Curved Stereoview photo shows Aa formation of Black soldiers holding rifles. The background is barracks. The caption reads: “Colored Heroes Back From French Front, 15th Regiment, 369th Infantry, Camp Upton, N.Y.”
The left margin reads “Keystone View Company Manufacturers, Publishers, Made in USA, Copyrighted, Underwood and Underwood” The right margin reads: “Meadville, Pa,. New York, N.Y., Portland, Oregon, London, Eng., Sydney, Aus.”
Back text reads “v23385 Colored Heroes Back From The French Front. The 369th Infantry, “The Old Fifteenth” of New York City, is one of the three colored regiments who has units were awarded the choir together. This distinction gives to each men the right to wear the badge, but several of them gain today’s individuals through their own personal bravery. Sergeant Henry Johnson was the first American to receive the French war cross. He earned it in Argonne and was badly wounded. When asked why he held his position again such an overwhelming force, he replied, “We all set our company was the best in the regimen. Ah was just out there upholding her reputation.” Col. Hayward was very proud of his “Black Watch,” as he called them, though the among the French and Germans they were known as “Hell Fighters.” Once went under French command and nearing the German trenches the curtain of fire was dropped before them. “Retire! Retire!” shouted the French General. Col. Hayward rushed up and cried: “My men never retire. They go forward or they die!” They went forward this time and they won. Oppression officer captured by this regiment sized them up well in his comment: “We can’t hold up against these men. They are devils! They smile when they kill and they won’t be taking alive.” Not one of this Redmond was ever captured alive, but nearly 200 were killed and four times as many were wounded. On the other hand, a single battalion captured more than 400 Germans, and there were countless numbers of killed and wounded among the victims of “The Old Fifteenth.” Here, too, colored women first banded together and the result was the Women’s Auxiliary, Fifteenth Regiment. The first work was the investigation of cases in which dependents claimed exemption for the soldiers.”
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