On September 29, 1918, a regiment of National Guard volunteers from New York State, many of them wealthy boys from Manhattan, attacked the center of the feared Hindenburg Line, one of the strongest defensive systems ever devised. At a frightful cost, suffering more killed on a single day of fighting than any other regiment in U.S. history, they broke the enemy and helped conclude World War I.

Interweaving extracts from diaries, letters and previously published accounts, Stephen L. Harris follows these "silk stocking soldiers" from their earnest excitement during the early days of war, through their desperation in the dreadful trenches of Europe, and finally to their hometown heroes' welcome, the largest parade in New York City history.

Praise for "Duty, Honor, Privilege"

"Stephen Harris has written both a soldier's story and a long overdue but bloody redemption of America¹s most maligned infantry regiment. Well researched, well written and entertaining."

—Rod Paschall, editor, MHQ and author of The Defeat of Imperial Germany, 1917-1918

"A richly detailed story . . . [Stephen L. Harris] adeptly narrates the sweep and drama of the battlefront: the rattle and impact of machine gun fire, the constant barrage of artillery fire and flying shrapnel, the 'over the top' charges, hand-to-hand fighting with pistol and bayonet, gripping instances of heroism, death and dismemberment. This book is noteworthy as a military history, but even more so in its revelations of the attitudes regarding the concepts of duty and honor."

—Ben McC. Moise, Charleston (SC) Post & Courier, September 2, 2001

"A captivating story of New York's finest, the 107th New York Infantry."

—Military Heritage magazine, December 2001

"By tracking the Silk Stockings from enlistment through training, battle and triumphant return to New York, Harris [in clear, well-detailed writing] makes an arguable case that these sons of privilege did not flinch in duty or honor."

—David Hinckley, New York Daily News, December 16, 2001

"This book is a welcome addition and any efforts to get hold of a copy will be well rewarded, both for aficionados of the US combat contributions and readers with a more general interest in the Western Front."

—Chris Robinson, Stand To: The Journal of the Western Front Association, September 2002

"First-rate social and military history."

—Col. Gregory Fontenot, Military Review, January-February 2003

"Stephen L. Harris has done an outstanding job of weaving together the story of the 107th Infantry from the individual soldier's perspective. The book relies almost exclusively on letters, diaries and personal accounts to paint a vivid picture of the dedication and sacrifice of Guardsmen soldiers at war. This excellent book should remind all of us that the Guard is an integral part of America's first line of defense and that properly trained Guardsmen can be formidable in battle."

—Col. Michael D. Doubler, National Guard Magazine

"It is a real pleasure to read [a regimental history] as well written as Duty, Honor, Privilege."

—MHQ: The Quarterly Review of Military History, Summer 2002.

"Major General John F. O'Ryan, commander of the 27th Division, had this to say in his memoirs about the 107th Infantry: 'The roster of the dead contain the best names of the City of New York, best in the sense of family tradition and all that stands for good citizenship in the history of the city.' After reading this book, you will get a sense of how true this statement is."

— Jim Hill, Camaraderie: The Journal of the United States Branch, Western Front Association, November 2001

"For all you history buffs who've been waiting for something new to be written about World War I, be sure to check out Stephen L. Harris' new book, Duty, Honor, Privilege. . . . A tantalizing tidbit of American history."

—Chris Watson, Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 5, 2002

"A wonderfully researched, beautifully written, superbly balanced piece of military social history."

—Douglas V. Johnson II, U.S. Army College, co-author of Soissons 1918

"Mr. Harris wrote in a very easy style, almost as though you were listening to the original people telling you their stories up at the mess hall."

—From a letter by a former member of the old 7th Regiment to another, July 9, 2001

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