Chapter 1.
OVERSEAS.

The ninth Infantry, under command of Colonel Harry R. Lee, started its journey overseas from Camp Syracuse in September, 1917. The first six lettered companies, Regimental Headquarters, Headquarters Company, Machine Gun Company, and Supply Company entraining 5 September; and embarking on the Kronprinzessin Cecilie the next morning. The remainder of the regiment left Syracuse 16 September. The first half of the regiment arrived in France 20 September, landing at Saint Nazaire, and after a week's rest proceeded by train to the Bourmont Area. The remaining half of the regiment landed in England 1 October and preceeded directly to France, going at once to Bourmont. Regimental Headquarters was located at Sommerecourt with Headquarters Company, and Supply Company; the First Battalion at Outremecourt; Second Battalion at Nijon and Vaudrecourt; Third Battalion at Soulaucourt. A program of intensive training was taken up at once, despite unfavorable weather and lack of equipment. The regiment remained in this area until March, although during this time the Second and Third Battalions were sent to other areas to build railroads, and do police work and guard duty for the troops which were expected to form the First American Army.

On 14 March, 1918, the Regiment, under Col. L. S. Upton (who succeeded Col. Lee 24 February, 1918), started entraining for the front, to take over a quiet sector from the French as the final chapter of its training schedule. The Second Battalion (Major Joseph J. Travis, commanding) entrained at Bourmont in a French omnibus train designed to accommodate a French battalion. This turned out to be a very difficult maneuver and a great deal of battalion property had to be salvaged at this point. The First Battalion (Major Harry G. Bartlett, U. S. M. C. commanding) followed, and the Third Battalion (Lieut. Col. Hiram I. Bearss, U. S. M. C. commanding) left last with separate organizations of the Regiment. The Regiment detrained at Souilly and the troops were marched to the towns of Ambly, Tilly, Bocquemont, and Camp Gibraltar, along the Meuse River.

The sector to he taken over by the Ninth Infantry was known as the "Sous Sector Rouvrois", and consisted of two centers of resistance, the (C. R.) Coralie, and the (C. R.) Marie Louise, each to be occupied by a battalion. The remaining battalion was to be held in reserve at Camp Gibraltar near Thillombois. This sector started at the point where the allied line crossed the river Meuse between Maizey and the forts of Les Paroches (about three kilometers North of Saint Mihiel). Marie Louise included Maizey, and Coralie included Rouvrois, where Regimental Headquarters was established. This sector was held by the 328th French Infantry, 52nd French Division. The first tour of duty fell to the Second Battalion in Coralie. Reconnaissance was made on the night of 16-17 March and on the night of 18 March the Battalion passed down the banks of the Meuse to Woimbey, crossed to Lacroix, and was conducted into position by French guides. The Ninth Infantry Machine Gun Company went into position with the Second Battalion. The relief was completed at 4.45 A. M. 19 March; command passing at noon same date. The Ninth Infantry had taken its place in the Allied line and was facing the enemy for the first time in the war, nearly a year after the declaration of war against Germany by the United States. Men and officers quickly settled down to trench life.

The lines had remained practically unchanged since 1914; so both our own and the enemy positions were well organized with dugouts, deep trenches, and heavy wire. The plans of defense were carefully worked out and the dorsiers for each company sector were voluminous. A more ideal sector for training in the highly developed warfare of position could not have been selected. The enemy had the advantage of the heights of ground, which necessitated an extensive use of comouflage to prevent his observation. The lines were thinly held by small combat groups for platoons. These groups, or "Dots", were widely separated and at night isolated themselves by iron gates, wire, and chevaux-de-fris thrown into the trenches. Companies maintained liaison on their flanks by patrols through the night. The Germans knew exactly where each combat group was stationed and no enemy shells were wasted on unoccupied parts of our trenches.

The minute command had passed to the Athericans active patrolling was started. The enemy trenches were from two hundred to one thousand yards distant, and the terrain between the lines was of a diversified character, with trees, brush, fields, and a brook, which ran parallel to the lines. The enemy had two advance posts in a re-entrant to our lines, consisting of the ruined village of Spada and Relaincourt Mill. On one of the first patrols sent out 23 March, Lt. Moses E. Taylor, "E." Company was ambushed and killed. This was the only loss any of our patrols suffered, and the first death of the Ninth Infantry officer personnel. Control of No Man's Land passed to the Ninth Infantry, and the enemy abandoned his advance posts, our patrols ambushing and killing several Germans in Spada. The conduct of these patrols and the work of the Ninth Infantry Intelligence organization earned the following praise from the French Division Commander.

