General Barnett Praises Marines and Members of the Wild Cat Division, Feb. 4, 1919

From the the Baltimore Sun, as reprinted in the Hickory Daily Record, Feb. 4, 1919

General Barnett returns from abroad singing the praises of the marines who saved France at Chateau Thierry. They were his “boys” and he is as proud of them as if they were all born under his roof. They are, indeed, blood relations now made so by the blood they poured out on that July day when they made hell turn tail and run. The poet who shall sing that day in fitting verse must dip his pen in the celestial fire. Nothing else can depict the glory of that glorious days.

Soul mates of the marines are the men of the 30^th, or “Wild Cat” division, composed of members of the North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee national guard. The total casualties of this division, according to General Pershing’s report, were 7,632, which is probably not far from 25 per cent. lthese descendants of the old Confederates of ’61 helped the British army to break the Hindenburg line. And when they hit, it broke.

Oh! gracious Lord, help us to keep humble about all our American boys. It is hard to preserve moderation when speaking of them. We have a notion that St. Peter will pass them through the pearly gates without question when he hears the words Chateau Tierry, Hindenburg line Argonne Forest, the Marine or Montfaucon, for surely satan had a bad setback on those days.

But for the present, we must see to it that they are not forgotten in this present world. We must not desert the peace for the men who did not desert us in war.