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 6
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In these nation-wide conditions the extremes are not found in a quiet section like Jefferson County, but the eddies of the swirling waters reach here and one need not an abroad to find, at least in the milder forms, the evils of a society thrown out of equilibrium.
XI. ADDITIONAL MATTER.
VICTORY CELEBRATIONS.
When the news came of the signing of the armistice, November 11, 1918, a spirit of jubilation took possession of the people. In Madison the Council of Defense chairman, William Ogden, proceeded at once to make arrangements for a big victory parade. Manufacturers and merchants were isked to arrange floats, and fraternal organizations to turn out in full regalia. Company K was called together by Cap- tain Stanton to head the parade, the Elks band supplement-
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ed by the various drum corps were pressed into service, and the outlying townships were notified to attend the coming event. The program went off as per schedule that evening with everybody in town and much of the countryside pres- ent, flying flags innumerable and every kind of noise-making device that could be procured, lending animation to the event.
Dupont, not to be outdone by Madison, staged its own demonstration. All business ceased at noon and the after- noon was given over to hilarious celebration, parading the town to the melody of a "saw-mill band," consisting of two circular saws and four men beating them with hammers. Blending with this in unique orchestration were the inter- mingled contributions of drums, horns, bells, horse fiddles and sundry other suggestions of Bedlam. Says the news- paper account: "Those who could not play ( ?) an instrument sang, and those who could not sing made a joyful noise by yelling."
And thus ended in an orgy of joy what the people con- sidered their direct participation in the World War; the joy being the measure of their relief from' an incubus that had weighed increasingly upon them for the better part of two years.
A NOTABLE SOLDIER-CAPTAIN SAMUEL WOODFILL.
The most notable Jefferson County soldier, as measured by his recorded performances, was Capt. Samuel Woodfill, a native of Monroe Township and a regular army veteran. Prior to the World War he served in the far west, on the Mexican border, in Alaska and in the Philippines. In the European war he was several times cited for conspicuous bravery and at least four medals were conferred upon him by the United States and by the French government, the latter bestowing the Croix de Guerre and the Cross. of the Legion of Honor. The United States government conferred the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Medal.
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The official citation upon which the Congressional. Med- al of Honor was conferred was as follows:
"At Cunel, France, October 12, 1918, while Lieutenant Woodfill was leading his company against the enemy his line came under heavy machine gun fire, which threatened to hold up the advance.
"Followed by two soldiers at twenty-five yards this offic- er went out ahead of his first line toward a machine gun nest and worked his way around its flank, leaving the two soldiers in front. When he got within ten yards of the gun it ceased firing and four of the enemy appeared, three of whom were shot by Lieutenant Woodfill.
"The fourth, an officer, rushed at Lieutenant Woodfill, who attempted to club the officer with his rifle. After a hand-to-hand struggle Lieutenant Woodfill killed the officer with his pistol. His company thereupon continued to ad- vance until shortly afterward another machine gun nect was encountered.
"Calling upon his men to follow, Lieutenant Woodfill rushed ahead of his line in the face of heavy fire from the nest, and when several of the enemy appeared above the nest he shot them, capturing three other members of the crew and silencing the gun.
"A few minutes later this officer for a third time demon- strated conspicuous daring by charging another machine gun pit with his rifle. He then drew his revolver and started to jump into the pit when two other gunners only a few yards away turned their gun on him.
"Failing to kill them with his revolver he grabbed a pick lying near by and killed both of them. Inspired by the exceptional courage displayed by this officer his men pressed on to their objective under severe shell and machine gun fine."
When asked by an interviewer how he was able to over- come so many opponents unaided, Captain Woodfill replied: "By markmanship and knowledge of woodcraft. I have
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been an expert rifleman, since 1906 and have hunted all kinds of big game in Alaska. I used the same tactics upon the Germans I employed in hunting wild animals in Alaska."
. A fuller sketch of Captain Woodfill may be found in the Madison Courier for August 4, 1919.
GEORGE H. SIMPSON CITED FOR BRAVERY.
For extraordinary courage and initiative Captain George H. Simpson, a son of Jefferson County, received this honor:
"Headquarters 35th Division, A. E. F., 17th October 1918. "General orders No. 83.
