From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.
Headquarters First Division,
American Expeditionary Forces,
France, 19 September, 1918.
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 58
The Division Commander cites the following organizations for distinguished conduct during the operations against the St. Mihiel Salient on September 12-13, 1918:
Detachment, Second Cavalry,
(attached to First Division.)
For conspicuous and tireless devotion to duty in harassing the enemy and procuring valuable information during the advance of September 12-13, 1918.
By command of Major General Summerall:
S. G. THORNTON,
Captain, U.S.A.,
Division Adjutant
HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARMY CORPS
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
France, September 21, 1918.
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 26.
1. It is my desire to express, through General Orders of this Corps, my appreciation of the excellent work accomplished, during the recent activities by the officers and men of Troop “I”, 2nd Cavalry, Captain S. H. Sherrill, Commanding.
By their strict and conscientious application to duty, they greatly facilitated the movement of large numbers of troops, and aided them materially from observation by the enemy in inspecting camouflage, constantly and diligently patrolling Corps and Division Areas, and exercising commendable tact and judgment in reducing circulation.
R. L. BULLARD,
Major General,
Commanding.
OFFICIAL:
DAVID O’ KEEFE,
Adjutant General.
(SEAL)
Headquarters Second U.S. Cavalry,
American Ex. Forces, A.P.O. 759,
3rd October, 1918.
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 1.
1. It is with great pleasure and pride that the Regimental Commander publishes to the Regiment the following letter of commendation from Major General Dickman, formerly Colonel of the Regiment, on the service of the Provisional Squadron, 2nd Cavalry, under command of Lieutenant Colonel O. P. M. Hazzard, in the St. Mihiel offensive:
Headquarters Fourth Army Corps
25 September, 1918.
From: Commanding General, 4th Corps.
To: Commanding Officer, 2nd Cavalry.
Subject: Service of the 2nd Cavalry in the Operations of September 12-13th, 1918, in the Woevre.
1. The squadron of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, Troops B, D, F, and H, with new and untrained horses not well adapted to cavalry purposes, and with the greater part of its personnel of comparatively short service, nevertheless exhibited a devotion to duty and spirit of action worthy of the best traditions of the regiment and the American cavalry.
2. Held back several hours longer than appeared necessary the squadron passed through the forests of La Belle Oziere, Nonsard, and Vigneulles, scouted the open country as far as Heudicourt, Creue, and Vigneulles, eventually advancing to St. Maurice, Woel and Jonville, pursuing the enemy, fighting his rearguard, capturing numerous prisoners, forcing deployment, and delaying his retreat, in fact doing everything that so small a force could accomplish.
3. It is requested that you convey to the officers and men in a regimental order the expression of appreciation and thanks of their former Colonel for their excellent service rendered under such difficult conditions.
J. T. DICKMAN,
Major General, U.S.A.
2. The services in this case, as is usual in cavalry service, was by patrols and detachments; its success was due to the fact that officers and men performed their individual missions. Failure on the part of one or more of the patrols would have brought failure to the squadron. This is mentioned for the purpose of impressing upon each individual in the regiment the necessity, particularly in the cavalry service in campaign where patrols and detachments are the rule, of each one realizing that upon his individual success depends the success of the entire command.
3. This order will be read to each troop at retreat following its receipt.
E. M. SUMNER,
1st Lieutenant, 2nd Cavalry,
Acting Adjutant.
Headquarters 2nd U.S. Cavalry,
American Expeditionary Forces, A.P.O. 759,
France, 12th October, 1918.
GENERAL ORDERS
No.2.
1. It is again the pleasure of the Regimental Commander to publish to the Regiment the following communications commendatory of the service in campaign of the Provisional Squadron, Troops B, D, F, and H, under command of Lieutenant Colonel O. P. M. Hazzard:
Headquarters 35th Division,
American Expeditionary Forces,
From: Commanding General, 35th Division.
To: Commanding General, 1st Army Corps.
Subject: Commendation of work Provisional Squadron, 2nd Cavalry, Battle of the Aire River, France, September 26-30.
1. I desire to express in the highest terms my commendation of the efficient work done by the Provisional Cavalry Squadron, consisting of Troops B, D, F, and H, 2nd Cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel O. P. M. Hazzard, Cavalry, while attached to this division during the battle of the Aire River, France, September 26-30, 1918.
2. Under the able leadership of Colonel Hazzard and his troop officers, this squadron did superb work in scouting and patrolling, and maintaining contact with adjoining divisions, although under constant enemy observation that caused them to suffer considerable losses in men and animals. They performed real Cavalry work in a soldierly and enthusiastic manner and upheld the best traditions of the Service in War.
PETER E. TRAUB
Major General, U.S. Army,
Commanding.
