USA > Illinois > Lee County > War history of Lee County, Illinois, 1917-1919 : a history of the part taken by the people of Lee County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1919 > Part 14
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Private Horace F. Ortt, Battery C, 123d F. A., for distinguished and exceptional gallantry at Very-Epinonville on 4th October 1918 in the operations of the American Expeditionary Forces in testimony thereof, and as an expression of appreciation of his valor, I award him this citation.
JOHN J. PERSHING,
Awarded on March 27, 1919.
Commander-in-Chief.
Horace was buried with military honors in a church cemetery in the town of Very, France. The American Legion Burial Lot in Oakwood Cemetery, Dixon, has a special marker bearing his name. A beautifully engraved certificate, issued June 1, 1919, by direction of the President of the United States, was received by Mr. Ortt, expressing his deep and sincere sympathy on the death of his son.
In the Spring of 1920 the Distinguished Service Cross was awarded to him, for bravery in action, and was sent by the War Department to his parents.
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FRED OSCAR McWETHY-Son of Geo. P. and Mary A. MeWethy, was born Dee. S, 1896, at Eldora, Hardin Co., lowa, and when a child moved with his parents to Dixon, and knew no other home. He enlisted at Oregon, Ogle Co., Illinois, June 15th, 1918, and on August 5th was sent to Chicago University to complete his training, which was finished October 12th. On October 15th he was sent to Camp Hancock, Ga., and after two weeks service was declared fit for oversea service. He was then transferred to Camp Johnson, Ga., where he secured his oversea equipment. He was in waiting when the armistice was signed, November 11, 1918. He was a member of the 16th Co. 161 D. B. He returned to Camp Grant, and on January 15, 1919, received his honorable discharge. Returning to Dixon he was taken seriously ill with pneumonia, and was taken to the Dixon Hospital, where he died on January 21, and was buried at Oakwood Cemetery, January 23, 1919.
JOHN PARSONS enlisted in the Quartermaster Corps at the outbreak of the war, and served in Texas, where he was promoted to Corporal, Sergeant and Second Lieutenant. He went to France in 1918 and was promoted to First Lieutenant. While returning to the United States, he con- traeted pneumonia and died at sea.
CHAPTER XXVIII
123 Field Artillery
BY CAPT. LLOYD G. LEWIS
On March 26th, 1917, the members of Company G, Sixth Regiment, Illinois National Guard, reported at the Armory at Dixon, Illinois, in response to the call of President Wilson.
During Monday and Tuesday, March 26th and 27th, the Company remained at the Armory, prepared to move, and at one o'clock A. M. Wednesday, the 28th, the Company entrained at the Chicago and Northwestern Station, and left for Rock Island Arsenal, going into camp there about noon of the same day.
The Arsenal was operating to its fullest capacity at this time, getting out material in preparation for the entrance of this country into the war, and it was considered neces- sary that the plant be well guarded, as the large water power plant, which furnished elec- trical power for the operation of the Arsenal factories, and the four bridges which connected the Island with the main land, were easily accessible to enemy agents, and should any of these important points be destroyed, the operation of the plant would be greatly im- paired, so it became the duty of Company G, together with Companies A, E, F, H, & L of this regiment, under command of Major Edward H. Dunavin, to guard the Arsenal and the island, from March 28th to July 30th.
Company G, at this time, consisted of 68 men and three officers, Captain Elijah L. Soper, First Lieutenant Clarence G. Preston, and Second Lieutenant Lloyd G. Lewis.
When the company left Dixon, Lieutenant Preston remained in the city to secure recruits to fill the ranks of the company to war strength; he rejoined the company about a week later, bringing eight recruits with him.
The initial muster roll of the Company was dated April 21. 1917. This date marked the change from a State to a Federal status.
From May 12th to June 13th, Lieutenant Lewis was on recruiting duty in the home cities of Companies G, E, I, and the Machine Gun Company, the latter two being in camp at Springfield, Illinois.
About this time, the War Department decided not to retain any married men in the service, and all of the married men of Company G were discharged and returned to their homes. This took from the Company many of the older men who had been advanced to the grade of Non-Commissioned Officers, on account of long and faithful service in the National Guard.
