in the Argonne forest the Regimental Commander moved forward to establish a P.C. and came upon a number of Germans who fled to the woods which were FOUND TO BE ALIVE WITH MACHINE GUNS. The Commanding Officer ordered the woods searched to the top of the hill. The officer in charge of the scouting, 2nd Lieutuenant C.W. Carpenter asked for volunteers and Private Boykin, a telephone linesman, offered his services and set out with the rest of the detail. While trying to flank an enemy machine gun, another opened fire killing him [Pvt. Boykin] instantly."
This effort of the 368th Regiment was seized upon by Army gossip and widely heralded as a "failure" of Negro troops, and particularly of Negro officers. Yet the same sort of troops and many Negro officers in the Champagne and afterword in the Argonne under French leadership covered themselves with glory. The real failure in the initial Argonne drive was in American strategy which was totally unequal to German methods. The Americans had to learn by bitter experiences. It was worse than unfair to write off the first experience to the discredit of Negro troops and company officers who did all that was humanly possible under the circumstances.
The entire 367th "Buffalo" Infantry was cited for bravery and each member awarded the Croix de Guirre[metal].
