USA > New Jersey > Camden County > History of Camden County in the Great War, 1917-1918 > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
46
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
attack his belt became fastened in something and was torn from his waist. When the pistol in the holster fastened to the belt fell, the weapon exploded and he was wounded. He recovered only to contract pneumonia. Young was twenty years old and enlisted July 21, 1917, in the old 3d Regiment four days before its departure for Camp Edge, Sea Girt. He went to Camp McClellan, Anniston, Alabama, with the regiment and was transferred to Company B, IIIth Machine Gun Battalion. He was the son of William H. and Azza Young, of Collingswood.
TOWNSEND C. YOUNG, Private, of Gloucester City, was
killed in action on October 12, 1918, north of Verdun when the 29th Division entered the Argonne-Meuse battle. He was a member of Company G, 114th Infantry, and went away from Camden with the 3d New Jersey National Guard, on July 25, 1917, and was trained at Camp Edge, New Jersey, and Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Young, of Gloucester City.
48
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
-
-
--
[Photo by Worfor.]
DEPARTURE OF THIRD REGIMENT Leaving Armory July 25th, 1917
49
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS. NAVAL MILITIA.
T HE first military organization to be called into ser- vice immediately after America entered the war was the Second Battalion, Naval Militia, National Guard of New Jersey. The organizattion was ordered mobilized on the night of the day that war was declared, April 6, 1917, and within three hours 85 per cent. of the men had reported to their barracks on the fourth floor of the Temple Building. They marched away on Easter Sun- day morning, April 8, in command of Commander Francis W. Hoffman. City Solicitor E. G. C. Bleakly bade them farewell on behalf of the city and Rev. John B. Haines, D. D., pastor of Centenary M. E. Church ; Rev. George H. Hemingway, D. D., pastor of First Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Homer J. Vosburgh, D. D., pastor of North Baptist Church, presented each man with New Testaments on behalf of the Christian ministry of the city.
There were 225 officers and men in the battalion con- sisting of three divisions of seamen and one division of engineers. They left for League Island Navy Yard to report aboard the United States cruiser Chicago for training. These men soon became seasoned seamen and were transferred to different branches of the Navy. Quite a number remained aboard the Chicago during the war. Some of the former militiamen went into Siberia with the American forces.
The officers of the battalion were: Commander, Fran- cis W. Hoffman; Lieutenant Commander, William G. Hodgson; Lieutenants, Edward O. Holloway, William J. Auten and George W. Keefe; Lieutenants, junior grade, Henry R. De La Rente, Stewart Johnson, Wilton R. Cole, Townsend E. Boyer; Ensign, James G. Wil- liamson; Assistant Surgeon, David F. Bentley, Jr., M.
50
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
D .; Past Assistant Paymaster, Albert F. Wayne; Assist- ant Paymaster, Dr. Harold I. Cragin.
DEPARTURE OF GUARDSMEN
Wednesday, July 25, 1917, was one of those humid, sticky midsummer days with the early morning sun hid- den behind a midst. The night before had been hot, but it did not prevent the relatives of the boys of the Camden companies, of the old Third Regiment, Battery B and Company B, 104th Engineers, crowding the armories to see as much of their boys before the departure as pos- sible. Many took their final leave then and the scenes all about were very affecting. As for the youthful sol- diers themselves, they did not have very much time for sentiment because everything had to be in readiness for the departure the next morning. It was indeed a hustling scene, although in later days and after the gruelling ex- periences with actual warfare their efforts then were rather amateurish. But the spirit was willing and what they lacked in training they made up in energy, so that by sunup on the 25th all was in readiness for the leave- taking from their armories.
With Mayor Ellis at the head, the Public Safety Com- mittee planned to see the Battery, the Engineers and the old Third off, but the artillerymen had entrained before it was possible to assist in escorting them to the train on Border street, just opposite the Camden Iron Works. However, the committee arrived before the train left and the young guardsmen were given a royal sendoff. One of the cars bore the legend in chalk :
"Battery B off to give the Kaiser hell."
That showed the spirit of the boys and caused many smiles amidst the tears of those left behind. The young- sters in khaki yelled their farewells to relatives and friends and were quite anxious to get off because the partings in most cases had touched them deeply. They
.
51
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS.
waved their hands and the crowd yelled as exactly at 8 o'clock the train pulled up the grade and left for Sea Girt.
