USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Metropolitan Boston; a modern history; Volume III > Part 4
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The Civilians-The civilians' share in the preparations for, and the successful carrying on of America's part in the World War was a tre- mendously important one and involved an unprecedented number of the citizens. As said Secretary Baker, "This isn't a one man's war, or several
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men's war, or an army's war, but it is a war of all the people of the United States." Every one was involved, even the children had to bear their burden. Enormous amounts of food had to be raised ; unimagined amounts of supplies of all sorts had to be manufactured; and all had to be accumulated, distributed and the bulk of it sent across three thousand miles of water. Pershing contemplated having 100 divisions in France by 1919; and this would require auxiliaries of possibly 8,000,000 men in America to sustain and supply this great combat force. That the war ended earlier than was expected, did not change the fact that until it did, all plans had been made and were being carried out on the basis of an army and navy, at home and abroad, of between four and five million mnen.
Organizing For War-Various organizations were instituted for the furtherance of the enlarged program. The Council of National Defense had been created on August 29, 1916. Soon after the entrance into war, much of the work of the Council was given over to six other war agencies. The first was the War Industries Board, July 8, 1917, whose task it was to bring together the industries of the United States so that the materials for the war might be produced in sufficient quantities. The United States Shipping Board was established in September, 1916, to construct, lease or buy vessels, and to operate them. Before the end, the Board had taken over complete control of the overseas shipping. The Emergency Fleet Corporation was formed to find and operate ships. As early as December 1, 1917, it was supervising the construction of 1,118 vessels ; it trained officers and sailors, enlarged port facilities, and requisitioned ships. The diminishing food supplies of the world demanded the closest of attention that they should not fail. Herbert C. Hoover was made chief of the Food Administration, and it will be many years before his skill in the utilization of all food supplies to the best advantage, will be forgotten. This body established the Grain Corporation, the Fuel Administration and other organizations in the furtherance of its work. On October 12, 1917, the War Trade Board was set up to control exports, imports and trading with the enemy. Then there was the Railroads' War Board for the purpose of supplying the greatest amount of trans- portation possible. When it failed of its purpose, on December 26, 1917, the President took possession of the railroad systems of the country, and appointed William G. McAdoo as Director General. There were also the National War Labor Board, the National Labor Policies Board, and many others. America's capacity for organization was tried and tested, and did not fail even in the face of unprecedented difficulties.
War Financing-The story of the financial side of the war has never been told, and never can be in its entirety, for it involves so much, has
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so many phases, that only a bit here and there have come to light. "The direct money cost from April, 1917, to April, 1919, was estimated by the War Department at $21,850,000,000, an overage of over a million dollars an hour, and an amount sufficient to have carried on the Revolutionary War for a thousand years." In addition, loans were extended to the Allies at the rate of nearly "half a million dollars an hour." These huge amounts were raised in part by increased taxes; the income tax for example, or the levies made on the profits of corporations, or amuse- ment and luxury taxes, and higher postal rates. The sale of War Sav- ings Stamps helped some, but these helped to encourage thrift more than they aided the government. Most of the vast sums expended were raised by loans,-five Liberty Loans being the principal source. The first of these called for two billions of dollars; the fourth for six billions. There were four and a half million subscribers to the first loan; for the fourth, 21,000,000 people subscribed. How the enormous amounts were raised is still a puzzle to the folk of this generation.
The A. E. F. to the Fore-How the activities of the civilian popula- tion made possible the modernization of America's military machine, and sent abroad a force which was the deciding factor in ending the war victoriously, is too lengthy for relation. Nor shall there be an attempt to tell the story of the military operations of the A. E. F. The Germans made their last great thrust on the Champagne front on July 15, 1918. The American Army was almost ready, and parts of it were used in the counter attack near Soissons, which was the turning point of the war. Henceforth the Teutons were to be slowly driven from their positions ; and more and more were American divisions to fight in the front lines. The St. Mihiel Salient had been held by the enemy since 1914. The first united effort of the A. E. F. was the complete reduction of this salient in little more than twenty-four hours. By the afternoon of September 13, the ground had been taken, 16,000 prisoners had been captured with 443 guns and valuable military stores. Four hundred and thirty thousand Americans had been engaged. "An American army was an accom- plished fact, and the enemy had felt its power."
