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KILLED ON(BATTLEFIELDLieutenant Robt. B. Gilbreath Wounded and Huns Take BodyMany in Corsican were recently pained to learn of the fato of Lieutenant. Robert B. Gilbreath, who was reported missing in action since early in September. Lieutenant Gilbreath was for some time an instructor at the State Orphan Home, and had a large number of friends in the city. Lieutenant Gilbreath is a nephew of j| IJ H Galbreath of this city; and since his fato was first announced Mr. Gal* breath has made several attempts at learning something definite concerning Lieutenant Gilbreath. Nothing certain has been learned however, except a story that recently appeared In the Houston Post, which said that Lieutenant Gilbreath fell wounded, and the Germans secured his body.• Lieutenant Gilbreath’s parents re-. .side in Columbia, Tennessee, and the | Maury County Democrat of that city recently paid a glowing tribute to its lei low townsman: The following iswhat The Democrat, said:| I ‘'The many friends of Lieut, Robert | | Frown Gilbreath, son of Mr. and Mrs.J. A, Gilbreath, who have been cling*| ling to the hope that official news from him would correct the recent rumor of his death in action, were shocked Monday when information that is credited with being correct, was received by the stricken family. His ft lends and the family have nothing now on which to base any optimism, and his death is taken as one of the inevitable horrors of war, but is al! the more deplorable that the young man was just ready to begin a career of great usefulness when the whr was started.The information was Contained in a a lews paper clipping from the Houston Po.’t which tfras sent Mr. and Mrs. Gilbreath by a friend. The notice vtks written by Lieutenant Frank Liddell, 358th Infantry, 90th Division, of which Robert was a member. According to the letter of Lieut. Liddell, the fighting in which the company was engaged was particularly fierce, only 37 Texans having survived*1 out of the original 250. This fighting took place just a few days before the signing of the armistice. Lieut. Liddell stated that he was the only officer left in the company of original quota and continues, *Caipt. Peters was killed the same morning that I was wounded, the boctoe got his body, also Lieut. Gilbreath’s, that same morning. They were both killed some 160 yards on my left. Lieut. Gilbreath was In Texas at the beginning of the war and received his commission as second lieutenant at Camp Travis, Sen Antonio, Texas. He artvddf in Liver*■pool on duly 4th and immediately went into action The last leter from him was dated September 24th and his inability to write was due to the fact that he had been constantly in the fight.The fighting in which he lost his life was terrific and is further described by Lieut. Liddell as follows: ‘This Division has won itself some reputation, has been congratulated several times by General Pershing and Marshal Foch. We began fighting In the lpiddlo of August and have been at it continually, exoept for tVw or three days when we were moving from St Mlhiel to Argonne Forest We haveibeen used as shock troops and not one time have we failed to reach our objectives, but we have paid. We have been through all the hell there is and now it Is rumored that we have been chosen to go into Germany, quite a compliment, though, of coursa I think we will go over and quiet things and then wo will be relieved artd sent homte.’“But Lieutenant Gilbreath will not .return home. He has made the su ■» Ipreme sacrifice, the greatest that mor-1 Mea ta! man can make, and there is con* I eolation in knowing that none were Thbraver than* he, and that the enemy I®!, caved itself from -Bsaister by remov-|wi11 ing such as he from the great arena. I This young Maury countian was I J“e J brave, he was courageous, he was in* }rom spired by the cause for which his Icountry was fighting; he was not be-i?.*g driven into battle, but with all force that he could comtartand, he was 1 u hading his men face to face with the P*1 most despicable enemy that ever curs-1}”, ed the world. He died game,fighting I Jr*1 i’ke a 1'on^and his body was taken by ” the enemy as a prize. . I, -“Few Maury county boys had brighter prospects than Robert Gilbreath.Ho had a remarkably bright mind and lead every class in every school he attended. , He graduated with honors from the Columbia High School and later from the Columbia Military Academy, He later attended the Uni-11 /versity of Texas and nothing but 11 *death could have kept him from the || fpresidency of some gTeat university before he had passed the -prime of life 11 ^He was a young man of strong char-11 ^acter, high ideals and noble purposes, || %genial ‘and accomlmodating. He was an inspiration to his associates.“Lieut. Gilbreath is survived by his father and mother, three sisters. Misses Jennie and Verm Gilbreath , and Mrs. W. D. Patterson of Columbia; two brothers. Bari, of Trinity College, and Claude of Gulfport Military Academy, both of whom were in training for commissions when the armistice was signed. He also has six half-brothers.”The Captain Peters referred to as being killed at the same time as Lieut. Gilbreath was decorated with tha distinguished service cross after his death.
Newspaper Details
Corsicana Daily Sun
Corsicana, Texas, US
Wed, Jan 15, 1919
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Lue O.
USA 26 Sep 2019
Other Publications Near Corsicana, Texas
Corsicana Weekly Light
Corsicana Sun
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