Then the committee, with the mayor, hurried to the Third Regiment armory where Companies B, C, D and M, under command of Major Winfield S. Price, to- gether with the company of engineers in command of Captain Howard B. Keasby, were getting ready to leave. There was a great throng along Haddon avenue waiting for the big armory doors to open and finally they slowly raised. There was heard a bugle call and then the tramp, tramp of hundreds of feet. And with Colonel Thomas D. Landon at the head, issued forth the gallant old Third with the regimental band playing "Auld Lang Syne." There was a thrill and sudden silence on the throng and then it burst into such cheers as the city had never heard before. Rank after rank followed the col- onel and with heavy army accoutrement the boys took up the march to the Federal street terminal to entrain.
This soul-stirring procession was headed by Police Captain William E. Alberts and a squad of mounted policemen, then the mayor and the Public Safety Com- mittee afoot followed by the guardsmen and the engi- neers. All along the way the curbline was crowded by thousands and it was quite evident that virtually all the city and county was out to give the boys off to war God speed. It was one of those inspiring scenes never to be forgotten by those who witnessed the marching away of those in whom the heart of the community was centered.
At the terminal there were many affecting scenes as mother or sister or sweetheart, and in a few instances wives, parted from their loved ones. Quite a number swooned and even some of the boys who had but a day before been working in factory or office and who were not altogether physically trained for the march with heavy accoutrements collapsed and had to be carried to the
52
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
waiting train. This was held in readiness under the great trainshed where the relatives and friends as well as the city's official representatives went and remained until at 9 o'clock when the signal was given and the start to Sea Girt was made. And at the time the murkiness of the skies cleared and the sun peeped forth as the train carrying all the hopes of Camden county disappeared down the tracks, taking the loved ones to the great un- known adventure. It was considered a happy omen by many a bleeding heart, but in that great subsequent Armageddon some were destined to be disappointed, even though most of them did come back.
On the way to Sea Girt, the guardsmen took up the other companies located in various parts of South Jersey so that by the time camp was reached that momentous day Colonel Landon had virtually all his men with him. For several weeks, the Third, the battery and the engi- neers remained at Sea Girt and then went to Anniston. When they left the local contingents had the following officers :
Colonel Thomas D. Landon, Bordentown; Lieutenant Colonel Daniel O. Mathers, Woodbury; Majors C. W. Shivers, Woodbury; Winfield S. Price, Camden, and Raymond G. Nixon, Woodbury; Captain and Adjutant J. Walter Scott, Camden; Captain and Quartermaster Walter H. Leedom, West Collingswood; Captain and Commissary Edmund DuBois, Woodbury; Chaplain Charles B. Dubell, Woodbury; First Lieutenant and Bat- talion Adjutants Vernon L. D. Stultz, Glassboro, and W. H. Carpenter, Camden; Second Lieutenant and Bat- talion Quartermaster Edgar A. Anderson, Camden ; Gar- rett R. Schenck, Woodbury, and Carl Voelker, Ventnor City ; Medical Officers-Major Albert B. Davis, Cam- den; Captain Rubert Stevers, Bordentown; First Lieu- tenant E. M. Duffield, Glassboro; First Lieutentant Thomas Lewis, Merchantville; Major and Disbursing Officer William H. Chew, Merchantville; Line Officers-
54
€
[Photo by W'onfor.]
DEPARTURE OF BATTERY B Camden Artillerymen Entraining on Border Street for Sea Girt, July 25th, 1917
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
55
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS.
Captains Landon E. Angel, Queen Lane, Pa., Co. A .; William J. Gore, Camden, Co. B; George L. Selby, Cam- den, Co. C; Henry E. Ankener, West Collingswood, Co. D; James F. Long, Mt. Holly, Co. E; First Lieutenants Harry Mayhew, Co. F; Vance L. Ealy, Ocean City, Co. G; Walter L. Auten, Asbury Park, Co. H; Albert G. Jag- gard, Sewell, Co. I; Leonidas Coyle, Bridgeton, Co. K; Abasalom S. Wescott, Atlantic City, Co. L; Edward B. Stone, Burlington, Co. M.
Battery B-Captain John H. Dittess, First Lieutenants Charles D. Dickinson and John W. Hicks, Second Lieu- tenants Charles S. Richards and George S. Middleton.
Company B, 104th Engineers-Captain Howard Keasby, Salem; First Lieutenants Beale M. Schmucker, Haddon Heights, and Maxwell B. Allen, Wenonah ; Sec- ond Lieutenant W. W. Schultz, East Orange. On the day Co. B left Camden it was joined by twenty men recruited at East Orange by Lieutenant Schultz.