On July 30th, the Company left Rock Island for East St. Louis, arriving there at six A. M. the next day, and went into camp at Nineteenth Street and Missouri Avenue, relieving some of the Chicago troops that had been on duty there since the riots of July 4th, 1917. The Company remained here until September Sth together with Companies A, C, D. I, K, L, and Machine Gun Company. Colonel Davis, with the remainder of the regiment, was at Springfield.
Leaving East St. Louis on September Sth, the entire detachment went to Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, where the Sixth Regiment was all together for the first time since it was called out in March.
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On September 19th, the Sixth Infantry was changed into a regiment of heavy artillery and became known as the 123rd. Field Artillery, and part of the 58th Field Artillery Brigade of the 33rd Division, which was being organized at Camp Logan out of the National Guard of Illinois, under command of Major General George Gell, Jr. The 12 companies of the old sixth regiment were organized into six batteries, a supply company and a head- quarters company. This automatically relieved six of the twelve captains. Company G and Company M were organized into a battery, and henceforth were known as Battery C. Captain H. F. Hall, the commander of Company M, being the senior of the two cap- tains, was placed in command of Battery C.
This reorganization into a Field Artillery unit was quickly perfected, and the regiment entered upon a period of intensive training in the various branches of Artillery work, which lasted through the winter and until the next May, when the Division commenced moving towards the port to sail for France.
In the well-equipped regimental infirmary, each man received a long course of inocula- tions and vaccinations against Typhoid Fever and Small Pox. This treatment, while it eaused much inconvenience and discomfort while being taken, was of inestimable value and undoubtedly accounts for the almost entire absence of these diseases among our boys while at the front, where they often were compelled to drink water that was anything but pure.
Wireless stations and telephone systems were put up, and details of men from each battery were instructed in this work by experienced operators.
The regiment, at first planned, was to be a horse-drawn artillery unit, and horses were issued to each battery. The men who had had some experience with horses were assigned as drivers and instructed in the care and training of artillery horses, the care and adjustment of harness and saddles, horseshoeing, etc.
The men of the Battery were divided into two departments-the Horse Department or Drivers Squads, and the Cannoneers or Gun Squads. Lt. Preston had charge of the training of the horsemen and Lt. Lewis the Gun crews.
In the evenings, schools were held for the officers and non-commissioned officers, at which the principles of Artillery firing and taeties were taught by instructors from the Regular Army. For several weeks the men drilled with improvised wooden guns, then with some very old three-inch guns, and later with a battery of 4.7 inch howitzers. These howitzers, although very old, were still in good serviceable condition, and many interesting as well as profitable days were spent with them on the artillery range.
During the stay at Camp Logan there were many changes in the officers of the Battery. Lt. Douglas Elliott was assigned to Battery C on September 20th, and remained with them until December when he was transferred to Headquarters Company and sent to Fort Sill to study Aerial Observation. On November 17th, Lt. Lewis was advanced to Ist Lieutenant, and in December, 2nd Lt. John Lawson and 2nd Lt. Roy Tuekbrieter were assigned to the Battery to make up its quota of four Lieutenants.
On January 1, 1918, Lieutenants Preston and Lewis were transferred to Headquarters Company to take up the study of Aerial Observation. About February 1st Lt. Preston was transferred from Headquarters Company to Battery F and placed in command of that organization and advanced to rank of Captain, and Lt. Lewis was returned to Battery (. Lt. Tuckbrieter was advanced to 1st Lieutenant. 2nd Lieutenant Waterhouse of the 108th Engineers was transferred to the Battery. About May 1st Lt. Lewis was transferred to Battery B, and again in August he was transferred from Battery B to Head- quarters Company and placed in command of that organization, remaining with it until
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the close of the war. In May, Lt. Berg was assigned to Battery (. In March, Captain Hall was transferred to the staff of Gen. Bell, and Capt. John C. Bohan, who, at this time was Adjutant of the 3rd Battalion, was placed in command of the Battery; a month later, when Capt. Bohan was made Major of the 2nd Battalion, Capt. Howard Selover was placed in command of ( Battery.
