USA > Indiana > Jefferson County > Jefferson County in the World War : an historical and sociological study of one Indiana county during the war period, 1917-1918 > Part 2
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"Oh, folks at home, take off your hats To the cooks of Battery E.
They're on the job, they always are They suit me to a tee."
The letters have much zestful gossip about life at Camp Shelby. They tell of long hikes, of trench digging, and of
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Military Beginnings.
pioneer work in clearing up ground for the improvement of the camp; but they also tell of basball games, of social times at the "Y" and of the never-failing joke whenever anything could possibly inspire one. As the correspondent says: "The boys want the folks back home to realize that there is a sun- ny side to the life of the soldier, that it is up to him to adapt himself to all conditions, and that he can do so if he desires." There are repeated testimonials as to the popularity of the officers of the battery and their conscientious sense of duty toward the men under them. Captain Woolford is spoken of as "one of the hardest working officers in the regiment," be- ing not only battery commander but also president of the Regimental Special Court and of the post exchange council, besides attending to other duties. Lieutenants H. H. Cope and John Driggs also came in for their share of apprecia- tion, but to the regret of all, the former was relieved from duty with Battery E on account of ill health.
As has been said Battery E was but partially made up of Jefferson County men and its solidarity as an home unit was still further impaired in May, 1918, when fifty-eight of its members were sent overseas to be used as replacement troops, and their places in camp taken by other men; so the hope of all remaining together throughout the service was at least partially frustrated.
On September 19th the regiment entrained from Camp Shelby in the midst of dismal rain, but hilarious as school boys at the prospect of at last getting into the big fight. The long trip from Mississippi to Camp Upton, Long Island, was a prolonged joy ride with debarkations and parades at the principal cities. At Upton they remained until October 6th, and on that date boarded the English transport, Cedric, for overseas.
By the time Battery E got across the war was nearly over and it did not get on the battle front. After remaining a few days 'at Camp Codford, in England, it was ordered to France, and for an account of its experiences there, we can
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Jefferson County in the World War.
not do better than quote from Correspondent Rogers:
"After crossing the channel," says Mr. Rogers, "we land- ed at Cherbourg, and after three days departed thence for we knew not where, riding aboard box cars. * * We traveled, or rather rambled and bumped eastward toward Paris, passing through Alencon, thence to Le Mans, Laval and Ploermal, at which latter place we staid for a couple of weeks. Then we took a long hike with heavy packs to Camp De Meucon where we were when the news of the armistice reached us *
"On November 30 the regiment began moving toward Brest, the port of embarkation, being again loaded into cattle cars. After arriving at Brest we stumbled about in the mud, rain and darkness till we finally found some barracks. *
"We were at the rest camp, so-called, for almost two weeks. Each day almost the whole battery was got out to help unload ships, work in the sawmill, or at anything that the camp commander wanted done.
"On December 13 we acted as guard of honor to President Wilson and party upon his arrival at Brest, and of course felt quite dignified about it. The next day we embarked upon the President's ship, the George Washington, and Sunday evening at 2:15 sailed out of the harbor of Brest for home."
The George Washington, according to Sergeant Hayden Bear, made dock at Hoboken on Christmas eve. Thence Bat- tery E., with the rest of its regiment, went to Camp Merritt, N. J., where it remained about two weeks, thence to Fort Ben- jamin Harrison, where the men were discharged January 16, 1919. The next day they reached Madison in a body and were given a joyful ovation, including a big chicken dinner at the armory ; and thus ended the history of our home company as a unit in the World War.
IV.
THE HOME GUARDS: COMPANY K. LIBERTY GUARDS. HANOVER STUDENT ARMY TRAINING CORPS.
On September 12, 1917, William Ogden, then acting chairman of the Council of Defense, called a meeting at the court house for the purpose of organizing a company of home guards for local militia service. Mr. Ogden, Capt. A. D. Van- osdol and Sheriff George Monroe were the committee having the movement in charge. The call was well responded to and at the meeting twenty-eight volunteers signed the following enlistment agreement:
"We, the undersigned residents of Jefferson County, in the State of Indiana, and not being subject to the selective conscription laws of the United States now in force because of our age or legal exemptions therefrom, do hereby enlist in, and become members of the Jefferson County Home Guard, in said county, and subject to service within the boundary of said county only, and not elsewhere, in defense of persons and property in said county, and the enforcement of law and order therein, subject to the call of the sheriff of this county, or other lawful authority for and within said county.