"The General commanding the 52nd Division addresses his felicitations to the Ninth Infantry of the United States for the excellent report given by its intelligence department and the splendid work of its patrols near Spada and Relaincourt, Boyer."

The Second Battalion was relieved in (C. R.) Coralie, on the night 28-29 March, by the First Battalion. The Second Battalion went to Camp Gibraltar. The night 3-4 April, the Third Battalion took over the (C. R.) Marie Louise from the French, Company "C" of the fifth Machine Gun Battalion taking up its position in this sector also. On the night of 12-13 April, the Second Battalion relieved the First Battalion in Coralie. From the time the Regiment entered this training sector the artillery fire had steadily increased and the sector became a fairly active one. On the night 13-14 April, occurred the first real engagement with the enemy. The increased activity of the enemy artillery portended a large scale raid or local attack. Alertes were frequently given, liaison was tested, wiring speeded up, and drills held under supervision of the French, on a withdrawal from and counter attack on the exposed combat groups. On the day 13 April, the enemy artillery began a harrassing fire at eight o'clock in the morning, under cover of which shots were placed, distroying portions of the wire along the whole Regimental front. That afternoon the bombardment increased in intensity, extending for several miles on each flank of the Regiment and pounding the back areas. A heavy barrage at nightfall, both H. E. and gas, was thrown on the left sector, creating a diversion from the place actually contemplated for the attack. At 10: 45 P. M. most of this fire was switchted to the Marie Louise Sector and a box barrage laid over the area occupied by "I" and "L" companies.

The raid was executed by a detachment of picked troops who had been carefully rehearsed for several days behind the enemy lines on an outline of our sector. The raiding force, according to statements of prisoners, consisted of one hundred storm troops, forty pioneers, picked men from three rifle companies, and several machine guns a force well over five hundred men. Under cover of the barrage this party made its way through the wire, the first entry being made in the interval between the two battalions, and by means of deception many were dressed as French or Americans, and called "Gas!", or that they were French coming to counter-attack they penetrated deeply into our lines. The deception and confusion disorganized at first the troops in the outpost, some of whom were captured before they were a ware of the presence of the enemy. These men, however, turned upon their captors, and in close hand-to-hand fighting fought their way to others; and soon small groups of Americans were going through the trenches attacking the Boche wherever found, with grenades, rifles and bayonets. The raiders, who had split into three groups for the purpose of filtering in, were forced to retire before a junction of groups could be effected, and one of these parties was completely annihilated. The material which they had brought with them showed plainly that they had intended to remain and hold the position which they had taken. The Third Battalion lost five killed and eleven missing; the attacked Machine Gun Company, eight missing ; the Medical Corps on duty with the battalion lost one officer (Lt. Gordon) and six men. The enemy losses could not be accurately checked, for he was able to remove many of his wounded and dead in the early part of the action; but eleven prisoners were captured, and sixty-seven German dead were buried in the Ninth Infantry trenches.

This exploit, the first test of the American soldier defeating in a hand-to-hand fight picked German troops, won the following praise from the Commander-in-Chief:

The Second Battalion was relieved by the Third in Coralie 29-30 April and after a three day rest marched Northward and took over, 5-6 May, the Sous-Secteur Mont-Sous-Les Cotes, near Les Eparges, which was held until the night 11-12 May. On 9 May the Third Battalion marched to Genicourt, where the Croix de Guerre won at Maizey were presented. Afterwards it embussed there for the Fains Rest Area, near Bar-le-Duc. The First Battalion marched overland from Rouvrois and the Second Battalion came by train from Ancemont. A program of training was laid out and followed until 20 May, when the Regiment proceeded to the Chaumont-en-Vexin Area, Regimental Headquarters being established at Liancourt; Third Battalion (Major A. C. Arnold commanding) and Headquarters company, Liancourt; the First' Battalion (Major Charles E. Livingston, commanding) and the Second Battalion (Major A. E. 'Bouton, commanding) to the nearby villages of Loconville and Fay. Drills, liaison problems, and maneuvers on a large scale were worked out in anticipation of the Second Division's move to the Montdidier Front to relieve the First Division.