"The division commander takes great pleasure in citing in general orders the courage and devotion to duty, in the face of the enemy, of the following named officers and enlist- ed men of this division.
* * First Lieutenant George H. Simpson, adjutant, first battalion, 140th infantry, for courage and devotion to duty during the six days battle from September 26th to Octo- hor 1st. 1918. On the morning of September 29th, Lieuten- ant Simpson voluntarily gathered together and took com- mand of a disorganized platoon and resolutely pushed for- ward in the attack on Exermont, assisted in its capture and aided in the consolidation of the position west of that town, which ansition sind hold until the order to retire was given. This advance was made under heavy artillery and machine gun fire and required great courage and resolution to cause a forward movement.
"By command of Major General Traub."
"H. S. HAWKINS."
HERMAN BOWMAN AND THE SECOND DIVISION.
In a letter from France dated October 17, 1918, Herman Bowman, of the 97th Company, 6th Regular U. S. Marines, A. E. F., inserts this modest and incidental paragraph :
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"I send a copy of the last citation we received. I have nothing else to write and that will help fill the envelope, and you might be interested in reading a military citation."
Here is the citation :
"Headquarters Second Div., Regular A. E. F., Oct. 17, 1918 "Officers and men of the Second Division:
"It is beyond Iny power of expression to describe fitly my admiration for your heroism. You attacked magnificent- ly and you seized Blanc Mont Ridge, the keystone of the arch constituting the enemy's positions.
"You advanced beyond the ridge breaking the enemy's lines, and you held the ground gained with a tenacity which is unsurpassed in the annals of war.
"As a direct result of your victory, the German armies east and west of Rheims are in full retreat, and by drawing on yourselves several divisions from other parts of the front you greatly assisted the victorious advance of the allied armies between Cambrai and St. Quentin.
"Your heroism, and the heroism of the comrades who died on the battlefield, will live in history forever and will be imitated by the young men of our country for generations to come.
"To be able to say when this war is finished, 'I belong to the second division; I fought with it at the battle of Blanc Mont Ridge,' will be the highest honor that can come to any man.
"JOHN A. LAJEUNE,
"Major-general, U. S. M. C. Commanding."
"FIRST MEN."
Lieutenant John L. Niesse, of Madison, was, it is believ- ed, the first commissioned officer to be sent overseas from the first officers' training camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison. This was in September, 1917.
Walter Carl Mundt was probably the very first Jeffer- son County man to be called into service after our entrance
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into the war. Mr. Mundt had enlisted in the navy in 1915 and was home, subject to recall. War was declared April 6 and he was recalled April 8, leaving Madison on that date. He was sent to the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was assign- ed to the battleship Vermont.
WOMEN IN THE SERVICE.
Miss Rachel E. Hoffstadt, of Madison, a graduate from Hanover College and the University of Chicago, was among the first women to enter the U. S. service. At Base Hospital, Camp Sevier, S. C., she was for seven months head bacteriol- ogist in the laboratory, and also taught chemistry and bac- teriology to nurses at the Army Nurses' School. She en- tered the service June 14, 1918, and was'honorably discharg- ed February 7, 1919.
Miss Mary A. Shipman, one of whose letters from abroad we publish elsewhere, went with Base Hospital No. 25 to France in July, 1918, and served there as a nurse until July 1919. Miss Shipman was a graduate of Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, and first went into Red Cross service on the Mex- ican border in February of 1917. After that she was chief nurse at Fort Thomas, Ky., then went to Camp Dix, N. J., where she was trained for foreign service. In France she was attached to Base Hospital 25 but also did detached service in hospitals 26 and 91.
THE D. A. R. AND WAR WORK.
The John Paul Chapter of the D. A. R. seems to have been the first organized group in Jefferson County to actively engage in war work. It knitted, sewed and raised money be- fore the Red Cross was in the local field, making surgical supplies as early as January 1917, and after the Red Cross chapter was formed much work done by or in the name of the D. A. R. was merged with it. A report to the national society, covering the period from April 22, 1917, to April 1, 1918, submitted by Miss Caroline Blankinship, regent, pre- sents the following statement:
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For the army, through Red Cross-number of knitted garments, 245; comfort bags, 10; scrap books, 20; "comfort fund," Company I and navy, $39.50; Indiana D. A. R. ambu- lance, $69.70; knitted garments for individual soldiers, 8.