"We pledge ourselves to loyally support the government of the United States of America, and the State of Indiana and the lawfully constituted authorities thereof in all efforts to bring to a speedy and successful termination the present war against the German Empire and its allies.
"This the 12th day of September, 1917."
R. F. Stanton was chosen captain of the organization.
With further publicity the list of volunteers slowly in- creased in numbers and drilling was carried on at the arm- ory for about two months. The question of equipment for the company was a leading problem and Captain Stanton vis- ited the Attorney General's office to solicit aid toward such equipment but found that it could not be given. However, he was informed that the organization of ten State militia
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Jefferson County in the World War.
companies had been decided upon and it was suggested that Jefferson County form one of these. In that case a full equip- ment of rifles, ammunition, uniforms, etc., would be furnish- ed by the State. The difference between such a militia com- pany and the "Home Guards" was that the former would be subject to State-wide service and to State regulations. The local quota would be seventy-five men, and those under and over the draft age limits would be eligible to enlistment.
At a meeting in the high school building on November 16th, the change proposed was discussed and after some fur- ther agitation, Col. Charles A. Garrard, of the Adjutant- General's office, visited Madison, on November 28th, and mustered in the new company to take the place of the old one, with a roster of fifty-six men and R. F. Stanton as cap- tain. The company was assigned to the 2nd regiment, 3rd. battalion, Indiana State Militia, as Company K., other com- panies in the battalion being from Shelbyville, Lebanon and Anderson.
September 1, 1918, Lieutenant Frank J. Pritchard was promoted to the captaincy, R. F. Stanton resigning, and on November 10th, Melvin W. Blackard was commissioned 2nd lieutenant to fill the vacancy caused by Lieutenant Yunker entering the regular army. After Mr. Yunker's return home he was commissioned first lieutenant of the home company.
October 16, 1919, Captain Pritchard with Company K was ordered to report to Adjutant General Harry B. Smith at Indiana Harbor, Ind., for duty during the steel strike at that place, and they were in service there seventeen days.
April 22, 1920 Company K was mustered out of service by Major Earl McKee, a member of the staff of Adjutant- General Harry B. Smith. In dismissing the men, Major McKee complimented them on their patriotic service and ad- vocated the organization of a new Madison company as a unit in the National Guard system that will replace the State Militia.
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Military Beginning
THE LIBERTY GUARDS.
The Liberty Guards company, of Middlefork, Jefferson County, was an organization formed in response to a procla- mation by Governor Goodrich calling into State militia service men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years. This was classed as the "sedentary militia," and was to serve as a home guard. The service was voluntary and the prelim- inary step toward a local organization was a petition signed by not less than fifty citizens of the community stating their desire to form a unit of the Liberty Guard, with assurance that such unit would maintain an interest in the work for the period of the war.
The Middlefork neighborhood was, we believe, the only one in this county to take steps conformable to the governor's. appeal and on February 9, 1919, the recruits assembled at the Middlefork church for the purpose of organization and physi- cal examination.
The officers chosen were: John Smith, captain; Ed Wil- son, first lieutenant; Ralph E. Craig, second lieutenant.
The physical examination, conducted by Dr. Vincent Shepherd and Dr. J. F. Lewis, eliminated some of the appli- cants, but we are told that "54 came through all right."
HANOVER S. A. T. C.
Reference has already been made to military organiza- tion in the student body of Hanover College very soon after the declaration of war. At our solicitation, Dr. W. A. Millis, president of the college, has submitted the following suc- cinct statement which puts in a nutshell the part the school played in the program for preparedness.
"The plans for the 1919 campaign, then thought by the military authorities as necessary to the winning of the war, revealed a shortage of 150,000 line officers. The results se- cured by the intensive training of college men had been so satisfactory that the War Department turned again to the colleges and universities for this complement of officer can-
-
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THE
Jefferson County in the World War.
didates. Standard colleges willing to serve their country in this emergency and possessing the necessary facilities were selected and reorganized to give an intensive training prelim- inary to the regular officers training in the camps. Only volunteer soldiers qualified for college entrance were accept- ed. As rapidly as these men demonstrated the possession of proper academic and personal qualifications they were to be transferred to the camp schools.