About May 1st the Division commeneed moving towards the port of embarkation. Part of the 123rd regiment entrained on the 13th, for Camp Merritt, New Jersey, and on the following day the 2nd Battalion, consisting of Batteries C and D left by way of Fort Smith, Arkansas; St. Louis, Mo .; Decatur, Il .; Fort Wayne, Ind .; Detroit, Mich .; passing through Canada to Niagara Falls, Rochester and Syracuse, New York, to Camp Merritt, near Jersey City, New Jersey, arriving there May 19th. The trip was an enjoy- able one, being made in Pullmans which were not crowded. Strict orders were issued against mailing letters or cards in any of the stations we passed through, or informing any person about the stations we passed through as to what organizations were on the train, or what seaport we were bound for, as the German Goverment was watching closely this gigantie military machine which this country was putting in operation and enemy agents were working in this country to learn the names of organizations and the number of troops moving overseas, also the boats they would sail on.
The seven days stay at Camp Merritt was spent in bathing, and completing the equip- ment of the men. The new steel helmets were issued to us here.
Before leaving Texas, we received from the ladies of Dixon a large box of heavy woolen stockings and wristlets which were distributed to the Dixon boys, also a sum of money raised by the business men of Dixon and sent to us, which was spent for articles which the Government did not furnish. but which helped greatly to equip the men for overseas service. So when we reached Camp Merritt, we were well equipped, but the Red Cross was on hand with a large quantity of woolen knit goods which were being made by the women all over the United States, and any men who arrived at the seaport without a good sweater, wristlets or heavy socks was given these articles by the Red Cross.
As soon as the men were equipped, and while waiting for orders to sail, the men were given 24 hour passes to New York.
May 26th, 1918, found the regiment once more on railway trains, this time bound for a transport. It was a short trip, lasting one hour and thirty minutes. Arriving at Hoboken doeks, the regiment boarded the ferry boat, Jamestown, and crossed the Hud- son river to the New York side where the steamship Scotian was waiting to convey us to France.
The men were carefully checked on board, assigned to quarters, and issued hammocks and life preservers. One day and night the boat remained at the wharf, but neither men nor officers were permitted to go on shore. On the morning of May 27th, a tug towed the Scotian out of the harbor. Owing to the dense fog and the fact that all men were kept below decks while leaving the harbor, in order that a possible German spy might not recognize it as a troop ship, we were not able to witness the forming of the Convoy, but by 11 o'clock we were well out on the high seas, and as the fog cleared, we could see that we were in a convoy of 13 ships, one of which was the English cruiser Victorian. The other ships were the Cedrie, Melita, Ulyses, Armagh, Toloa, Kshmire, Khiva, Cyclops, Derbyshire, Bramble Leaf and Pear Leaf. The officers and men were required to wear the life preservers at all times. Life boat drills were held frequently. A look-out guard of 13 men were kept posted at all times on the upper deck, to watch for Submarines. This guard was in addition to the regular watch furnished by the ship's erew. It was increased
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by a detail of six officers when we arrived in the Submarine zone. Calisthenic exercises were held every morning for the benefit of the men.
The third day out, the sea became very rough, and nearly every one on board experienced an attack of seasickness. In spite of the rough weather, the boys were jolly and in good spirits the most of the time, as is characteristic of the American soldier, improving every opportunity to derive pleasure or amusement from any situation, however unpleasant, in which they found themselves. The crew, which were all English, were apparently not used to the ways of the American soldier, for one was heard to remark, "The bloody Yankees would laugh if the ship was going down."
The voyage required 13 days, due to the convoy's policy of constantly zigzaging in its course to avoid any possible submarine that might be lying in wait for it. On May 30th, a U. S. Cruiser joined the convoy and accompanied it until a short distance from the Irish coast. The danger zone was entered on June 3rd. The Submarine guard was strengthened, and a careful watch was kept for Submarines day and night. On June 6th, about six A. M. 11 destroyers joined the convoy, and remained with it during the rest of the journey. On June 7th, we entered the Irish Sea from the north, with the hills of Scotland plainly visible on our left and Ireland on our right. As we passed over the spot where the Tuscania was sunk, two dirigible balloons joined us, and accompanied us to Liverpool, which place we reached about 7 P. M., but did not debark until the next morning, June 8th, at 11 A. M.