56
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE.
T THE first elements of the 29th Division, which be- came known as the Blue and the Gray Division because it was made up of National Guardsmen from New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and District of Colum- bia, arrived in France on June 28, 1918, debarking at St. Nazaire. The division was considered able to fight without further training and entered the Alsace line, where it stayed two months, holding two different sec- tors, the first quiet and the second enlivened by hot raids and heavy shell fire.
The Germans here tried their famous trick of dress- ing up in French uniforms and running into the Amer- ican lines, shouting in French, "Don't shoot!" This was followed by a big raiding party which hit the line at a point held by Company H, 113th Infantry. Lieutenant Mayer organized resistance, even calling up cooks from behind the lines. The raid was checked and a counter raid that was carried out later wrecked the German positions.
The Germans also sprang an entirely new trick on the 29th, pouring cresote on them from aeroplanes. This medieval performance was ineffectual.
The 29th had a career different from most American divisions, because it was in closer touch with the French throughout and ably co-operated with them, often using their methods. Some French experts served with the 29th in the Alsace trenches.
On September 24 the division pulled out of Alsace and went to Verdun as a resrve for the Argonne attack. It had a long, terrible march up what the French call the "Sacred Way" from Bar le Duc to Verdun. Near Verdun there was a great assemblage of lorries with
57
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
MAJOR-GENERAL CHARLES G. MORTON Commander of the Twenty-Ninth Division
59
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE.
Chinese drivers ready to take them to the Argonne in case of necessity.
Headquarters were posted in the Verdun citadel and the men slept two nights on the roadside in buses. The division moved northward October 7. starting at 2 o'clock in the morning in black dark and pouring rain. It hiked all night, soaked to the skin.
This whole Meuse region wherein the 29th operated was covered by constant shell fire and drenched with deadly gases, which hung in the woods and reeked in the valleys, making it one of the worst in the war.
PLAN OF BATTLE.
General Claudel, of the 17th French Corps, com- manded the front into which the 29th Division was sent, with the 33d and 26th Divisions. The plans of General Claudel contemplated that the attack should be begun by his two French divisions in line, the 18th and the 26th. The 18th lay in its trenches with its left on the Meuse, at Samogneux, and its right about two and one-half kilo- meters east of there. The 26th lay to the right of the 18th as far as Beaumont, also on a front of about two and one-half kilometers. Still further to the right was a French Colonial Corps, with the 15th Colonial Division, next to the right of the 26th Division, and the 10th Colonial Division still to the right of that.
The 18th Division was to attack straight north, taking Haumont, the Bois de Brabant and Ormont Farm. The 26th Division was to take the Bois des Caures, directly in its front, and later the village of Flabas, north and slightly east of the woods. The 15th Colonial Division was to actively protect the right of the 26th by advanc- ing and occupying the ridge of Caurrieres and the southern part of l'Herbebois. The 10th Colonial Division, curving round the bend in the front which ran southeastward toward Fresnes and the old St. Mihiel
60
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
salient, was to stand fast, but ready to attack if events warranted.
Only after the 18th Division should have advanced some distance would it be possible for troops of the 33d and 29th Divisions to move forward, when they would cross the river and swing in on the left flank of the 18th Division in the widening space between that flank and the Meuse. For this purpose the 58th Brigade of the 29th Division only was at first attached to the 18th French Division, and was assembled on the west side of the canal, which had been wrested from the enemy, between Samogneux and Brabant. From the latter point to Consenvoye, two and one-half kilometers northwest, troops of the 33d Division lay west of the river ready to advance at the proper time.
The mission of the 58th Brigade, 29th Division, was to clear the Bois de Consenvoye, the ravines and the edges of the Bassois Bois and the Bois Plat-Chiene, north of it, and thereafter to direct their attack northeastward. The mission of the 33d Division was to clear the east bank of the Meuse northward to Sivry and toward the westward bend at Vilesnes; this with their left flank, while further east, they would take the Bois de Chaume and, in conjunction with the 58th Brigade, the Bois Plat-Chene, later coming up on the escarpments of the Grande Montagne. The 26th U. S. Division was, for the present, held in reserve at Verdun.
BATTLE BEGINS.
