Unforgettable General Goybet's Red Hand Division

I kneel down to pay tribute to George Floyd and in solidarity with the African-American community

Signed Henry Goybet , author of this site, great grand son of General Mariano_Goybet commander of the 157 th Infantry Division (France) of the French army who participated in the First World War . This division was known when two regiments of African Americans (( 371 th US Infantry Regiment and the 372 th (including units of the National Guard 2 )) the "integrated it as the 157 th Red Hand Division (Red Hand Division) .This division, alongside the IV th Army , in the Champagne offensive , despite heavy losses, broke the German front in front of Monthois during the Combats du 28 09 1918 at 6 10 1918. The three regiments are decorated with the war cross as well as many individual soldiers. the African-American Freddie Stowers will receive for his bravery the Medal of Honor , the highest distinction in the United States .

Google Traduction

Général Mariano Goybet Grand officier de la légion d'honneur

Valor awards for Mariano F. J. Goybet

African-American history - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

American African Soldiers Part Two 1917-1954

Emmett J. Scott. The American Negro in World War I. Table of Contents

Freddie Stowers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

General Order No. 245

“The red hand division during nine days of violent fight was always an exceptional model for the victorious advance of the fourth army.
Dear Friends of America you will be back home to the other side of the ocean, don’ t forget ‘’ The Red Hand Division. ‘’ .”

“Our friendship has been cemented in the blood of the brave and such a link will be never destroyed Remember your General who is proud to have commanded you and be sure of his endless recognition. .”

General Goybet commanding the 157th Division

371st Infantry Regiment 93rd Division (Colored)

Etats-Unis - Médaille 371° regiment 14-18

Perry Lester Miles

Brigadier General United State Army

Colonel in command of the 371^st Regiment

Under orders of the General Goybet’’s 157^th Red Hand Division

After the war with the regiment ‘soldiers went on to be brothers in arms with General Goybet

October 15, 1873-October 17, 1961.

The 371st Infantry was organized August 31, 1917, at Camp Jackson, South Carolina, in compliance with War Department General Order No. 109, of August 16, 1917, as the First Provisional Infantry Regiment (colored).

Colonel Perry L. Miles assumed command of the regiment September 1, 1917. All the officers of the 371st regiment were white. On September 5, 1917, fourteen colored men from Pensacola, Florida, were received as the first recruits for the Regiment. The time of arrival of recruits for the regiment was delayed by the War Department for about a month, because of the shortage of labor in moving the 1917 cotton crop.

It was not until early in October that the first considerable body of recruits was received. By November 20, 1917, however, 3,380 men had been received by the regiment. These men were not all received at once, but in varying sized draft increments at different times. Of this number, 1,680 men were transferred to labor organizations and 500 to a combat organization at CampUpton.

Under a staff of French officer instructors and interpreters the 371st Infantry was reorganized on the French plan, soon after its arrival in France (April 23, 1918), with 194 men to the company and three machine gun companies to the regiment instead of one as on the American plan. All the American equipment was turned in, and the men were given the French rifles, bayonets, helmets, packs, and other equipment of the French soldier. Only the American khaki uniform remained. After a few weeks' instruction in this new equipment and in French tactics, the regiment went into the trenches as part of the 157th French Division under General Goybet.

It remained in line for over three months, holding first the Avocourt and later the Verrières. subsectors (northwest of Verdun). The regiment, with its division, was then taken out of line and thrown into the great September offensive in the Champagne. It took Cote 188, Bussy Ferme, Ardeuil, Montfauxelles, and Trieres Ferme near Monthois, and captured a number of prisoners, 47 machine guns, 8 trench engines, 3 field pieces (77s), a munition depot, a number of railroad cars, and enormous quantities of lumber, hay, and other supplies. It shot down three German airplanes by rifle and machine-gun fire during the advance.

During the fighting between September 28 and October 6, 1918, its losses---which were mostly in the first three days---were 1,065 out of 2,384 actually engaged. The regiment was the apex of the attacking salient in this great battle. The percentage of both dead and wounded among the officers was rather greater than among the enlisted men. Realizing their great responsibilities, the wounded officers continued to lead their men until they dropped from exhaustion and lack of blood. The men were devoted to their, leaders and as a result stood up against a most grueling fire, bringing the regiment its well deserved fame.

For its action in the Champagne, the 371st was very highly commended by the French high command and awarded the Army citation. Vice Admiral Moreau, on behalf of the French Government, decorated the regimental colors on January 27, 1919, in Brest. In addition to this regimental citation, 146 individual citations were awarded members of the 371st regiment.

*Arlington National cemetery website

The correspondence of General Perry Miles, who was colonel, commanding the 371st regiment for my great Grandfather, talking about the flag entrusted to his regiment and its gallant chief General Mariano Goybet . Letter of 13 November 1933 which allows us to see what this flag became after the war.