Then came the attempt to drive the Germans out of the Meuse- Argonne sector. This like St. Mihiel had been in the hands of the enemy since the early days of the war. It was fortified elaborately for a depth of thirteen miles, and supposedly was impregnable. By September 26, the Meuse-Argonne offensive was begun. The A. E. F. had now about I,200,000 soldiers available for the drive; 2,700 guns, 189 tanks, and 821 airplanes were ready for support. "The ensuing action lasted almost continuously from September 26, to November II, and was less a battle
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than a tremendous war concentrated into seven weeks of furious com- bat." The forces engaged and the ammunition used by the Americans in these seven weeks was more than the total used by the Union forces in the entire Civil War.
Early in November, the German front had been broken throughout all its length. By the seventh, the enemy in front of the Americans had been driven back thirty miles and faced disaster. On November II, the Armistice was announced by Foch, and the Germans had signed an agreement which completely wiped it from the map as a military or naval power. Later came the Peace of Versailles, which is quite a dif- ferent story, one to which "finis" has still to be written. "Upon the signing of the Armistice," said Secretary Baker, "it was necessary to throw into reverse the machinery which was at that time working at a maximum capacity in pushing troops to France."
Boston and the World War-In the consideration of the national and international aspects of the World War, the activities of any specific kind played by any given section of the United States in this great drama is apt to be lost in the background. Never were the people more united in singleness of effort than through those memorable days. Never were geographical lines so forgotten, sectional differences forgotten, or the provincial seeking for prestige and place so thrust out of sight. It was "All for one, and one for all." If certain persons stood out above the crowd, it was not because they came from some certain places, but because they could do better than others the work that was theirs to do. Likewise, if a State or city made so notable a record as to stand out against the vague background of the war, it was because that place had a natural fitness for special purposes, or accomplished more, or strove with greater vigor. Massachusetts, as an industrial Commonwealth had more demanded of her than many another State. Boston as the center of industry in New England, came to the fore even before hostilities broke out. As a port, the one nearest the seat of war, it eventually be- came one of the principal shipping headquarters. With a natural bent for organization, before other cities had worked out methods of coöpera- tion, Boston had established committees which were the models upon which other places patterned their commissions; even the National Gov- ernment accepted some of the forms originating in Boston. The record of the city in all the manifold activities of the World War is one of which it is justly proud, one which compares favorably with that of any other community of its size in the country. As the capital of Massachu- setts, much of its war work was carried on as a part of the State, rather than as a city, and cannot be separated from that of the larger division.
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The industrial side of Boston's war contributions is indicated in another chapter. The total must be guessed at, for besides the known immense turnout of its factories during the war period, many of the leaders were called to other parts of the country to direct production, and thousands of the skilled artisans, of which the city is a reservoir, were employed under government supervision all over America and abroad. A book might be written about the industrial activities of Boston cit- izens in France. Railroads were built, factories constructed and oper- ated; the French stared amazed at American methods under the direction of men, whom one writer insists came for the most part from New Eng- land, particularly from Boston. It was a citizen of the metropolis who suggested, planned and directed the reclamation and repair of shoes. The importance of this by-path industry can be appreciated when one stops to realize that at home and abroad, about 4,000,000 soldiers had to be kept shod. The life of a shoe on the foot of a man in the trenches, was a matter of days rather than of weeks. Lieutenant John Bolton, one of her sons, also did well in reducing the burden upon American fac- tories and shipping when he started the repair of the partly worn foot- gear. Boston did remarkably well in increasing its output of footwear ; it was one of her largest industrial contributions to the support of the war.
