Major George Hamilton at Ground Zero on the U.S. Marines' Costliest Day of the Great War, 4 October 1918

Marker at the Site of the Fifth Marine Fighting of
4 October 1918 (Bruce Malone)

By Mark Mortensen and the Editors

One hundred and five years ago today a very poorly planned action at Blanc Mont Ridge in the Champagne region of France fought by the AEF's Second Division under overall French command resulted in the costliest single day for the United States Marine Corps in World War I. In the midst of that grim battlefield was the man whom many now consider the greatest Marine Corps hero of that war, Major George W. Hamilton, commander of the 1st Battalion of the Fifth Marine Regiment. As we will discuss here, that day could have turned out even more tragic had not he been present that day. His distinguished service at Belleau Wood and on the last night of the war will be discussed in future articles on Roads to the Great War.

George Hamilton, USMC, After the War

Blanc Mont

As one Marine Corps historian put it: "In October the 4th Marine Brigade was given its toughest assignment of the Great War, the seizure of Blanc Mont Ridge in the Champagne region." 

The second day of the operation, 4 October, would be the costliest single day's fighting in the history in the history of the Fifth Marines (and of the war for the Marine Brigade), and Major George Hamilton would render his greatest feats of battle that day. After the war, Hamilton's regimental commander that day, Brigadier General Logan Feland, shared this in a letter to him: "On October 4th 1918, in the Champagne, aided by a few others of the same resolution and bravery, saved the regiment from disaster and enabled it to stand against the strongest efforts of the enemy to dislodge it from the position won without support and held it without support."

After a bloody, but successful, two-hour initial assault on the morning of 3 October, all four infantry regiments of the Second Division—now commanded by the senior Marine in France, Maj. Gen. John Lejeune—found themselves around the ridge and its reverse slope but separated—each partly surrounded and forced to fend off an uncountable series of counterattacks. The French units on either side had been unable to match the speed of advance of the Americans and had left them almost floating free in enemy territory, without support on either flank. Consequently, the German defenders and reinforcements were in a position to infiltrate and attack from almost every direction.

Main Site of 4 October Fighting in Green

4 October 1918

At 6 a.m., without artillery support due to confused orders and with pressure from the French staff to advance without delay, Colonel Feland's Fifth Regiment, with 3,000 plus men, headed up a road toward St. Etienne with Major Henry Louis Larsen's 3rd Battalion going first, followed 500 yards back by Hamilton and his 1st Battalion, and then Major Robert Messersmith with 3rd Battalion another 500 yards in the rear.  St. Etienne was a village almost two miles northwest of Blanc Mont. On this day Colonel Harry Lee's Sixth Regiment was selected to follow in support. Just as the Fifth Regiment had to cover the left flank on the prior day, the Sixth Regiment was now called upon to perform the same task. Meanwhile, on the Marines' right flank, the division's Third [Army] Brigade had spent the morning defending the advanced position it had captured the previous day.

Depiction of the Fighting by Participant
John W. Thomason, USMC

By the middle of the morning, 3rd Battalion had aggressively moved forward into a  dangerous position, receiving heavy machine gun fire, and they requested immediate support from the other two battalions of the Fifth Regiment. Hamilton and his men eventually moved up while continuing to cover the exposed left side. French support on the flank was nowhere in sight, and the void of flank coverage was now an extremely serious issue. Marine stretcher bearer Clarence Richmond described the situation: "We soon detected that were being fired on from almost the rear on our left, indication that no advance had been made by whoever was on our left flank. There became about as much danger of being shot from the rear as front the front. We were pursuing a course almost parallel with a main highway, and as a consequence were under direct observation."

Further, the Sixth Regiment was not able to advance and relieve the pressure, as they were caught up with fighting similar to what the Fifth Regiment had faced on the prior day. Without backup, the Fifth Regiment now had to handle on their own whatever came their way. There was also now a constant stream of wounded Marines filling the makeshift dressing station.

At around noon the battle intensified as heavy shelling increased and machine gun fire began buzzing everywhere, from two sides, then three. Gas masks had to be donned as well. It was pure survival time. It was around this time when he was faced with a very unexpected and troubling situation. He took care of the confrontation first and then reported to Colonel Feland:

". . . At about 1:30 P.M. the regiment started to advance with 1st Battalion in support of 3rd Battalion and the 2nd Battalion in reserve.  Immediately a heavy machine gunfire was laid down from the left flank. The woods which the companies had entered was heavily shelled and about 2 P.M. there were numbers of men seen running to the rear.  In some instances officers were leading in what appeared to be a grand rout. . . Lt. Nelms ran out and endeavored to turn the men back.  His task was a hard one and attempted at great personal exposure. . . We then were force to draw pistols, and it was only by this method that we were able to stop the retreat.  Then, as best we could we disposed the men along the edge of the woods and made them dig in."

By Thomason

By almost to 4:30 p.m. the surviving men of the 3rd and 2nd battalions had formed a line, while the 1st was farther away trying once again to seal off the group's left flank. Hamilton's battalion was under intense fire and searching for any type of protective cover. Few options were available. The major decided the best way to break up the continuous [enemy] attack was to take it head on by charging up a hill into direct fire to secure a better vantage point. Captain Hunt, commanding the 17th Company later stated: "no one but those present will  ever know of full appreciate what the battalion went through during that charge up this hill. The rate of casualties was far above anything we had experienced, but the men kept on."

