Francis Fowler Hogan (1896 - 1918) – American soldier poet

With thanks to Dr. Connie Ruzich via Twitter @wherrypilgrim for helping to discover so many other WW1 poets.

Francis Fowler Hogan was born in Pittsburgh, PC, USA on November 13, 1896, to Thomas and Emma Hogan, who once lived in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Thomas Hogan was a tea and coffee dealer in Pittsburgh and died in Saint Francis Hospital of pneumonia the day before his son, Francis’s eleventh birthday.

Francis was educated at Peabody High School where he was a member of the debate team, drama club, and the literary society. In May 1916, he took part in an Oscar Wilde play produced by the class - “The Importance Of Being Earnest.”   A classmate commented : “Mr. Hogan as Algernon Moncrieff was his own charming self to the delight of his audience.” While at the school, Francis also edited the student’s newspaper, “The Melting Pot”. He graduatedl in 1916 with honours. Following his graduation, Francis entered the newly formed School of Drama at the Carnegie Institute of Technology - "Carnegie Tech" - which is now the Carnegie Mellon University.

When America joined the First World War, Francis enlisted in the National Army.  He was sent to Camp Colt in Gettysburg PA for initial training, then to Camp Greene, NC, and finally to Camp Stuart, VA, a troop clearinghouse during WW1. 

Francis was assigned to Company M, 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, travelled to the Western Front and took part in three major military operations: Aisne-Marne, Saint-Mihiel, and the Meuse-Argonne.  He was killed during the fighting on 17th October 1918 at Bois de Forêt and Clairs Chênes woods.  Several of his poems were included in Carnegie Tech War Verse (1918). 

This is believed to have been last poem written by Francis.  It was included in a letter written to his mother who sent it to the “Pittsburgh Dispatch” in November 1918.

“The Adventure”

I have found a cave.

Dark and very deep;

Who may know what wonders

In the cannon sleep?

Maybe there are gems

And a heap of gold;

Maybe sacred volumes

Stored there of old.

Maybe there are poppies

Which the gnomes hoard;

Bits of dragon skin,

Or a broken sword.

Or a queen enchanted

Whom we may free;

Maybe only death –

Come, let us see.

Francis Fowler Hogan

Francis's friend William Hervey Allen Jr (1889 – 1949) – American poet, writer and educator wrote a poem dedicated to him.

Sources:

Former Fulbright Scholar Dr. Connie Ruzich's website entitled Behind their Lines.  (Connie’s approach is rather more academic than mine:..)

https://behindtheirlines.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-little-folk.html 

“Carnegie Tech War Verse” (Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, PA, 1918)

https://archive.org/details/carnegietechwar00techgoog

https://greatwarpittsburgh.com/?p=516