut. Harry W. Jones, battalion supply officer.
Company A--Capt. Stewart A. Betts, 1st Lieut. John L. McDonald, 1st
Lieut. Robert L. Chavis, 2nd. Lieut. Wycham Tyler, 2nd Lieut. Howard F.
Bell, 2nd Lieut. Willis Stearles.
Company B--Capt. Stuart Alexander, 1st Lieut. Robert P. Hurd, 1st Lieut.
Franklin McFarland, 1st Lieut. Samuel Ransom, 2nd Lieut. Fred K.
Johnson, 2nd Lieut. Samuel Block.
Company C--Capt. James H. Smith, 1st Lieut. Samuel S. Gordon, 1st Lieut.
Harry N. Shelton, 1st Lieut. Arthur Jones, 2nd Lieut. Elmer J. Myers,
2nd Lieut. Roy B. Tisdell.
Machine Gun Company--Captain Devere J. Warner, 1st Lieut. George C.
Lacey, 2nd Lieut. Thomas A. Painter, 2nd Lieut. Bernard McGwin, 2nd
Lieut. Homer C. Kelly, 2nd Lieut. Julian D. Rainey.
Second Battalion--Capt. John H. Patton, commanding; 1st Lieut. Samuel A.
McGowan, battalion adjutant; 1st Lieut. James F. Lawson, medical
officer; 1st Lieut. Rufus H. Bacote, medical officer; 1st Lieut. William
Nichols, battalion supply officer.
Company F--Capt. Rufus Reed, 1st Lieut. Carter W. Wesley, 2nd Lieut.
Edward Douglas, 2nd Lieut. Robert A.D. Birchett.
Company G--Capt. George M. Allen, 1st Lieut. Durand Harding, 1st Lieut.
Gerald C. Bunn, 1st Lieut. Harvey E. Johnson, 2nd Lieut. Clarence H.
Bouchane.
Company H--Capt. James C. Hall, 1st Lieut Harry L. Allen, 1st Lieut.
George L. Amos, 1st Lieut Binga Dismond, 2nd Lieut Lawrence Willette,
2nd Lieut. John A. Hall.
Machine Gun Company No. 2--Capt. Lilburn Jackson, 2nd Lieut. Frank T.
Logan, 2nd Lieut. Junius Walthall, 2nd Lieut. William A. Barnett.
Third Battalion--Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan, commanding; 2nd Lieut.
Stanley B. Norvell, battalion adjutant; 1st Lieut. Claudius Ballard,
medical officer; 1st Lieut. William J. Warfield, battalion supply
officer.
Company I--Capt Lorin O. Sanford, 1st Lieut. Howard R. Brown, 2nd Lieut.
D. Lincoln Reid, 2nd Lieut. Edmond G. White, 2nd Lieut. Oswald Des
Verney, 2nd Lieut. Harry J. Douglas.
Company L--Capt. William B. Crawford, 1st Lieut. Frank Robinson, provost
officer; 1st. Lieut Frank W. Bates, 2nd Lieut. James H. Peyton, 2nd
Lieut Luther J. Harris.
Company M--Capt. Edward W. Spearman, 1st Lieut Osceola A. Browning, 1st
Lieut. Jerome L. Hubert, 2nd Lieut. Lawson Price, 2nd Lieut. Irving T.
Howe, 2nd Lieut. Larkland F. Hewitt.
Machine Gun Company No. 3--Capt. Matthew Jackson, 1st Lieut. William
C.P. Phillips, 2nd Lieut. Charles C. Jackson, 2nd Lieut Clyde W.
Donaldson, 2nd Lieut George F. Proctor.
Special Units
Headquarters Company--Capt. Lewis E. Johnson, 1st Lieut Robert A.J.
Shaw, 1st Lieut. Benote H. Lee, 2nd Lieut Elias F.E. Williams, pioneer
officer; 2nd Lieut. Rufus B. Jackson, Stokes mortar; 2nd Lieut. Reginald
W. Harang, signal officer.
Supply Company--Capt. Lloyd G. Wheeler, 1st Lieut. Harry Wheeler, 1st
Lieut. James A. Riggs, 1st Lieut. Dan M. Moore, medical officer; 2nd
Lieut Augustus M. Fisher, veterinary surgeon.
Depot Company K--Capt Wm. H. Lewis, commanding; 2nd Lieut. Alvin M.