"Hanover College promptly accepted the call to service and entered into contract with the Government for the hous- ing, subsistence and instruction of soldiers. October first, 1918. the Hanover Unit of S. A. T. C. was formally estab- lished under command of Lieut. Henry E. Dodd, with Presi- dent W. A. Millis as director of academic activities, and Dr. S. A. Whitsitt as medical officer. One hundred twenty-five soldiers were admitted to the "unit." The men were discharg- ed December 21, following the signing of the armistice, and by mutual agreement and satisfactory adjustment of costs by the Government the contract between the College and the Armory was annulled.
"The enterprise was pronounced eminently successful by the military inspectors, and if the war had continued a large percentage of the men would have been accepted as of- ficers."
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V. WORK OF THE DRAFT BOARD.
The conscription law making all male citizens of the United States between the ages of 21 and 31 subject to the call for military duty, passed Congress May 18, 1917. This opened the way to a tremendous task-the biggest of the kind that America had ever attempted. Not only did it mean a complete registration of the millions of men throughout the country between the ages specified, but there had to be a vast separating and classifying process-first the separation of the physically fit from the unfit and then the classing of the fit in accordance with an elaborate scheme that aimed at the greatest possible military efficiency. For every actual fighting man on the firing line at least two or three men were required in other capacities and the plan was to select accordingly. Some men, by reason of the necessity of their vocations, were more useful at home than in the field and there were various grounds for exemption.
The machinery essential to the accomplishment of this work was local registration and draft boards acting in con- junction with and under the instructions of the State and Federal authorities. In Indiana Governor Goodrich took steps toward organization as early as April 28th, three weeks before Congress passed the law, by appointing commission- ers of three in each county to take charge of the arrange- ments for registration. These commissions were to consist of the clerk of the court, the sheriff and a third citizen of prominence. The three in Jefferson County were. County Clerk Edward M. Prenatt, Sheriff George Monroe and ex- Representative Hiram Foster, and they on May 2nd, an- nounced their selections of registrars for the various pre- cincts in the county. The list was:
City of Madison:
First ward-Precincts: 1, George T. Mayfield; 2, Robert E. Manville; 3, Nicholas Robinus.
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Jefferson County In the World War,
Second ward-Precincts: 1, George H. Simpson; 2, How- ard W. Graham; 3, William Ogden.
Third ward-Precincts: 1, Simeon E. Leland; 2, Joseph F. McKenna; 3, John F. Hammell.
Graham Township-Precincts: 1, Middleton Robertson ; 2, Frank P. Wilson.
Hanover Township-Precincts: 1, Glenn Culbertson; 2, Henry M. Lee.
Lancaster Township -- Precincts: 1, John L. Hammond; 2, Green B .Giltner.
Madison Township-Precincts: 1, Robert H. Wood; 2, George E. Sherlock; 3, William T. Seburn; 4, Samuel Wal- lace ; 5, James Cornwall.
Milton Township-Precincts : 1, Evan Miller ; 2, Albert E. Rogers; 3, W. W. Lane.
Monroe Township-Precincts: 1, W. L. Denny ; 2, Avery Jordan.
Republican Township-William Kloepfer.
Saluda Township-Precincts 1, Daniel S. Mills; 2, Dr. R. A. J. McKeand.
Shelby Township-Precincts: 1, John F. Todd; 2, Lucius T. Lee.
Smyrna Township-James W. Banta.
It should be said that although provision had been made for salaries for registrars those in Indiana contributed their services as a patriotic duty. It was estimated that if this volunteer work done in Jefferson County had been paid for, it would have cost at least five hundred dollars.
June 5, 1917, was the first registration day. It was rather anticipated that there would be some trouble owing to opposition to conscription, but the day passed off pretty much as an ordinary election does, the registrations being taken at the thirty-one voting precincts of the county. But few failed to obey the law. The figures of the Provost Marshal General Crowder to the Secretary of War show that the total
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The Draft Board.
number of registrants in our county was 1,299. Subsequent figures increased this to 1,306. Our gross quota under the first call was 171, but we were credited with 77 volunteer en- listments, thus leaving but 94 subject to the draft.