2. The Provisional Squadron under the able leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Hazzard has more than fulfilled expectations. The only part of the Regiment that has had the opportunity to get into combat, this Squadron with little battle training, with poor mounts received direct from hospitals, has performed service of which the regiment is proud, service which is an example to the parts of the Regiment that have not yet had the opportunity to engage in combat.
By order of Colonel Thayer:
E. M. SUMNER,
1st Lieutenant, 2nd Cavalry,
Acting Adjutant.
Headquarters First Army Corps, U.S.,
November 10th, 1918.
From: Chief of Staff, 1st Army Corps, U.S.
To: A.C. of S., G-1.
Subject: Appreciation of duties well performed.
1. The Corps Commander desires that through you the entire personnel of the services operating through your office be informed of his high appreciation of the steady, faithful services that they performed and which services have contributed in a most positive manner to the success of the 1st Corps.
2. The Corps Commander desires that this appreciation reach the individuals and he directs me to inform you that it includes yourself and the members of your office force as well.
Chief of Staff,
MARLIN CRAIG.
Office of the Provost Marshal, 1st Army Corps,
Copy furnished
C.O. 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry.
Troops A, B, and C, 2nd Cavalry.
1st Army Corps M.P. Co.
C.O. Co. A, 317 M.P.
1st Lieutenant George S. Sorber.
1st Lieutenant J. D. McEaddy.
Headquarters Second Cavalry,
American E. F., St. Menehould, (Marne), France,
10th February, 1919.
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 1.
1. The Regimental Commander takes great pleasure in publishing the following General Order of Headquarters 35th Division, commending the services of Troops B, D, F, and H, 2nd Cavalry, while attached to that Division from September 26th to October 1st, 1918:
Headquarters 35th Division,
American Expeditionary Forces,
14th October, 1918.
GENERAL ORDER
No. 82.
1. It is with great pride and pleasure that I make of record and publish in General Orders my appreciation of the courage and devotion to duty of the officers and men of the following units under my command during the six days battle against the picked troops of the enemy, from September 26th to October 1st, 1918.
………Provisional Squadron, 2nd Cavalry, Troops B, D, F, and H…………
2. The task of making of record the individual acts of courage and devotion to duty in the face of a most deadly artillery and machine gun fire is an impossible one, for many of them will never be known. No greater praise nor commendation to the officers and men of the units mentioned above can be bestowed than to say that they performed the tasks set for them in a spirit and manner worthy of the best ideals and traditions of the American Army. You have met and defeated picked divisions of the enemy. You have accomplished these tasks with a fearlessness, courage and disregard of danger and hardship which fully justifies the pride which those at home have in you. Vauquois, Bois de Rossignol, Quvrage d’ Aden, Cheepy, Charpentry, Baulny, Bois de Montrebeau, Exermont, are names that you may take pride in passing on to your native states as having been the scenes of your feats of arms.
3. The spirits of your dead comrades are with us to urge us on to greater deeds in Our Country’s Noble Cause. To their families and friends we extend our heartfelt sympathy. To our wounded we hope for a speedy recovery and safe return to our ranks that they may add their great spunk and enthusiasm to those of their more fortunate brothers in arms.
4. I direct that this General Order be read to all units of this command at the first formation at which they are assembled after receipt hereof.
PETER E. TRAUB
Major General, U.S. Army,
Commanding.
2. This order will be read to all troops of this regiment at the first formation after receipt hereof.
By order of Colonel Thayer:
E. M. SUMNER,
1st Lt., 2nd Cav., Actg. Adjt.
Troop I now moved to Lemmes in the Argonne sector, where it was on traffic control duty until the beginning of the big offensive on September 26. For its fine work here the troop was cited in General Orders No. 26, Third Army Corps, for efficiency while on military police duty inspecting camouflage and patrolling the Corps sector.
When the Meuse-Argonne offensive started on September 26 Troop I had mounted men ready in the front lines to direct traffic in front of the old position as soon as the attack started. On the morning of the first day of the attack, two of the men captured eighteen Germans in a dugout near Malincourt. The headquarters of the troop was pushed forward to Esnes on October 2 and the traffic work continued. Although the service was not as exciting as that on the Vesle River in August, it was hazardous. The Germans shelled this area nearly every night and the troopers did not have very good protection, since there were only two dugouts available. During the shelling on the night of October 7, the men were not so fortunate in evading casualties, as three were killed. One of them just reported for duty that day and had been drafted only three months before.
A platoon of Troop I, under First Lieutenant James W. Ewing, was detached for a few weeks on traffic control duty at Bethincourt. On October 29 the troop moved forward to the town of Cuisy in order to be closer to the work. Sergeant Wood and twenty men reported to the G-3 of the corps at Malincourt on November 3 for liaison work and remained there until the Armistice. The last move was to Bantheville on November 6, which was probably the worst camp of all, as there were no dugouts to protect the men from constant shelling and from the cold wind. The troop was at this place on November 11 when the Armistice was signed.