USA > New Jersey > Camden County > History of Camden County in the Great War, 1917-1918 > Part 6
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On Sunday, February 16, memorial services were held in honor of the fallen brothers of the regiment in the church at Flavigny where the boys were stationed. Nearly every officer and soldier stationed in the town and all the civilian inhabitants attended the services, which were marked by impressiveness. The ceremonies were arranged by the French people and marked the heartfelt appreciation they felt for the soldiers.
The 78th Division was relieved from duty on April 6, by orders from General Headquarters and began sail- ing for home early in May, arriving the latter part of the month. The division was demobilized at Camp Dix and parades were held in honor of the different units at Newark, Trenton and Elizabeth.
General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief, visited the 78th Division three times during its stay in France. His last review was on March 26, 1919, on the historic Plains of Les Launes, where two thousand years ago the legions of Caeser battled with the Gauls and where the latter defeated the invaders. General Pershing's first visit was made at Nielles Les Blequin, while in training with the British. Later when the division headquarters were established at Chatel Chehery during the operations in the neighborhood of Grand Pre.
In a letter to Governor Walter E. Edge, General McRae paid the following tribute to the division :
"The State of New Jersey has every reason to be proud of the part played by the soldiers of this command representing that State. Their unquestioned loyalty at all times, their spirit
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THREE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH INFANTRY IN ACTION Photograph taken by Signal Corps, U. S. A., of New Jersey.
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of sacrifices and self negation under the strain of battle and their unsurpassed gallantry in action have been an inspiration to all. Their forceful efforts have contributed in a large degree to the success of the operations of this command.
"It has been the fortune of this command to have had a gen- erous number of Distinguished Service Awards made to its members.
"The President, in the name of Congress, has awarded the Medal of Honor to a New Jersey soldier-Sergeant William Sawelson (deceased), Company M, 312th Infantry, whose home is in Harrison, N. J .- 'for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, in action with the enemy at Grand Pre, France, 25th October, 1919.'
"The Commander-in-Chief, in the name of the President, has decorated ninety-one members of this command with the Dis- tinguished Service Cross, 'for extraordinary heroism in action,' and it is confidently anticipated that additional awards will be made from recommendations now under consideration. A list of names with organization and home address (where prac- ticable) of those receiving this reward is furnished you herewith. It may be gratifying to note that of the ninety-one Distin- guished Service Crosses bestowed, forty-two have gone to soldiers whose homes are in New Jersey."
In bidding farewell to the division on April 6, 1919, Major General Wright, commanding the First Army Corps, said :
"This is the last maneuver of the 78th Division as a part of the First Army Corps, as it passes into the S. O. S. on April 6, in preparation of its early departure for the United States and I desire to take this oppor- tunity of complimenting and thanking you for the splen- did work you have done over here. You have all been good soldiers and are deserving of the highest reward that can be bestowed upon a soldier; a reward that is far above promotion or increase of salary, the reward of a consciousness of duty well done. You will go through life and pass to your graves feeling proud of having served your country so splendidly and your chil- dren and grandchildren will point with pride to your deeds of valor. But when you return to the United
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States do not boast, do not complain and do not magnify the hardships and vicissitudes of campaign, for it will do you no good and will only reflect discredit on your division. Be loyal to the A. E. F., to its Commander- in-Chief, to your division and above all to your own- selves. Let the record of your division stand as a tes- timonial of the work it did over here and history will relate the splendid part it took in the great war.
"In conclusion, I desire to thank you for your loyalty and devotion to the common cause and bid you good-bye and Godspeed."
The division had a total of 947 men killed, 163 died of wounds, 195 missing in action, 12 captured and 5,715 wounded, making a grand total of 7,032. The casualties of the New Jersey men and the New York men in the division were about on a par in each of these great battles. New Jersey's was 2,698 and New York's 2,744. The respective figures for each of the two operations follow : St. Mihiel, New Jersey, 830; New York, 846; Argonne, New Jersey, 1,868; New York, 1,898. Of this number, New Jersey men to the total of 138 were killed or died of wounds at St. Mihiel, and New York's total was 149. The Argonne figures were: New Jersey, 285; New York, 351.
