Major William Donovan and the Absolute futility of it all

26th St. Armory, Madison Square Park & Vicinity - New York City, New York honoring Joyce Kilmer and Major William 'Wild Bill' Donovan

This painting depicts a real WW I event: Major William 'Wild Bill' Donovan* commanding the 1st Battalion organized a defense against a German infantry assault. Afterwards, he directed rescue operations.
As the cries and moans of the dying grew weaker, Donovan cursed the 'absolute futility of it all.' Father Francis Patrick Duffy reads the funeral service over the wrecked dugout, and the bodies that were left there. The affair is commemorated in this painting in the Rainbow Room in the Armory and in Joyce Kilmer's poem 'Rouge Bouquet.' Kilmer wrote the poem to commemorate the event. He would die later in combat. Kilmer, the warrior and poet, graduated from Columbia University in 1908. He then worked for Funk and Wagnall's Company, as a dictionary editor. He served as Literary Editor of The Churchman, an Anglican newspaper. He converted to Catholicism in 1913, and that year went to work for The New York Times. When the U.S. declared war on Germany in 1917, Kilmer was a family man with a wife and children and was not required to serve. However, he enlisted as a private in the Seventh Regiment, New York National Guard. At his request and with the assistance of Father Francis Patrick Duffy, he transferred into the 165th Infantry, the old Fighting 69th. He later became the Senior Regimental Statistician. In France he was promoted to sergeant and was attached to the Regimental Intelligence staff as an observer. He spent his nights on patrol in no-man's land gathering information.

He had no frontline responsibilities during combat operations. On July 30, 1918, during the battle of the * New York Gamma (Columbia) 1903 Ourcq, he attached himself as adjutant to Major William Donovan, commander of the First Battalion. Donovan's adjutant, Lieutenant Oliver Ames, had been killed in combat the day before. A sniper's bullet ended Kilmer's life; he was 31. The regiment's principal objective on that day had been the high ground of Muercy Farm. Lieutenant Ames and Sgt. Kilmer were buried side by side in a creek bed on that farm. Joyce Kilmer was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for bravery. In the New York City 26th Street Armory, a mural depicts the event he wrote about in his poem 'Rouge Bouquet.'

Than this place of pain and pride Where they nobly fought and nobly died. Never fear but in the skies Saints and angels stand Smiling with their holy eyes On this new-come band. St. Michael's sword darts through the air and touches the aureole on his hair As he sees them stand saluting there, His stalwart sons: And Patrick, Brigid, Columkill Rejoice that in veins of warriors still The Gael's blood runs. And up to Heaven's doorway floats, From the wood called Rouge Bouquet, A delicate cloud of bugle notes That softly say: 'Farewell! Farewell! Comrades true, born anew, peace to you! Your souls shall be where the heroes are And your memory shine like the morning-star. Brave and dear, Shield us here. Farewell!'

Rouge Bouquet
In a wood they call Rouge Bouquet There is a new-made grave today, Built by never a spade nor pick Yet covered with earth 10 meters thick There lie many fighting men, Dead in their youthful prime, Never to laugh nor love again Nor taste the Summertime. For Death came flying through the air And stopped his flight at the dugout stair, Touched his prey and left them there, Clay to clay. He hid their bodies stealthily In the soil of the land they fought to free And fled away. Now over the grave abrupt and clear Three volleys ring; And perhaps their brave young spirits hear The bugles sing: 'Go to sleep! Go to sleep! Slumber well where the shell screamed and fell. Let your rifles rest on the muddy floor, You will not need them any more. Danger's past; Now at last, Go to sleep!' There is on earth no worthier grave To hold the bodies of the brave

Joyce Kilmer* (b. 1886 New Brunswick, NJ d. France 1918)

*Kilmer died July 30, 1918, during the Second Battle of the Marne. He is best remembered for his poem, Trees. The above text and photos were supplied by http://www.museumplanet.com/tour.php/nyc/msp/60 Information appearing with an asterisk is by the Historian of Phi Kappa Psi.

July 30, 2011

Published September 8, 1918

Copyright New York Times