As will be shown later, Boston was foremost in its preparations for war, beginning even before the formal break in diplomatic relations with Germany. Industrially, the city was ready, although not for the demands later made upon it in the face of all manner of restrictions laid upon its factories. One cannot forget the fuelless, lightless days required by the Fuel Administration; or the constant inroads made upon the workers by the workings of the draft. But in face of difficulties innumerable, the metropolis poured out its flood of manufactures; prosperity of a sort returned. The harbor was full of craft waiting for the loads, many of which were painted in strange colors and shapes. A wire net was placed across the channels; the harbor as a whole was mined. New factories were built, new storehouses constructed, new docks erected or old ones improved. It was not until late in the war that the advantages of the harbor were realized sufficiently to arouse the Government to creating the Army Supply Base in South Boston, and to erect upon it the largest building in New England at a cost of $75,000,000. Military preparations went on effectively. The National Guard units were brought to required strength, recruits for the Regular Army and for the Navy were secured in numbers, and plans were under way for the establishment of a Home or "State Guard."
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The First Registration-In other words, Boston was progressing well in the first stages of its getting ready for war, but hardly had realized what war meant. The most of the people went about their daily occupa- tions much as they had for years. To be sure they planted war gardens, wore tiny flags to show their patriotism and placed Red Cross buttons in their coats. They bought Liberty Bonds, for a loan had been nego- tiated; they attended parades, and cheered the recruiting. Yet the "War" was mainly what one read of it in the papers,-large maps were pinned on the wall and with little pins we marked the advance or retreat of our allies. It was quite thrilling to know that Pershing had arrived in England, that the 26th had reached France; that Germany was mak- ing ready for the "Final Offensive." Boston thought she was at war, but the realization of it did not come until the Government reached out its long arm on June 5, 1917, and gripped 76,000 Boston men between the ages of 21 to 30 by way of registration preceding conscription. Boston now knew she was in the "War" and it was seldom during the next sixteen months that she was able to forget it. It was truly a remark- able event, this quiet registration of so many of Boston's best. It brought home to the hearts of all the stark aspects of the conflict.
Loans and Gifts-Turning to the financial side of the war, Boston was to learn that it could lend more money to the Government, give greater sums to the various kinds of war work than it realized it had. To summarize, the city was called upon to subscribe to five immense loans. The answer which it made is compressed in the following table : First Liberty Loan, quota desired, $94,030,000; amount subscribed, $133,790,350. Second Liberty Loan, quota, $68,396,000; subscribed, $147,259,650. Third Liberty Loan, quota, $63,825,000; subscribed, $77,- 202,500. Fourth Liberty Loan, quota, $128,470,000; subscribed, $139,- 008,150. When later the war was over, and human interest was cooling from the glow which had made sacrifice easy, the Government asked for a Victory Loan, of which Boston's share was $96,650,000. Despite all forebodings, Boston again went over the top with an oversubscription. Meanwhile in the first and second "Drives" of the Red Cross, Greater Boston and the State had gone down in its pockets for $13,400,000, and $14,000,000 respectively ; and long after the Armistice had rallied to the support of the Society with the largest membership ever given it. The last great gift was that made to the seven war organizations in the November II to November 18, 1918, campaign. The organizations were the Young Men's Christian Association, the Young Women's Christian Association, the National Catholic War Council (K. of C.), the Jewish Welfare Board, the American Library Association. the War Camp Com-
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munity Service and the Salvation Army. The largest gift ever made in the history of the world was that made to these war workers bodies, the sum, for the United States, totaling $203,000,000. Massachusetts and Boston both contributed more than was expected of them. Greater Bos- ton gave $6,000,000, and Boston, proper, $2,079,682.
The City's Soldiers-How many Boston men and women entered the service of their country in the army, navy or other forces is still a matter of conjecture. The most recent estimate is that when nearly complete figures are in, the city will be shown to have sent approximately thirty- seven thousand of its citizens. The most of these were sent overseas, and one-fourth reached the front lines. The largest single group of Bos- tonians went with the 26th Division ; the story of which is outlined later in this chapter. Possibly three thousand served in other combat divisions, Boston being well represented in the famous "2d division" (Regular Army) ; the 77th and 82d National Army Divisions; with many men scattered in practically all of the other divisions that went overseas. It will be recalled that 42 divisions went from this country to France, of which 29 took part in active combats. Seven were Regular Army divi- sions, II came from the National Guard, and a like number were made up of National Army troops. It was the policy of the Army authorities to distribute as widely as possible the recruits from any city or State. Transfers were made often, and the method of making replacements accounts for the separation of individuals from the same city or locality. Then there were many from Boston who entered the armies of the bellig- erents before the United States entered the war. It will be many years before the records of all of the city's soldiers will be collected and arranged. There is a nearly complete list of those who died in service from Massachusetts, which is being made ready for publication in the near future. The names of nearly fourteen hundred who lost their lives is given at the end of this chapter.