Marching through the streets of Liverpool, we reached Camp Knotty Ash, a rest camp about 6 miles from our landing place. The streets were lined with people who gave us a warm welcome. We left this camp the next day at 1:30 P. M. over the Grand Central Railroad of England. It was our first view of an English train, which, with its odd looking engine and compartment cars, was quite a curiosity. Passing through Sheffield, Oxford, and Lancaster, we arrived at Winchester at 1:30 A. M. where we spent the next day in the barracks on Morn Hill Camp. Weagain entrained for South Hamp- ton, June 11th, where we boarded a small channel steamer, crossing the channel at night, debarking at LeHarve, France. A march of 3 miles brought us to another rest camp, where one day was spent.
On the evening of June 13th, we were loaded onto a train of French box cars for a long trip to Ornans, France, near the city of Besancon, in the midst of the Jura Mountains, and near the Swiss border, In order to get the regiment on the trains assigned us, it was necessary to crowd 50 men in each of the cars which were supposed to accommodate only 40, making the trip a very unpleasant one.
We arrived in Ornans in the evening of June 15th, pitched our shelter tents, and slept comfortable in spite of the rain which continued nearly all night. The next day, motor trucks transported the battery to Etray, a small hamlet about 12 miles farther up in the mountains. The entire regiment was quartered in a number of small villages in this neighborhood.
This district had been taken by our Government for an Artillery training area. Schools were established in the village of Ornans to which all the officers were sent, and special details of non-commissioned officers. At these schools we were taught to operate the French 155 mm howitzers with which the regiment was to be equipped, also the use of the various Range-finding and Fire-control instruments used with these guns.
On July 20th, we finished this part of our instruction, and on July 22nd, the regiment left the small villages in which it had been billeted and moved into the large barracks at the French Camp Du Valdahon, where we received our equipment of howitzers, cais-
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sons, wagons, rolling kitchens, water carts, horses, harness, and saddle equipment. We also received Gas Masks for both men and horses. The following month was spent in strenuous rarge practice, (most of the time in the rain), and preparations were made for the move to the front.
In the middle of August, the battery learned through unofficial sources, which were invariably the only means of information, that it would move within the next few days for the front, nobody knew definitely where we were going. Rumors said it would be the Toul Sector.
In the little railway station at the Camp, there was not sufficient side track to allow the loading of the entire regiment at this point, so several of the batteries were marched to neighboring villages to load, and it fell to the lot of Battery C to march overland to the city of Besancon. Arising at 3 A. M. on the morning of August 22nd the horses were fed and harnessed, breakfast served, and the battery started on its 20 mile march to Besan- con, arriving there in the evening of the next day. It was our first move with full equip- ment, and both officers and men had not yet learned the advantage of traveling light, of getting along with the minimum amount of baggage, so every wagon was overloaded, and each man found himself carrying a pack which grew heavier with each hour's march. Upon arrival in Besancon, the Battery loaded upon trains and started on the journey of about 165 miles to the Toul Sector. Orders were given that the battery must be pre- pared to detrain in 15 minutes, as its destination would be within range of the German guns. There were enough Fox cars to give each man sufficient room, and the realiza- tion that the long drudgery of the training season was over, in spite of what fresh hard- ships were in the future, kept the men in good spirits. A day and half of traveling took the various units of the regiment through the city of Toul to the small village of Pagny sur Meuse, a short distance beyond, where we unloaded and marched a short distance to the village of Foug, where we spent the night and next day. Here and in Toul we saw the effects of the German air raids. Two days were spent at the village of Foug.
On the evening of the 25th of August the regiment started for its position at the front. This night march will long he remembered by us all. As we approached the front, we could see in the distance the signal lights and rockets which were a marked feature of night war-fare, and the sheet lightning flash of artillery. Just about dawn the regiment passed through the deserted village of Boueq and passed about a mile farther on into a large timber known as the Boueq Woods. There was much difficulty and confusion in getting the heavy guns and wagons off the road and into the timber and concealment. A couple of hours were consumed in this operation. It was our first experience at concealment and camouflage, and we often smiled as we thought of it in the days that followed, when, after a little experience, we were able to move the regiment into a piece of timber and conceal it in about 15 minutes' time.
