The Lost Battalion

by Jeff Rodriguez

During the last days of September, The 77th Division, out of New York City, was fighting in the woods of Argonne, France. Led by Major General Robert Alexander, they were described by him as "a group of hardy frontiersmen from the Bowery and the Lower East Side." On the morning of October 2, 1918, they were told to attack. Leading the attack, was Major Charles Whittlesey, of the 308th Infantry. On their right was 307th Infantry and on their left, the French. Whittlesey charged up and over hill 198, to Charlevaux Brook. They were constantly showered by artillery and machinegun fire. As night set in Whittlesey sent a messenger in each direction. One he sent back did reach camp, and told that they needed backup. The other three ended up dead or POWs. The 307th was told to go up and help. Only Company K made it up in the dark. Now Whittlesey had 575 men.

At about six the next morning, the Germans moved in behind them and cut them off from the rest of the division. Around nine-thirty a Minenwerfer began dropping shells all over their position. That afternoon, the men could hear German voices through the woods, then a barrage of grenades came through the woods. This went on for about ten minutes, until the Americans decided to counter attack and break up the Germans. As the day ended there were 520 men left.

After lunch, on the fourth, which was consisted of the last stale crackers the men had, they watched their artillery, hail on the Germans. Slowly it moved closer to them until it was on top of them. Whittlesey ran to his pigeon man, Owen Richards. With the last pigeon he sent this message:

We are along the road parallel 276.4.

Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us.

For heaven's sake, stop it.

The pigeon took off and perched on a tree nearby. The men yelled and threw rocks and sticks at it until it took off. At four, the pigeon barely landed at the division loft: an eye was missing, the breastbone was smashed, and one leg shot away. The gunners quickly stopped. Whittlesey had been shelled four just under four hours. With no food, the night rain had kept the water hole filled, keeping them alive. The German snipers shot just about anyone who went down there. The next morning an American pilot was flying over the line when he spotted a big concentration of German forces, north of Whittlesey. He dropped a flare and the artillery broke up the attack.

On October 6, the 275 men that were left lay in their holes starving. Planes had flown over and dropped food but it landed outside their perimeter, to the delight of the Germans. Early morning of the seventh Whittlesey sent three men to try to break through to get a message through. One of the men was captured by the Germans, given a cigarette and a bowl of soup, and sent back with a request that the Americans surrender. Whittlesey refused and stood his position. One of the men made it to the American lines. He led Lieutenant Tillman and his Company B of the 307th. While they were walking, Tillman fell into a hole and found it inhabited by The Lost Battalion.

Of the original 575 men, 194 were able to walk out without injury. My great grandfather, Fidelio Rodriguez, was part of the 194. He belonged to the 307th Infantry, Company K. Major Charles Whittlesey received the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his courageous leadership.