For the Navy (Battleship "Indiana") -Knitted gar- ments 60; comfort bags 1.
Y. M. C. A., $55.00; Y. W. C. A., $37.00.
For France-Support of French orphans. 15 members contributing; large Christmas box of clothing and toys for French orphans; amount contributed to Tilloloy, $41.
To Third liberty loan, $10; chocolate for soldiers, $5.
VOLUNTEER DENTAL SERVICE.
A group of men whose service's should not be overlooked was the Jefferson County Dental Association. As part of the national organization, "The Preparedness League of Ameri- can Dentists," our county association was appealed to for free service in "making conscripted men dentally fit." A letter from Dr. C. D. Lucas, director for Indiana, to Dr. J. J. Rapp, district chairman, included these instructions :
"Find out how many dentists in your district will agree to work at least one-half day each week in this service. Di- vide the number of conscripted men by the number of den- tists who have volunteered their services for this worthy cause to find out how many conscripts each dentist will have lo take care of. After you find out the number of conscripts each dentist will have to take care of you should address cards to the conscripts ordering them to go directly to the dentists whom you have appointed to make the examination and do the work for them at the time you will indicate unon the card. * * It will necessarily require some of your time to take care of this work, but I feel sure you will not hesitate to volunteer that time for this cause."
The response to the appeal for this service was more liberal than asked for, work being given freely, and in excess of the half-day per week until the camps were equipped with
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adequate dental outfits. The conscripts were about evenly divided between seven dentists, namely: Drs. J. J. Rapp, W. A. Hanna, H. P. McKeand, P. N. Kestner, G. N. Wyman, E. B. Fewell and W. Fewell. A letter of appreciation from Dr. Lucas paid this compliment :
"If the fellows all over the State would come across like you fellows did in Madison, I feel sure that the new National army would be physically fit. So far as I can see you have carried your work out to a complete success."
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COMPANY I.
The making of writing kits for the men of Company I was a task executed by the pupils of the Junior High School, under the direction of Mrs. Florence Wooten, the public school art instructor. The idea was suggested to Mrs. Woot- en when visiting "Camp Madison" by the spectacle of sol- diers trying to write letters with almost no facilities for doing so: the pupils of the school mentioned took it up with a will and the result was a neat portfolio for each man, made by the nunils, conveniently equipped with writing material and let- tried with the name of the recipient. These portfolios did service in camp and abroad. This labor of love on the part of the children naved the way for subsequent interest in the Junior Red Cross.
ADDITIONAL RED CROSS MATTER.
The money results of the Red Cross drives were as fol- lows: First, $3,500; second, $7,000; third, $16,000.
In February 1917, the Madison Lodge B. P. O. Elks offer- ed their home for a Red Cross shop, and it was continuously used for that purpose until after the end of the war. The Elks donated the use of the second floor. By June 1917 the quarters became too confined for all the work and after that the surgical dressing department occupied the sewing room in the present Junior High School building. After the opening of the city schools, the work in preparing dressings was
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done at the Eggleston School where a storage room was also donated, still filled with the supplies used by the public health nurse. Mr. Charles Cravens donated the electric cutting machine to the Red Cross.
To the list, on page 10, of those who raised a fund for Company I when that organization left Madison, should be added the Red Cross, which contributed $34.50.
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XII. SOLDIERS' LETTERS.
'to some it may seem that this war history of Jefferson County is a civman rather than a military history. If so it should be borne in mind that, as stated in the beginning, the civilian contribution to the war was of quite new importance as compared with wars of the past. Again, it is possible to trace the civilian history while to follow the movements and fortunes of those who went into military service with any- thing like coherence and accuracy is not possible. Of our soldiers only one group-Company I, afterwards Battery E- left here as an organized unit that might be trailed as such. All the others were entrained in squads from day to day, go- ing to various camps, the individuals to be distributed among many units. They were engulfed as in the waters of a mighty ocean, and the only evidences of their individual ex- istence until they returned home are the private letters to their families that found their way into the Madison news- papers from time to time. To the editors of both these pap- ers much credit is due for soliciting personal letters and put- ting them into print, and also to Mr. John R. Inglis, who stimulated correspondence with the soldiers in camp and field by securing and compiling a list of their addresses which he kept for public reference at his drug store, at the same time urging friends not to be negligent about writing letters. Mr. Inglis himself made it his business to drop friendly greetings to the boys, and some of the letters here quoted from were in response to his interest.