Preparations were being made for the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient. Gen. Pershing for a long time, had been planning this as our first great American drive. The Marne salient had just been reduced, and nearly all the American Divisions and a few French Divisions, or approximately 600,000 troops were used in this drive. While our regiment was in training on the artillery range in July, the Infantry of the 33rd Division had been sent up to the front. Our brigade was never again with our Infantry. Upon our arrival at the front, we became the artillery support of the 89th Division. Upon the relief of the 89th Division by the 1st Division on August 28th, our regiment was assigned to the 1st Division, and supported the Infantry of this Division during the battle which followed.
At this point, No Man's Land was over 1000 yards in width. On the German side
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rose the high bare hill known as Mont See, which was strongly fortified. The French lost in the neighborhood of 30,000 troops trying to take this hill in the early part of the war and were confident that we could not take it. A large amount of our artillery was brought into this sector, also air craft, tanks, and ambulances. Field Hospitals were located, and even small railways built to carry the artillery ammunition up to us from the rear. Records show that 90,000 tons of ammunition were used in this drive. The entire operation was planned to be a surprise to the Germans, so all of the work and the movement of troops had to be done at night.
After a stay of 5 days in the Boueq Woods, we moved forward about 3 miles into another more extensive woods, known as the Forest de la Reine of which the Boucq woods were really a part. Here nearly two weeks were spent in preparation for the drive. Many nights were spent in digging the pits in which the guns were placed and concealed. Dug- outs were made near the gun positions and all available wagons and caissons were used in hauling ammunition from a large ammunition dump in the rear of these gun positions. The men worked hard but cheerfully these nights, often in rain, and slept day times. In the day time, all horses and wagons were concealed in the thick timber. Every morning fresh brush was cut and scattered over the roads to hide the track the wagons had made during the night. If the men did any washing of clothing during the day, the garments had to be hung well under the bushes. The bugler was kept posted at all times where he could observe the approach of an enemy plane and send the warning note on his bugle, at which any who might be moving in the open, immediately sought concealment. Ab- solutely no lights of any kind were allowed at night. Motor trucks and motorcycles traveled over strange roads on the darkest nights without any lights, and in the day times the fire necessary for cooking was handled in such a way as to cause as little smoke as possible.
Of considerable importance were the preparations for gas defense. Every man wore his gas mask slung over his shoulder while working, and slept with it beside his head. Gas masks for horses were kept fastened to their halters at all times. Every dugout had a gas proof curtain at its entrance. During these preparations, we received the in- formation that the Germans were gathering material for a gas attack on our immediate front, but our offensive was launched before this gas attack came off. Troops continued every night to come into this sector by thousands, also many artillery units. The Germans suspected that some kind of operation was in progress on our side, as we learned from pris- oners later, but they did not imagine that it was to be on such an immense seale. A German patrol captured one night gave us the information that the Germans were moving troops from the Marne sector to this sector. Their artillery fired occasionally on our lines. On the evening of September 5th, Archie Latourette, of Battery C was killed by a German shell while working at the gun positions. Also Sergeant Monacelli and Private Blair were severely wounded and Sergeant Ellis Nelson slightly wounded by shell fire. A Ger- man shell striking in a pile of our ammunition, burned up 1800 powder charges and wounded three men in D Battery, one of whom afterward died.
On the morning of September 12th, 1918 the drive started. At 1 A. M. every gun on the American side opened fire on the German trenches, and continued firing until five o'clock in the morning, when the Infantry went over the top and crossed No-Man's- Land, preceded by a number of tanks. The attack was a complete surprise. Our In- fantry found the German first line trenches swept clean and deserted after the artillery barrage, and the formidable defenses of Mont See in ruins. All through that day and the day following, the Germans continued to retreat before our Infantry, our Artillery
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preparing the advance of the Infantry by a rolling barrage. In fact, our Infantry advanced so rapidly during the latter part of the engagement that our heavy artillery was unable to keep up with it. The light artillery, however, advanced eleven kilometers. On the evening of this, the second day of the battle, we had reached our objective. 2000 prisoners and 150 cannons had been taken.
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