There was a National Army regiment which was rightly called "Bos- ton's Own," the 30Ist; and there was a division, the 76th, of the New England National Army troops, many of whom were Bostonians, which after long preparation, just failed of the opportunity of making a name for itself as a combat division on the French front. The 76th, organized at Camp Devens, embarked for France in July, 1918, arriving July 31. Intended as a combat division, it, nevertheless, was designated to depot duty. Ordered to St. Aignan, it was broken up and the most of the men were sent to the front as replacements in aid of the badly depleted regi- ments. About 17,000 of the 76th, including several thousand from the Metropolis, were so used and participated in the closing battles of the
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war. The division went overseas under the command of Major General H. F. Hodges.
IOIst Infantry-The IoIst Infantry stands out as the largest single group who saw the most active combat service of any representing Bos- ton. It went overseas with the YD made up of the whole of the 9th Massachusetts Infantry ; 1,400 men of the 5th, and 175 men of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry. Colonel Edward L. Logan was in command. (In July of 1927, Colonel, then Major-General Logan relinquished com- mand of the 26th Division, Massachusetts National Guard, retiring because of the law fixing his tenure of office. General Logan has spent the great part of his life in the service. He enlisted in 1897 as a private in the "Fighting Ninth," the regiment which won its name in the Civil War. In the Spanish-American War he was made a sergeant-major, his father being the regimental commander. He was down on the Mexican Border, and as has been mentioned, went "Over There" with the IOIst, which had so many of his regiment in it.)
The fortunes of the IOIst are bound up with those of the 26th Division and may be found in the story of that unit. An item or two may be emphasized here. It was the first militia regiment of the United States to go to the front line, Chemin des Dames. Shortly later it made its first raid upon the German line, and under the cover of the first rolling and box barrage laid down by American artillery (51st Field Artillery Brigade, and IOIst Machine Gun Battalion) bombed dugouts, inflicted losses, and returned safely with prisoners. A day or two later, for a full twenty-four hours, the IOIst sustained one of the severest, until then, gassing that troops had received. The brave fellows did not escape this unscathed, but did prove to both the Germans and the Allies that they were made of stuff which could not be dismayed or beaten. Such was the baptism of the IoIst! The regiment took part in many fights, such as at the La Reigne Sector; Seicheprey; Vaux; in the Marne offensive; Epieds -- Trugay; Saint-Mihiel Salient offensive; the raid on Warville Wood; Belleau Wood; and while in pursuit of the enemy with its ranks sadly broken by casualties, it was withdrawn just as the Armistice was announced. In the Marne offensive, in which it suffered less than other units of the 26th, its list of casualties, not counting the evacuation of sick and exhausted, totaled 585, of which 54 were killed and 127 seriously wounded. The division as a whole suffered more than 4,100 casualties, and all this happened in early July before there was an American Army functioning as a whole. The most severe fighting and losses came later.
The Engineers-The IOIst Engineers had as its base the Ist Massa- chusetts Artillery, a Boston organization which dates from 1741, as the
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Governor's Company of Cadets, and which is better known as the Ist Corps of Cadets, which name was given to it in 1874. In proportion to its numbers, the Engineers had nearly the largest list of casualties in the division, but if one talks with a member of the body about the war, he will hear how it built at an embarking point just before coming home, the "York Harbor YD Hut," consisting of a canteen, recreation and assembly room with a stage and big fireplace, kitchen, five sleeping rooms, officers' and women's quarters, all painted and complete within thirty working hours. This is their great achievement! Only by a search in the archives of the War Department can one find out that they were constantly in active service on the front, and had a casualty list of more than fifty per cent.
