of the field officers to see that their men were equipted for battle. Second, the plans should have been clearly explained to the company officers. Third, the officers should have maintained liason between battalions, regiment, the French and other American units.
THE 368TH REGIMENT
The 368th Regiment went into the Argonne, September 24, 1918, and was put into the drive on the morning of September 26. Its duty was "combat liason," with the French 37th Division and the 77th (White) Division of Americans. The regiment as a whole was not equipted for battle in the front line. It had no artillery support until the sixth day of the battle. The troops had no grenades, trench fires, trombones or signal flares, airplane panels for signaling, and no shears to cut the German wire. The wire cutting shears given them were absolutely useless with the heavy German barbed wire. The Regiment was able to borrow only sixteen large shears, which had to serve the whole attacking battalion. Last of all, they had no maps and were at no time given definate objectives.
The Second Battalion of the 368th Regiment entered battle on the morning of September 26. Major Elser was in command with all of the Company officers who were Black. Company "F" went "over the top" at 5:30 AM. Major Elser was with Company "H" when they went "over the top" at noon. After advancing four kilometers, the Battalion met with enemy fire. The machine Gun Company silenced the fire. Major Elser stopped in the woods to collect souvenirs form the dead bodies. Immediately, the Major withdrew part of the Battalion to the rear in single file as it was getting dark outside. Unfortunately, Major Elser did not notify the rest of the Battalion to withdraw. Captain Dabney and Lieutenant Powell of the Machine Gun Company led the rest of the men out in order about 10 PM. When the broadside (enemy fire from the side)opened on September 26, Major Elser stood wringing his hands and crying: "What shall I do!" At night he deplored the occurance and said that it was all his fault. The next morning, Major Elser commended the Machine Gun Company for extricating the deserted part of the battalion. Moving forward, again, at 11 AM, two companies went "over the top" at 4 PM without co-ordinating the move with the rest of officers. With the rest of the battalion, again, these companies went forward one and one-half kilometers. Major Elser stayed back with the "Post-Of-Command." Enemy fire and darkness, again, stopped the advancing companies. Captain Jones stayed under sniper's fire until about 3 PM. When no answer to his request came from the Major, the Captain went "over the top," again, and retraced the same 500 meters that he had
