Nicholson of 7th Cavalry in WWI

[Son of A Cavalryman]

On Armistice Day during WWI, at sixteen minutes before 11, a runner caught up with the 313th Infantry's parent 157th Brigade to report that the armistice had been signed. No orders were given regarding what to do until 11:00am

Brigadier General William Nicholson, formerly of the 7th U.S. Cavalry, commanding the brigade, made his decision:

"There will be absolutely no let-up until 11:00 a.m."

More runners were dispatched to spread the word to the farthest advanced regiments, including Private Henry Gunther's. The 313th now gathered below a ridge called the Côte Romagne. Two German machine gun squads manning a roadblock watched, disbelieving, as shapes began emerging from the fog. Gunther and Sergeant Powell dropped to the ground as bullets sang above their heads. The Germans then ceased firing, assuming that the Americans would have the good sense to stop with the end so near. Suddenly, Sgt Powell saw Gunther rise and begin loping toward the machine guns. He shouted for Gunther to stop. The German machine gunners waved him back, but Gunther kept advancing. The enemy reluctantly fired a five-round burst. Gunther was struck in the left temple and died instantly. The time was 10:59 a.m. General Pershing's order of the day would later record Henry Gunther as the last American killed in the war.

Brigadier Nicholson was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

SOACM

[markland]

SOC and all, a very good article about the casualties incurred on Armistice Day in WWI which appeared in MHQ can be found at their web archives:

historynet.com/mhq/blwastedlives/index.html

Enjoy,

Billy

[John Mackintosh]

Fascinating. I had no idea of these details of his involvement in the Great War.

For anyone interested in him, glancing at my footnote re. him in CUSTER'S SOUTHERN OFFICER I have down that he was born in 1856 in Washington, D.C., son a U.S. Naval Admiral. He had no desire to follow his father into the Navy, didn't attend the USMA, gained a commission on August 15, 1876, entering the 7th as the 2nd lt. of Company G with Wallace as his superior officer. We all know about his run in with Reno. He remained in the 7th for 37 years. Was in the fatal council circle at Wounded Knee, near where his close friend Wallace fell. Nicholson passed awy in 1931.

[Son of a Cavalryman]

Ironic that the last American to die in WWI at the hands of the Germans was a German American. Henry Gunther was only one generation from the Fatherland.

SOACM