Jordan, adjutant; 1st Lieut. Norman Garrett, 1st Lieut. Napoleon B. Roe,
dentist; 1st Lieut. George W. Antoine, medical officer; 2nd Lieut Avon
H. Williams; 2nd Lieut. Edward L. Goodlett, 2nd Lieut Frank Corbin, 2nd
Lieut Frederick L. Slade, 2nd Lieut. Walter H. Aiken, 2nd Lieut. Rufus
A. Atkins, 2nd Lieut James T. Baker, 2nd Lieut. John S. Banks, 2nd
Lieut. Marcus A. Bernard, 2nd Lieut. Charles E. Bryant, 2nd Lieut Henry
H. Carr, 2nd Lieut. Horace E. Colley, 2nd Lieut. Ira R. Collins, 2nd
Lieut. Charles H. Conley, 2nd Lieut. Bernie B. Cowan, 2nd Lieut. Flenoid
Cunningham, 2nd Lieut. Frank P. Dawson, 2nd Lieut. Samuel A. Dillard,
2nd Lieut. John W. Harris.
ROLL OF HONOR
Heroes of Old 8th Illinois
Negro National Guardsmen known in France as the 370th Infantry, who were
decorated with the Croix de Guerre. The exploits of some of these men
and also of some of those in the appended list decorated with the
Distinguished Service Cross, are mentioned in the chapters devoted to
the regiment.
Col. T.A. Roberts (white)
Lieut. Col. Otis B. Duncan
Major James R. White
Capt. John H. Patton
Capt. Chester Sanders
Capt. John T. Prout
Capt. Samuel R. Gwynne
Capt. Devere J. Warner
Capt. Wm. B. Crawford
Capt. George M. Allen
Capt. James C. Hall
Capt. Stuart Alexander
Capt. Mathew Jackson
Capt. James H. Smith
Lieut. Park Tancil
Lieut. Osceola A. Browning
Lieut. George C. Lacey
Lieut. Frank Robinson
Lieut. Claudius Ballard
Lieut. Charles C. Jackson
Lieut. William J. Warfield
Lieut. Samuel S. Gordon
Lieut. Robert P. Hurd
Lieut. Henry N. Shelton
Lieut. Henry P. Cheatham
Lieut. Stanley B. Norvell
Lieut. Roy B. Tisdell
Lieut. Thomas A. Painter
Lieut. Lawson Price
Lieut. Lincoln D. Reid
Lieut. Elmer J. Myers
Sergt. Norman Henry
Sergt. Clarence T. Gibson
Sergt. Matthew Jenkins
Sergt. Cecil Nelson
Sergt. Howard Templeton
Sergt. Chas. T. Monroe
Sergt. Derry Brown
Corp. James R. Brown
Corp. Lewis Warner
Corp. Joseph Henderson
Corp. Maceo A. Tervalon
Corp. William Stevenson
Corp. Emil Laurent
Corp. Charles T. Brock
Pvt. Nathaniel C. White (deceased)
Pvt. Robert Pride
Pvt. George B. White
Pvt. Howard Sheffield
Pvt. Cornelius Robinson
Pvt. Ulysses Sayles
Pvt. William Cuff (deceased)
Pvt. Hugh Givens
Pvt. Arthur Johnson
Pvt. Rufus Pitts
Pvt. Olbert Dorsey
Pvt. William Hurdle
Pvt. Bee McKissic
Pvt. Jonas Paxton
Pvt. Harry Pearson
Pvt. Paul Turlington
Pvt. Reed J. Brown
Pvt. Paul Johnson
Pvt. Reedy Jones
Pvt. Alonzo Keller
Pvt. Leroy Lindsay
Pvt. Lavern Massey
Pvt. Josiah Nevees
Pvt. Ira Taylor
Pvt. Jesse Ferguson
Pvt. William M. Robinson
Awarded Distinguished Service Crosses by General Pershing:
Capt. William B. Crawford
Lieut. William J. Warfield
Sergt. Norman Henry
Sergt. Ralph Gibson
Sergt. Robert Barnes
Sergt. Charles T. Monroe
Sergt. Emmett Thompson
Sergt. Lester Fossie
Sergt. Matthew Jenkins
Pvt. Tom Powell (deceased)
Pvt. Andrew McCall
Pvt. Wm. Cuff (deceased)
Pvt. Spirley Irby
Pvt. Alfred Williamson
Pvt. William G. Hurdle
Pvt. Harry Pearson
Pvt. Alonzo Walton
Pvt. Leroy Davis
Pvt. James Fuquay
Pvt. Nathaniel C. White (deceased)
Pvt. Arthur Johnson