trated that as soldiers they had
already won the confidence of the French.

The regiment's first engagement was in the Champagne sector with
Monthois as an objective. Here came the real test. The Negroes were
eager to get into the fight. They cheered and sang when the announcement
came that their opportunity had arrived--but the question was; back of
their enthusiasm had they the staying qualities drilled into European
troops through centuries of training in the science of warfare.

The answer was that some of the heaviest and most effective fighting of
the day was done by the Negro regiment. From June 6th to September 10th,
the 372nd was stationed in the bloody Argonne forest or in the vicinity
of Verdun. On the night of September 25th they were summoned to take
part in the Argonne offensive and were in that terrific drive, one of
the decisive engagements of the war, from September 28th to October 7th.

In the nine days' battle the Negroes not only proved their fighting
qualities in an ordeal such as men rarely have been called upon to face,
but these qualities in deadly striking power and stubborn resistance in
crises, stood out with such distinction that the coveted Croix de Guerre
was bestowed upon the regiment.

The casualty list of the 372nd in this and previous fighting carried 500
names of men killed, wounded and gassed. For their achievements they
were at once cited for bravery and efficiency in General Orders from the
corps commander transmitted through their French divisional chief. It
was dated October 8th and read as follows:

In transmitting you with legitimate pride the thanks and
congratulations of General Garnier Duplessis, allow me, my dear
friends of all ranks, American and French, to address you from the
bottom of the heart of a chief and soldier, the expression of
gratitude for the glory you have lent to our good 157th Division.
During these nine days of hard fighting you have progressed eight
kilometers (4.8 miles) through powerfully organized defenses, taken
600 prisoners, captured 15 heavy guns, 20 minenwerfers and nearly
150 machine guns, secured an enormous amount of engineering
material and important supplies of artillery ammunition, and
brought down by your fire three enemy aeroplanes. The "Red Hand"
sign of the division, has, thanks to you, become a bloody hand
which took the Boche by the throat and made him cry for mercy.