"The Boston Regiment"-Referring again to the 30Ist Regiment, it was of these troops that Colonel Frank Tompkins who directed their training, said : "They murdered the Boston Regiment, that fine bunch of fighting men; and it was this regiment which carried the blue flag of Boston presented to it by the City." The 30Ist left Camp Devens July 4, 1918, landing in Liverpool on July 18; whence, after resting for a week, it was sent on to Armand-Cher, France. Its commander, Colonel Hodges, was the only one of its higher officers who went immediately to the front without further schooling in the arts of war. Colonel Tompkins was ordered to the 110th Regiment at Fismes, where shortly after he was gassed and blinded, and for a time lost his memory. The 30Ist was, almost from the beginning, used for replacements, a process which con- tinued until it all but lost its character as a separate regiment. When the time came for its return to this country, only a few hundreds were left, the remnant of the "Boston's Own Regiment" which had left the metropolis with such high hopes some six months before. The 30Ist Artillery, which had accompanied them, although it was the artillery group having the highest rating in training, never had an opportunity to fire a shot in France.
When it comes to the tracing of Boston men in the many divisions into which they were incorporated, there is always the difficulty that names cannot be gotten from the records still incomplete, or such rec- ords as have been made are unavailable. The 14th Engineers, a New England Regiment, had in it many Boston boys. This corps was recruited within sixty days after a call was given, June 25, 1917. On August 22, it was in action in France, and continued in active service until April, 1919. The 5th Pioneer Infantry, although supposedly from the South, and usually credited to that section, was made up for the large part of Massachusetts men. The greater number of these came from the 8th Massachusetts National Guard Regiment, being taken before the break-
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ing up of that regiment to form the south Infantry. The sth and 6th Massachusetts Guardsmen who did not get into the sóch Division, were assigned to Camp Green. North Carolina, and served for the duration of the war with the 3d and ath Pioneer Regiments.
"The Boston Artillery"-The 55th Artillery (C. A. C.) came from Boston and most of its replacements came from the vicinity of the city. I: was part of the 3ist Heavy Artillery Brigade, and served with the First Army. A. E. F. in France. Eight batteries of the regiment came' from the Boston Harbor defense, and all were Regular Army outfits. Three of the batteries and the Supply Company came originally from the historic cid ist Massachusetts Coast Artillery and included the greater part of that regiment's personnel. Among them were the Boston Fusil- liers (Battery F35), whose scarlet coats gleammed from 17Sy and onward. in the military affairs of our country. The asth might well be called "The Boston Artillery." Its regimental fund was contributed by resi- dents of Greater Boston : its colors were presented by the Jordan. Marsh Company, and women of Winthrop. Its chaplain was equipped by one Boston church, and his supplies kept by amother. The ssth served through a strendoes and almost continuous ren of battles from June to November. igi&, with great honor to itself and the district so interested in its fortunes.
The above briei mention of certain military onits having a representa- tion of Boston men is intended to be merely suggestive. No reckoning has been made of the numbers who left the city in the service of the navy. There is supposed to have been 35.000 Massachusetts men in the Regular Army, or twice the number that were with the Yankee Division. And one must not forget the 10 ;. 000 who went from the State to various regi- ments. It would seem that there was hardly a notable regiment in foreign service which had no representative in it from the metropolis. There was but one which was sent to the Italian frost from the United States, the good Regiment, and yet there were quite a number in it from Boston, some of whom paid the Emal sacrifice, and whose names may be fond in the Gold Star List appended to this chapter. Our colored poge- lation bod a number from it in the famous grad Infantry, Company L, ci which was a part of the original 6th Massachusetts Militia. The regiment was a part of the g3d Division, known in France as the "Red Hand Divi- sion." How erer much the Boston boys were spread throughout the United States and Europe. New England was fortunate in having one division which was sent fairly intact and thoroughly representative of this section of the country. Concerning this, the Yankee Division. moch is known and somewhat has been written.
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