Of the half-thousand or more young men who entered the service directly from Jefferson County the great major- ity, it is safe to say, had known at first-hand only the quiet rural or semi-rural life of southern Indiana, and their disper- sion to camps throughout the country, to England, to France and to ships in the navy, and their introduction to not only military training and the battle-front but to industries of
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Jefferson County in the World War.
many kinds opened up a great field of experience that, gen- erally speaking, seemed to be relished to the full.
It has been affirmed by some observers that this was not a popular war-that the conscription and coercive service, the discipline and the petty tyrannies of small officers left the rank and file more or less embittered and with a decided disrelish for the whole business.
The letters before us, to the number of two hundred or more, do not bear this out. Complaints and criticisms, doubt- less, would not have got past the censor, but there is little evidence of dissatisfaction or down-heartedness. On the con- trary there is a prevailing cheerfulness and a zestfulness in the great adventure, even in the midst of hardships and dreary camp routine. Read in a mass as a composite record they reveal the spirit of the men and the various educative and stimulating effects wrought by the demands upon them.
It is regrettable that more of them could not be included here and that we are obliged to husband space by present- ing only fragmentary excerpts. The aim is to preserve all that are available in full, in the archives of the county his- torical society.
LETTERS FROM CAMP.
HAROLD MORROW.
The following from Harold Morrow when at Camp Baker, down on the Mexican border is so typical of the earlier camp letters that we reprint it in full.
"Dear Mother and Father: This is the first time I have had time to write since my last letter. We were in Head Springs for about four weeks and it rained every day we were there and some days it rained all day. We lived in small pup tents, not large enough for one to stand up in. I will send you some pictures that were taken on our hike as soon as I can get some printed.
"Our hike back from Head Springs was very much enjoy-
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Soldiers' Letters.
ed by everybody. The boys were all singing and so happy to get out of the rain, mud and hard work. The first day we traveled to Mouscoulero, a small Indian settlement just at the edge of the Indian reservation there in the mountains. Af- ter reaching there we pitched camp, attended to our horses and went up in the town. A lot of boys who had cameras took some pictures of the Indian tents, or tepees as they call them. There was no show there and no place to go so we returned early to our bunks, which consisted of our blankets and the hard ground. This was our bunk for seven days.
"The first call was sounded at 4:30. We had chow and were on the road at six. We traveled 32 miles to a small town, Tularosa. The people there were Mexicans. I stayed up in the town rather late that night getting a hair-cut and shave and I also got an ice cream soda, the first I had had for six weeks. I retired and was awakened rather early the next morning by the sound of the bugle. The trip we made that day was to La Las, forty miles from Tularosa and quite a hike for one day, but we had to make it on account of getting water for the horses. There was nothing there but a store and railroad station. A train went through about 9:45 so we stayed up to talk to the passengers who were awake. Then we went to our pup tents and it rained about two o'clock that night, one of the hardest rains I have ever been in. All our equipment was soaked and the next morning we had quite a time to get things in place to move out. It was a short hike to Alamozota. This is a place about the size of Madison and the people there gave a dance for us.
"Monday we pulled out for Alamo and the girl was there to bid us goodbye. She gave me some fine sandwiches and they sure went fine out on the white sand. We traveled to Salt Wells and they are only 38 miles from Alamozota. There was nothing there but a ranch house so we did all the sleep- ing we could to make up for the night before.