" ' Of course we thought of you and talked to you many times during our Annual Dinner . We had our program signed by all those present . Here it is. " '

" ' It is decorated with reproduction of your flag division that you have so graciously offered. They were very proud of the red hand and remain proud of their service in the 157th French Division and their leader distinguished ' Our general. "

" ' This year some of our officers have traveled over 700 miles to reach Washington and attend our meeting. "
"With the best congratulations and appreciation for your friendship and how you have commanded us . " '

"I am your friend and admirer . "

Signed Perry Miles .

I scan the letter, the program and the reproduction of the flag seals and signatures of the fighters and sends Lindsay Luray Associate Producer with a copy of the family book .

It is clear that a key letter to solve the mystery of belonging and becoming the Pennant . Over what symbol with the signatures of soldiers on the program. Henri Goybet

WWI Symposium Huge Succes !

JIM BALL AND RICHARD FORD

PASSION FOR 372st R.I U.S. 157è RED HAND DIVISION

Some of the members of our living history group. I am on the left of the group and Richard Ford, who is also the unit commander, is on the right. The photo was taken last year at the Ceasar Krauss Memorial WW1 Site in Newville, PA. Signed jim Ball 07 /01/ 2007

Groupheader

About Mariano Goybet

1/3/06

Henri,

Happy New Year, Thanks you very much for the image . It along with the other information you had mentionned are all of use to us in our resarch . WIth your permission, I would like to give copies to Richard and the other members of our group . One of the things we are looking for is a photograph of your great –grand father, we have never seen any image which has been positively identified as him. Do you a photo of him ?

You had asked about how Richard and I came to be interessed in the Red Hand Division .Rick’s great uncle was in Co. A 372^nd Infantry . I have always been interessed in our local (DC, Maryland , Virginia ) National Guard , and have been researching them for over 20 years . I gave Rick his first information on the 372 Nd in 1989, when he was forming a WW1 Living History group in honor of his ancestor. He has benn researching the regiment and division ever since . When he decided to write the book he asked me to team up, with him for the project .

As far as any museum wich remembers the 372^ND and the Red Hand , I am disappointed to say that there is none . Changing that situation is one of our goals . We have made contact with a number of descendants of Red Hand men and will begin efforts toward having a monument placed in their honor . As our recreated unit and our descendant contact list grows we will be better able to get the message out there and help get the Red Hand the recognition they earned . The book will go along way toward that end .

I am sorry for not replying sooner end of senester then the holidays have kept busy . I hope you had a good Christmas . When will you be in the US ?

Richard and I would like to meet you if possible . Please let me know .

Thanks again ., I hope to hear from you soon

Warmest Regards

Jim BALL

372nd Infantry capsule history, REVISED

CAPTAIN ANNE CLARKSON AND THE RED HAND FLAG

During World War I, General Goybet commanded the French 157th Red Hand Division which consisted of the French 333rd infantry regiment and the American 371st and 372 regiments. The two African-American regiments fought bravely and were awarded the Croix de Guerre, and several men received both the French Legion of Honor and the American Distinguished Service Cross. Freddie Stowers of the 371st was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The 372nd was one of the oldest African-American units in the country dating back to the Civil War with a lineage including the Monumental City Guards and the First Separate Company. The General's flag has red/white/red stripes whereas the Division flag has blue/white/red stripes.

Red Hand Flag movie and links

Anne's Clarkson website 371st Red Hand Division the Long March Home

Letter from Anne Clarkson, sent to Henri Goybet Presenting her special symbolic gift carved in a pipe made from the bone of a dear, about 371^st and 157^th Red Hand Division commanded by general Goybet

1/09/2008

Hello my brother.

It’s a new year and a beautiful one here in the USA . We Hope to have a good four years with our new president Mr.Obama and we are all keeping our fingers crossed.

I wanted to let you know that you are a very important person in my life now and I do consider you a member of my extended family . So in honor of that I have made for you a special gift.

My family is much like your, we are very interested in our family genealogy and we know that are several Native Americans in the family . My great Grandmother, on my mother’s side, who apparently I look like, was a Croatan from Coastal shores of the Carolina’s. My father’people have Cherokee blood in their family so is quite a bit of mixing there . (I also have some French blood , the family Lenare or Lenair is mixing in there somewhere as well.) But to get back to the gift <g>, I have enclosed a pipe made from the bone of a dear and found on my land. The feather is from a Native bird the American Great Bronze Turkey, a VERY LARGE bird that is incredibly beautiful; this is a very tiny feather from that bird. There is a bit of my horse’s hair, the tip of a wild Bob cat’s tail, the shell from the pacific Ocean and last but not the least an Emerald that I mined myself from the blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I worked on this pipe for many days trying to get it just right but it is my first effort so it is far from perfect. I That hope you will accept it as a gesture of family and friendship.

I have carved the 371^st and the 157^th INF on the bone as well as your name and WWI, that is because those are the things that brought us together. I also put my initials and 1/09 on it to commemorate the date.

Have a wonderful year brother and write soon, your sister,

Anne Clarkson

PS - Please don’t smoke it ;)

Anne Clarkson's gift