THE 370TH REGIMENT
Up to this point, the anti-Negro propaganda is clear and fairly consistent and un-opposed. General Headquarters had not only witnessed instructions in Negro prejudice to the French, but had, also, consented to wholesale removals of officers among the engineers and infantry, on the main ground of color. Even the French, in at least one case, had been persuaded that Negro officers were the cause of certain inefficiencies in Negro units.
Undoubtedly, the cruel losses of the 369th Regiment were due, in part, to the assumption of the French, at first, that the American Negroes were like the Senegalese. The Seneglese were half civilized troops that could not, in the time they were given them, be trained in modern machine warefare. They were rushed at the enemy, almost, with naked hands. The resulting slaughter was horrible. Our troops told of great fields of stark and crimson dead after some of these super-human on rushes.
It was this kind of fighting that the French expected of Black Americans, at first. Some White American Officers did not greatly care, so long as White men got the glory. The French easily misunderstood the situation at first and assumed that the Negro Officers were to blame. Especially, since this thought was continually suggested to the French by White Americans.
It was another story, however, when the 370th Regiment came. This was the famous "8th Illinoise." This Regiment had a full quota of Negro Officers, from Colonel to Private. The Regiment had seen service on the Mexican Border. After the service in which thirteen had died for freedom, they went to Houston, Texas and were treated with wholesome respect.
The 370th was sent to Newport News, Virginia for embarkation. Once, Colonel Dennison refused to embark his troops. He marched them back to camp because he learned that his men were to be "Jim Crowed" on their way to France.
The Regiment arrived at Brest, April 22, and was assigned to the 72nd French Division. They remained near Belfort until June 17. From the 72nd, it was assigned to the 34th French Division. The 34th went to the front line at St. Michiel for a month. Later, the 34th went with the 36th French Division into the Argonne. There they faught. They were given a short period of rest and then sent into the front line at Soissons with the 59th French Division.
J.Linzy-24