One of the most heroic, and socially fascinating, episodes of World War I; This National Guard unit included the scions of New York society (including Vanderbilts, Roosevelts, Van Burens, Harrimans, Van Rensselaers, and Rhinelanders), artists, actors, writers, editors, and reporters; Dozens of photographs from private collections; A well-told story of a time when wealth and privilege often fueled patriotism and courage On September 29, 1918, a regiment of volunteers from New York State, many of them rich boys from Manhattan, attacked the famed Hindenburg Line, one of the strongest defensive systems ever devised. In the tradition of the Union Army's heroic assaults on Confederate entrenchments during the closing battles of the Civil War, the doughboys hurled themselves at the center of a desperate but still powerful army. At a frightful cost, they broke the enemy and, just as their Union forebears had done, helped bring a terrible war to a close. The regiment suffered more killed that day than any other regiment in American history.
Interweaving extracts from letters, diaries, and previously published accounts, Duty, Honor, Privilege follows the patrician 7th New York Infantry Regiment from the spring of 1917 when war was declared, through its merger with the plebian 1st Regiment from upstate New York to form the 107th, to training with the British in France, and to the heroic attack on the Hindenburg Line. Finally, we witness their welcome-home parade, still believed to be the biggest parade in New York City history.
- ISBN10 1574882015
- ISBN13 9781574882018
- Publish Date 17 June 2001
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 23 March 2005
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Potomac Books Inc
- Imprint Brassey's US
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 384
- Language English