The next step to be taken was the elimination of the un- fit and those otherwise entitled to exemption from those not exempt, through the agency of a local draft exemption board, appointed by Federal authority. Our local board first consisted of Dr. H. S. Hatch, Dr. O. A. Turner and Mr. George W. Miles, but afterwards County Clerk Edward M. Prenatt took the place of Mr. Miles. Dr. Hatch was president.
The task of this board was by no means a light one, in- volving as it did the physical examination of hundreds of men, the passing on claims for exemption, the compiling of data and the keeping pace with innumerable new rulings from headquarters touching the minutiae of the business. The tabulated results of their work following this first registra- tion are of interest. They called for examination 518 men, of whom only 12 failed to appear; 311 were accepted as physically fit and 195 were rejected. Exemption was claim- ed by 225 and 186 of these were allowed, leaving 125 to be certified to the district board as eligible for military service. This 125 as a military residuum out of 518 after the elimin- ations, will give an idea of the sifting process that went with the selective draft.
Other figures show that out of 518, all but two were na- tive citizens, and of the 1,299 registered 682 were married and 617 single. . The total cost of this draft varied in differ- ent State, the average being $4.93 for each man that was certified for service by the local boards. The cost in Indi- ana was $3.57 per man. This cost increased with the exten sion of the selective draft and by October 1, 1918, it amount- ed to $5.84 in Indiana with $7.90 for an average of all the oth- er States.
In 1918 three other registrations were taken, the dates
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Jefferson County in the World War.
being June 5, August 24 and September 12. The first two were for getting those who had reached the age of 21 since June 5, 1917. The third, in accordance with an enlarged pro- gram and an increased demand for man power, conformed to a new law which included in the draft men between 18 and 21 { and between 32 and 45. The June and August total was only 150, but the extension of the age limits added 2,054, making 3,516 for the county's grand total.
At the end of the first month the board was commend- ed for the efficiency of its service. There had been examined 482 men, but this and the attendant clerical work took prac- tically all the time of the two physicians and clerk, besides that of an assistant, Mrs. Clara Bear. Later the work was lightened by a change of method which reduced the num- ber of registrants to be examined by first sending out ques- tionnaires to them, the answers to these questionnaires, when returned, showing a certain percentage whom it was not necessary to call for examination at all. This but partially simplified the problem, however, for so many of the regis- trants were puzzled by the questionnaires that the board at times was swamped by seekers after information.
As the civilian population honored the county's volun- teer body, Company I, by various demonstrations, as here- tofore mentioned, so did it rally to show its appreciation of the drafted men and of the important task that lay ahead of them. Acting on a suggestion from the State Council of De- fense arrangements were made for a great patriotic meeting to be held at Neavill's Grove, a picnicing spot, near Volga, at the approximate center of the county. To show their good will toward the country people, who were the promoters of the rally, as well as towards the soldiers, forty-nine of the leading business firms of Madison publicly announced their intentions of helping in every way possible to make the af- fair a success. The demonstration came off September 5th, with Dr. George B. Grosse, president of DePauw University,
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The Council of Defense.
as the chief speaker, and with an attendance of perhaps three thousand people, six or eight hundred of whom were from Madison.
This was in the nature of a general compliment to the draftees, about the time the first ones were called, but there- after their induction by small groups from time to time mili- tated against further demonstrations except in the form of farewells and dances tendered by personal friends of the men.
ENTRAINMENTS.
The first drafted men to enter military service from Jefferson County were William Levi Tilford, Howard Lock- ridge and Joseph Skidmore, who left Madison September 6, 1917, entrained for Camp Taylor. These were followed in a day or so by Rayburn Young, of North Madison, and Floyd Mouser.
Between September 20, 1917 and October 15, 1918, ap- proximately thirty-five quotas were entrained from Madison, these quotas running in number from a single man to groups of thirty or forty. The majority of them went to Camp Tay- lor, but some were scattered over the country to various camps and training schools.