"Tuesday we had stew for breakfast and a small sand-
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wich for dinner. That day we traveled 42 miles, the longest day's hike of the trip, so you can guess we went for the beans when we got them for supper. We camped at Twin Mills and Wednesday we headed for Toban, 18 miles from Camp Baker. Thursday we rolled into the old camp bright and early and after attending to the horses we were at liberty for the day. ,The first thing was to go to my locker and get some clean clothes, take a bath and I sure did sleep some that afternoon. Supper and chow woke me up and supper that night was fine. Today, Sunday, we had turkey, ice cream, corn on the cob and other good things, so you can see we are getting back to real life agoin.
"Good-bye, with love,
"HAROLD."
ROBERT L. KING.
From Camp Cody, N. M., Corporal King writes thus:
"Since coming here have been assigned to a machine gun company. We drill here in squads. There are right men to a squad, including the corporal. I have been acting as corporal ever since I landed here. Every corporal has to give the commands for his squad; that is not a very easy thing for me to do but even at that I like it.
"We are being taught now how to kill the Germans and we sure ought to get some of them with these machine guns, for they shoot 600 times a minute. It takes two men to feed in the bullets. We are not supposed to get in the trenches with the infantry but slightly to the rear, for we shoot over the infantry's heads. We are stationed at both ends of the trenches.
"I don't think I could have gotten into any part of the army that I would have liked better than this. We do not have rifles but will have a pistol and large knife to defend ourselves in hand to hand fighting.
"There are thirty thousand soldiers here and only a few of them have guns, the rest have clubs, which they use
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to kill jack rabbits. When the boys are off duty they form a large circle and make a drive for jack rabbits. They get as many as forty and fifty at a time, and it sure is lots of fun.
"We are well taken care of in this camp, there is no need to worry about me for I never had such an appetite as I have now, and they sure do feed us well and it all tastes good and plenty of it.
"For supper we had roast beef, sweet potatoes, gravy, rice pudding, prunes, blackberry jam, bread and cocoa. Sometimes we have oyster soup and cranberry sauce and sometimes more than this to eat. No one needs to go hun- gry. I never expected to get such meals in the army.
"As I know of nothing more to write you this time will close and hope to receive some mail from you soon.
"As ever your son, "ROBERT."
CORPORAL HERMAN E. BOWMAN.
Corporal Bowman of the 97th Co., 6th Regt., stationed at Quantico, Va., writes under date of October 11, 1917: "Dear Folks :-
"Received your letter all O. K. We are still here at the same old place. Expected to leave before this, but some- thing turned up and our departure was delayed, but we ex- pect to leave in a few days.
"You wished to know about my officers. Well, we have several and it would take some time to write about them. 1 faut lieutenants. Our senior can- tain's name is Voeth. He is an old marine captain, and our junior captain's name is Mucleston. He is a new man. My platoon commander's name is Skeldon. They are all fine fellows.
"As for the bomb throwing, I like it very well. Went to Baltimore last week. Had a fine time. You wrote in your letter about the boys overstaying liberty. We have a little trouble with that, but not much. The penalty is very severe,
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If we over-stay one hour we are liable to from 3 to 10 years' hard labor.
"Had presentation of colors yesterday, both national and regimental.
"We were out hiking several times lately, marching 12 miles, with 68 pounds on our back. It is not what I call play. Had a sham battle after we got out in the country. We won the fight without losing a man. At least that is what the major said. 1
"We are practicing charging trenches in waves. The first wave is composed of bombers and bayonet men in the front, and the machine guns and riflemen following about 30 yards behind. The fun of it is that the movements are all made at double time, and an hour of that kind of drill over brush heaps, logs and trenches, as well, the commander doesn't have to tell us to fall out and rest but once. We hear him the first time.
"Well, I guess that is about all, except we have Swedish exercises every morning. There are about a thousand dif- ferent moves and we have to go through all of them. John and I are both feeling fine. Will leave here next week if nothing happens.
"As ever, CORPORAL HERMAN E. BOWMAN, "97th Co., 6th Reg."
CHARLES C. TANDY.
Initiation into the use of the gas mask is thus described by Private Tandy :
"Well, we had our gas lessons last week and are done with it now. A gas mask is a funny looking thing. We had to carry them with us all the time for a week. Some officers from the artillery gave us our lessons and we had to take them out of the bag and put them on in six seconds. They took us over to the gas house and turned the gas on. Some of the boys were pretty badly scared and one fellow fainted before he got inside.
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