Once the battalion was on top of the ridge, Hamilton's men gathered their many casualties and regrouped. About 100 prisoners, as well as several machine guns had been captured. They were in need of rest, but within 15 minutes all  sorts of fire was once again being sent their way. In the near distance there was another ridge which looked down upon them. The enemy was now giving the battalion everything they had from this higher ridge and the exposed rear flank behind them. It was time to move again, and the major got his men to advance toward St. Etienne. Initially the fire seemed to be reduced but after making a gain of about 200 yards they face intensive fire from head on. Hamilton's battalion was now boxed in on the slope of a hill enduring extremely hot incoming fire. The battalion was facing total annihilation. Lt. Eugene West wrote home about the fighting a few weeks later: "At 4 however they threw 3 regiments to each of ours and caught us on the slope of a hill, What a fight. Bayonets--it's too horrible to write about. We organized a position with what men we had left and sent back word we needed help but that we were going to hold. And hold we did. They sent up no help except ammunition. That sure saved us. The Germans attacked 3 times before dark and we just slaughtered them before they could get at us."

Now surrounded , the major prepared to fight until his last breath, and his men were devoted to doing the same. Realizing the Germans were set for a tremendous counterattack, he ordered Lt. Francis J. Kelly, Jr., the only walking officer of 66th Company, to find a more secure location. Instead, although outnumbered three to one, Kelly ordered the few men left in 66th Company to advance. The attack was successful, and the enemy assault was broken up.

At 1800, Major Hamilton had his members move back toward the road for some cover. Later, they would connect with the other battalions of the Fifth Regiment and relocate near the original jumping-off spot. 

By Thomason

Colonel Feland dispatched a message to the regiment via Major Hamilton to be prepared to continue the attack in support of the Sixth Regiment as they passed through and confirm that the French  had pressed the attack on the division’s flanks. Major Hamilton replied, noting again his battalion’s strength and the impracticality of it being able to cover any frontage or liaison to support the Sixth Regiment or its flank to the west. His message grimly stated:

"This battalion will go, or attempt to go, where you order it. You should understand though that your regiment is now much depleted, very disorganized and not in a condition to advance as a front-line [sic] regiment even though the enemy forces in our front are found to be small. It is hard to say “can’t,” but the Division Commander should thoroughly understand the situation and realize that this regiment can’t advance as an attacking force. Such advance would sacrifice the regiment."

Colonel Feland’s response showed an emerging appreciation for the sacrifice already paid; he simply noted the battalions should await further orders before advancing in support of the Sixth Regiment. Though the Fifth Regiment had been rendered combat ineffective, it would hold its position, offering what combat support it could in the coming day with what rifles were still held by those within its ranks.

With dusk at hand, the 1st Battalion was reduced on this single day by deaths, wounds, and missing to 168 officers and men. Those losses constituted a majority of the 1,097 casualties reported for the Fifth Regiment on 4 October 1918, which in turn constituted the large majority of the 1,308 casualties for the Fourth Marine Brigade that day. With good reason, the survivors forever referred to their deadly location as "The Box."

"The Capture of Blanc Mont" by War Artist George Harding

Major Hamilton's Leadership

You can't be any more in the center of the action than Major Hamilton was in "The Box."  In his first  battle as a battalion commander he displayed firm leadership under the most trying conditions.  

Hamilton's regimental commander, Colonel Feland, submitted this recommendation for the Distinguished Service Cross on 17 October 1918:

"During the 4th October. . . in the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge. . . finding that certain elements had become disorganized by the shock of battle, [Major Hamilton] displayed the highest type of leadership by immediately taking charge of the situation and reorganizing the position.  In carrying out this self-assumed task, he displayed extraordinary heroism by fearlessly exposing himself to heavy shelling and direct and indirect machine gun fire, while personally placing in line the elements which had become disorganized."

Alas, this recommendation, as was his earlier Medal of Honor recommendation for his performance at Belleau Wood, was declined. His sole award for the day's effort, a Silver Star for his Victory Medal, today seems inadequate for his contributions at Blanc Mont.

Much has been written about Blanc Mont in the ensuing 105 years, multiple official and unofficial histories, some outstanding memoirs by the participants, and the 2011 full biography of George Hamilton by Mark Mortensen, the principal author of this article. This body of literature gives a fuller view of  Hamilton's leadership that day than was included in Colonel Feland's recommendation. A more thorough summary of George Hamilton's performance on 4 October 1918 might look something like this.

1.  As Colonel Feland put it in his postwar letter, "At the most critical moment of the day,—when the ill-conceived attack was failing and panic was in the air—Major Hamilton 'Saved the regiment from disaster.'"

2.  He also recognized and on his own initiative did his utmost to remedy through the course of the day, the regiment's and the division's greatest exposure, a left flank exposed due to the absence of French support.  

3. His skill and leadership at turning back the numerous enemy counterattacks likely staved off the annihilation of the entire Marine force.

4.  Despite being trapped in the killing zone that came to be known as "The Box," Major Hamilton maintained full control of his unit and kept it as an effective combat unit  despite suffering enormous casualties.

Sadly George Hamilton did not live long after the war. Here is his grave Arlington.

Sources: The bulk of this article has been selected from Mark Mortensen's,  George W. Hamilton, USMC: America's Greatest World War I Hero (See icon for ordering at the right),  with supplemental material from A Hideous Price: the Fourth Brigade at Blanc Mont by Lt. Col. Peter Owen and Lt. Col. John Swift, USMC;  "A Calamity of Errors: the Untold Story of the 5th Regiment at Blanc Mont Ridge on 4 October 1918" by James Gregory Jr., Drawings from Fix Bayonets! by John A. Thomason, USMC; "Capturing Blanc Mont Ridge" at the Doughboy Center Website; "Recollections of a Buck Private" by Clarence Richmond, USMC; Letter, "The Battle of Blanc Mont" by Eugene West, USMC.