Eugene McManus (1898-1918)

MCMANUS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/15/2009 at 10:50:30

Jackson Sentinel
August 13, 1918

DeWitt Boy Dies for the Colors in France

The first DeWitt boy to lay down his life on the battlefield in France was Eugene, son of Mr. and Mrs. John McManus who resides on a farm about a mile from that city. Word was received by his parents last Thursday and the city and community united in a memorial yesterday morning to honor the dead hero.

His military life story is brief but full of action in the past year and a half. He was born March 23, 1898, and died August 2, 1918, from wounds received while on the firing line on the French front. He had enlisted with battery C, 126th Field artillery, on March 20, 1917, three days before he was 18 years of age. He left Davenport March 25, passed one week at Camp Pike, Ark., and three months at Camp Logan. Then he went to Camp Cody, N. M., where he remained until March 20, when he went to Camp Merritt, N. J., and sailed April 3rd, across seas. The last letter received from him was written June 12. The message from the war department was received last evening.