The attack was calculated to be a surprise and it went over the top without artillery preparation at 5 o'clock on the morning of October 8. A vigorous barrage was started at the instant that the infantry moved for- ward. The desired surprise was effected and the re- sults of the first day were highly satisfactory. For the establishment of communications across the river, dur-
61
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
--
AL
ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH INFANTRY IN ACTION
Photograph taken by Signal Corps, U. S. A., of former Third Regiment, National Guard, New Jersey, making a charge in the Alsace Sector
63
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE.
ing the previous night the 10th Division Engineers at Samogneux and the 17th Army Corps Engineers at Regnsville had built bridges, while at dawn and under intense shell fire the 10th Engineers of the 33d Division threw one bridge about 120 feet long across the river at Brabant and another at Consenvoye, later repairing the permanent bridge at Consenvoye, and these bridges the American troops utilized in carrying out their part of the attack. The 13th and 26th Divisions attained their normal objectives, the latter taking the Bois de Caures and approaching Flabas, the former going ahead about three kilometers into the Bois de Bribant.
The 58th U. S. Brigade, 29th Division, under com- mand of Col. B. A. Caldwell, attacked from the canal bank with the 115th Infantry on the left and the 116th on the right and protected by an accurate barrage from the 15th Field Artillery Brigade. The advance pushed on rapidly and with few casualties, driving the enemy ahead and taking many prisoners, to a line through the southern part of the Bois de Consenvoye and around into the Bois de Brabant, on the edge of the Haumont ravine, where it had liaison with the rest of the 19th Division. It had broken through two intrenched lines and captured the formidable heights of Malbrouck Hill and Hill 338. About 9 o'clock in the morning two battalions of the 132d Infantry of the 33d Division crossed the river at Brabant and attacked north against the Bois de Chaume, · taking the whole woods to its north edge, but later draw- ing back to the south edge to maintain liaison with the flank of the 58th Brigade, which was not so far north in the Bois de Consenvoye.
As soon as the Germans recovered from the confusion caused by the first surprise attack on the second day's battle, their immense artillery and machine gun strength began to utilize the advantage of conditions, and there- after the progress of the French and American divisions was made more slowly and at heavy cost. But the pro-
64
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
gress accomplished, amounted, in substance, to a gradual right turn on the pivot of the 26th French Division near Beaumont, which, as the rest of the front advanced northeastward slowly worked its left up toward Flabas, while the 18th Division, further west, swung on a slightly larger arc toward Crepion and Moirey.
The 58th Brigade of the 29th Division lay on its line through the Bois de Consenvoye on October 9, because the 18th Division, to its right, was not far enough advanced to warrant a further attack. Consequently, when the attack was resumed on the 10th, the enemy was thoroughly prepared and efforts in conjunction with the 33d Division on the left, to secure the whole of the Bois de Chaume and the Bois Plat Chene, were repulsed until toward evening, when part of the last-mentioned wood was secured. Facing a shell fire the next day, chiefly from the Grande Montagne and the Bois d'Etrayes, so terrific that it eventually cut down all the thick underbush in the Bois de Consenvoye, the 58th Brigade, 29th Di- vision, now under its own division command, pushed up to the south edge of the Molleville Farm, clearing and consolidated positions, thence west through the Bois Plat- Chene, which were held until the 15th.
Meantime, on October 12, the 57th Brigade, with the 114th Infantry on the right and the 113th on the left, endeavored to clear the Bois de la Reine and the Bois d'Ormont, in liaison with the 18th Division, but the resistance was very violent, and little progress was made.
October 12 will remain in the memory of the troops of the 114th Infantry as long as they live. The 2d Battalion, formerly members of the old 3d Regiment, New Jersey National Guards, began action without artillery support. They succeeded in advancing 1,000 meters in a sector where the French had tried five times and failed to gain. After making the advance named they held on for five days, 300 meters in advance of the French Division. When they began action on this eventful day they had
65
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
MAJOR GEORGE L. SELBY Commander of Company G, 114th Infantry; promoted for brav- ery on the field after the famous charge in the Argonne Forest October 12th, 1918
67
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE.
one French battery for support and the enemy located this battery and put it out of commission in the early stages of the battle. The battalion was then dependent on the one pounders of Headquarters Company in com- mand of Lieutenant Albert S. Howard, of Camden, which were blown to atoms. Four hundred and eighty men in the regiment were killed, fifteen hundred wounded and gassed, ninety per cent. of the officers killed or wounded and out of 3,500 men in the 114th Regi- ment, who went into battle, but 681 were fit for duty. Most of these men suffered machine gun bullet wounds in the knees and recovered. Captain Williams, of Com- pany E, and Captain Shumacker, of Company F, were killed. Captain George L. Selby, of Company G, and Captain Edward B. Stone, of Company H, were pro- moted majors on the field. Lieutenant Edward West, of Camden, was advanced to the rank of captain for bravery.