Practically all of these men were photographed, when they entrained, by Mr. Louis Cohen, who by virtue of his act- ive interest in this work was appointed official photographer of the county. To Mr. Cohen, before as well as after this ap- pointment, the county is indebted for a pictorial record of our soldiers and of war-time scenes in Madison. The collec- tion consists of more than fifty pictures, a complete set of which is preserved by the Historical Commission. The names of the men entrained and dates of entrainment are preserv- ed by the county historical society:
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23.
VI
THE COUNCIL OF DEFENSE.
To convey an idea of the function of the County Council of Defense and its relations to the larger system, we repro- duce in full a communication from the State Council of De- fense to Judge F. M. Griffith, of the Jefferson County Circuit Court. It read:
"State Council of Defense, May 28, 1917.
"Dear Judge:
"No doubt you are advised of the organization, under the direction of the Federal Government, of the State Coun- cil of Defense, operating in connection with the National Council of Defense. In line with the Department's wishes the Governor has organized such a State Council of Defense for Indiana, which has opened headquarters in the State House and is preparing to do such services as is possible for it to perform until the close of the war.
"In line with the Government's wishes and the sugges- tions of the National Council of Defense and the War De- partment, steps were taken Friday to organize county coun- cils of defense. To that end a resolution was passed that the judges of the Circuit Courts be requested to name seven per- sons in each county in his circuit. A copy of the resolution passed by the State Council of Defense is enclosed. We will appreciate very much if you will read this carefully and act accordingly, and as soon as the council has been appointed by you, will see that the name of the chairman is sent to us.
"The purpose of the State Council of Defense, in brief, is to co-operate with the Federal Government in organizing and directing the resources of the State in men and mater- ials to make them effective for National use.
"The government is going about this matter in a very careful and comprehensive manner. They are very anxious that the States co-operate by the organization of the State
The Council of Defense.
Councils. Necessarily, and because it is a national matter, the Secretary of War suggests, of course, that the general direction of the whole matter will be in Washington, but he says that the strength of their organization will depend upon the efficiency with which the organization of the several States and smaller political divisions is carried out. He says : that while they can make no forecast as to the length of the war, every consideration of intelligence and prudence directs us to enter it as though it were going to be long and to equip ourselves to do our task from the very beginning in the larg- est and most effective way; that this means the mobilization of the energy and strength of the country in an industrial as well as a military way, and to preserve, as far as possible, the country from unnecessary dislocations of its industrial, commercial, agricultural and community life; that the max- imum of co-operation is the essential measure of the efficien- cy of the whole matter.
"We will very much appreciate your co-operation in this matter."
More specifically the function of the County Council of Defense as a part of a nation-wide system, was to impose upon the people of its county whatever measures were deemed necessary to war efficiency. "Win the War" was the national slogan, and the civilian contribution to that end needed di- rection under authority. Duly invested with such authority the local council, acting in close cooperation (in this county, at least) with the food and fuel administrators, concerned it- self with the production and conservation of food stuffs, with the fuel situation, with cases of disloyalty, and, in short, with whatever might help or hinder in the great task before the country.
Pursuant to the appeal from the State Council, Judge Griffith appointed as members of a county council H. O. Woolford, chairman; Mrs. M. C. Garber, Nicholas Robinus and J. R. Inglis. all of Madison; James T. Green, of North Madison ; Russell Fewell, of Hanover Township, and John J.
Jefferson County in the World War.
Denny, of Monroe Township. Subsequently Mr. Woolford re- signed on account of military activities, and was succeeded by William Ogden, who continued as chairman until the coun- cil was officially mustered out of service by the governor of the State.
Owing, perhaps, to the fact that the whole scheme was too much of an innovation to easily get under way, the coun- ty councils generally seem not to have made much of a show- ing until further stimulus was applied. On July 14th, 1917, Prof. W. O. Mills, of Purdue University, representing the food committee of the State Council of Defense, came to Jeffer- son County and attempted to perfect the organization and to get it into working shape, and the following September the national council sent out speakers to stir up the local coun- cil and the people. Madison was visited September 26th by three of these representatives-R. W. Jinnett, C. C. Whitlock and A. R. Sills, Jr. The burden of their addresses was, the seriousness of the situation, the part that the civil popula- tion would have to take in the world war, and the pressing need for the conservation and production of food stuffs.
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