Col. Faircloth, Back in U.S.A., Visits Sampson, Jan. 9, 1919

From the Sampson Democrat, as reprinted in The Dunn Dispatch, Jan. 9, 1919

Col. Cyrus Faircloth Home

His thousands of friends have been delighted to see Col. Cyrus Faircloth home from France. His coming is the harbinger of that of the swarm of fellows that went over with him and followed later.

The Colonel is looking simply fine and talks interestingly of the matters pertaining to the war. The Colonel has played a useful part in the war but it is evident that he regrets being withdrawn from active participation in the fighting to serve in the Judge Advocate’s Department. The same fortune, or misfortune, befell Major Phillips of Lexington. Being lawyers they were considered capable of rendering greater service in the legal department of the army than on the battle front. They, of course, yielded gracefully, but it is evident, without his saying so, that Colonel Faircloth would must have preferred leading the men of the 119^th in those glorious charges and drives that were so instrumental in breaking the Hindenburg line.

However, an opportunity was given, before his transfer, for him to smell the fire of the Hun. After a month’s training a few miles south of Calais, the 119^th infantry, which having crossed to England in three sections, had been reunited at Dover, marched across France into Flanders, and took position under the famous Kennel Hill, one of the stronger of the German strongholds, and here the regiment got its seasoning. The Colonel was with the Regiment when Bugler Porcelli of Co. H was killed. Percelli (spelled two ways), David Rogers, Fred Herring and others had stopped over to look at an unexploded German shell, along came another that didn’t fail to explode. Porcelli was killed, David Rogers received a slight wound on the nose, and Fred Herring was blown quite a distance, but only shaken up.

About the middle of August Colonel Fairchild was assigned to legal work and located at Tour, whre six base sections had headquarters. Here he was out of sound of the guns, but had to work harder, he says, than he ever worked in his own office.

The Colonel, speaking of the regiment’s arriving at the front, said that the first divisional order that he received was to select a site to bury the American dead. This gruesome duty was performed before a single American had been killed, but upon that site Porcelli and the others who feel at this front were laid away. The British on this front were found to be worn out and very much discouraged upon the arrival of the 30^th Division but the presence of the Americans had an invigorating effect.

Speaking of the various national groups he says that the American soldiers found the Scotch and Canadians more companionable than the English but that their sympathies were overwhelmingly with the French; that no closer feeling could exist than that felt by the American troops for the French.

The colonel manifestly has not had time himself to consider the various aspects of world politics involved in the peace conference, and he says that the one idea dominating the (lines unreadable) too well with that of Mr. Roosevelt, though the absence of thought on the matter would indicate that the attitude of the soldiery may well be left out of the question when it comes to a discussion of the issues involved in the war and at the peace table.

Colonel Faircloth is reporting this week for duty at Camp Dix, New Jersey, but he hopes to receive a discharge soon and return to his law practice at Clinton, and we assure him the glad hand of welcome when he does return for good.

We are having a cut made of the Colonel and will show our readers next week the genial countenance of our gallant Colonel, and that of Captain Whitefield.