When the second big phase of the battle began October 23, the 113th joined the 116th in the attack on the final objective, d'Etrayes Ridge. Toward 5 o'clock in the afternoon two caterpillar rockets soaring from Hill 361 announced the ridge taken. A fine machine gun offen- sive action featured this attack. Groups of gunners pre- ceeded the infantry, barraging perpendicularly across their advance, this enfilading the enemy and clearing the way. The machine gunners' casualties were heavy.
On October 26, while the 113th repulsed counter- attacks on d'Etrayes Ridge the 114th helped the French on the right in attacking the Bois Belleau. Difficulties were increased by the activities of a pure white boche aeroplane which, almost invisible, sailed overhead direct- ing artillery fire.
By October 28, the 115th and 116th Infantry, having gained Grande Montagne, all the Meuse heights were taken, and the Allies were able to debouch into the Woevre plain to flank the German line and the Argonne
68
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
offensive was enabled to proceed without danger from enfilading fire.
The 29th was relieved October 28 by the 79th Division. During this action three Medals of Honor, approximately 200 Distinguished Service Crosses and 71 Croix de Guerre were awarded to the division, which lost 5,796 officers and enlisted men in casualties and captured 2,148 prisoners and much artillery and material and gained seven kilometers of ground in twenty days of as bitter fighting as troops were ever called upon to endure.
DIVISION IS CITED.
Because of the accomplishments and bravery of this division the following citation was issued by Major General Charles G. Morton, the commander :
HEADQUARTERS 29TH DIVISION.
American E. F., I Nov. 18.
General Orders No. 59.
Now that its part in the action north of Verdun is finished, the Division Commander wishes to take occasion to express his deep appreciation of the skill, endurance and courage shown by the officers and men of the division, including both staff and line, in a most difficult and prolonged fight.
Everything was opposed to our success. We had a most determined enemy in our front and one skilled by four years of warfare, whereas this was the first real fight of our division. On most days the weather was bad and the ground difficult, added to the fact that the fighting was largely in woods. On account of the woods, ravines and dampness, gassing of our troops was easily accomplished and full advantage of this fact was taken by the enemy to whom the use of gas was an old story.
Without exception the organizations of the division and their commanders responded heroically to every call upon them and at the end of the fight we had not only gained our objectives, but we had them and turned them over to our successors. We advanced some eight kilometers through the enemy's trenches,
69
CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
CAPTAIN EDWARD WEST Promoted for Bravery in Argonne Forest on October 12th, 1918
71
TWENTY-NINTH DIVISION IN FRANCE.
and captured over 2,100 prisoners, 7 cannons, about 200 ma- chine guns and a large quantity of miscellaneous military prop- erty. We had the pleasure of seeing two hostile divisions with- drawn from our front, one of which was composed of some of the best troops of the German army. On many occasions captured prisoners stated that our attack was so rapid and our fire so effective that they were overwhelmed and had nothing to do but to retire or surrender.
In this brief summing up the results of its first fight the Division Commander feels that every officer and man partici- pating. whether in planning or in executing, should feel a just pride in what has been accomplished. This is but repeating the praise that has been bestowed upon the division by both Ameri- can and French superior commanders.
By command of Major General Morton:
S. A. COLEMAN, Colonel of Infantry, Chief of Staff.
Official: HARRY KOOPE,
Adjutant General, Adjutant.
Co. B, 104th ENGINEERS
Company B, First Battalion, New Jersey Engineers, was organized in Camden April of 1917 and was mobi- lized at Sea Girt on July 25, of the same year. It was composed of men recruited from Camden and surround- ing communities by Major Harry C. Kramer, together with a small group enlisted at Newark by Second Lieu- tenant William W. Schultz. The original company when mobilized at Sea Girt included 164 men commanded by Captain Howard B. Keasby, First Lieutenant Beale M. Schmucker, First Lieutenant Maxwell B. Allen and Sec- ond Lieutenant Schultz. On August 17, 1917, Company B left Sea Girt and entrained for Camp McClellan, An- niston, Alabama, where they arrived August 21. After arriving at this camp the company was detailed to work with Major Dulin in completing the building of the camp, then in the first stages of construction.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.