The officers of the Seventy-eighth Division were: Major Gen. James H. McRae, commanding; Lieut. Col. . Harry N. Cootes, chief of staff; Major William T. Mac- Millian, adjutant general. 155th Brigade Infantry, Brig. Gen. Mark L. Hersey-309th Reg. Infantry, Colonel John M. Morgan; 310th Reg. Infantry, Colonel Walter C. Babcock; 308th Machine-Gun Battalion, Major Ed- ward M. Offley. 156th Brigade Infantry, Brig. Gen. James H. Dean-31Ith Reg. Infantry, Colonel Marcus B. Stokes ; 312th Reg. Infantry, Colonel A. Van P. An- derson ; 309th Machine-Gun Battalion, Major Henry R. Allen. 153d Brigade Field Artillery, Brig. Gen. Clint C. Hern-307th Reg. Field Artillery, Colonel James H.
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Bryson; 38th Reg. Field Artillery, Colonel Charles M. Bunker; 309th Reg. Field Artillery, Colonel Edwin O. Sarratt; 303d Trench Mortar Battery, Captain John E. McClothan. Engineer Troops-303d Reg. Engineers, Colonel E. M. Markham. Signal Troops-303d Field Signal Battalion, Major James Kelly. Division Units- 78th Div. Headquarters Troop, Captain G. S. Wool- worth; 307th Machine-Gun Battalion, Major Robert M. Beck, Jr.
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NEW JERSEY TROOPS FAMOUS
N EW Jersey has every reason to be proud of the soldiers sent to France from the Garden State. They acquitted themselves with valor in the Argonne-Meuse. Both the Twenty-ninth and Seventy-eighth Divisions were part of the First Army. The Twenty-ninth went into the drive on the extreme right and the Seventy-eighth on the extreme left.
The prowess of American arms in the great battle was recorded in General Order No. 232 is- sued by the commander-in-chief, General John J. Pershing, over his signature as follows :
General Order No. 232
"Tested and strengthened by the reduction of the St. Mihiel salient, for more than six weeks you battered against the pivot of the enemy line on the Western front. It was a position of im- posing natural strength, stretching on both sides of the Meuse river from the bitterly contested hills of Verdun to the almost impenetrable forest of the Argonne; a position, moreover, fortified by four years of labor designed to render it impreg- nable; a position held with the fullest resources of the enemy. That position you broke utterly, and thereby hastened the collapse of the enemy's military power.
"Soldiers of all the divisions engaged under the First, Third and Fifth Corps-the Ist, 2d, 3d,
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4th, 5th, 7th, 26th, 28th, 29th, 32d, 33d, 37th, 42d, 77tl1, 78th, 79th, 80th, 82d, 89th, 90th and 9Ist-you will be long remembered for the stub- born persistence of your progress, your storming of obstinately defended machine gun nests, your penetration, yard by yard, of woods and ravines, your heroic resistance in the face of counter- attacks supported by powerful artillery fire. For more than a month, from the initial attack of September 26, your fought your way slowly through the Argonne, through the woods and over hills west of the Meuse; you slowly enlarged your hold on the Cotes de Meuse to the east; and then, on the first of November, your attack forced the enemy into flight. Pressing his retreat, you cleared the entire left bank of the Meuse south of Sedan, and then stormed the heighths on the right bank and drove him into the plain beyond.
"Your achievements, which is scarcely to be equaled in American history, must remain a source of proud satisfaction to the troops who participated in the last campaign of the war. The American people will remember it as the realiza- tion of the hitherto potential strength of the American contribution toward the cause to which they had sworn allegiance. There can be no greater reward for a soldier or for a soldier's memory.
This order will be read to all organizations at the first assembly formation after its receipt.
"JOHN J. PERSHING,
"General, Commander-in-Chief, American Expeditionary Forces.
"Official: ROBERT C. DAVIS, Adjutant General."
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THEIR HOME COMING.
T 'HE home coming of the first units of New Jersey will always be remembered by the citizens of this county who witnessed the event. The 114th Infantry was the first to arrive in Newport News, Va., on May 6, 1919, aboard the transport Madawaska, less the Third Battalion Headquarters and Companies L, K, M, which were left in France and arrived home a short time later. The 114th was greeted at Newport News by the Camden Reception Committee, the members of which were Mayor Charles H. Ellis, Sheriff W. Penn Corson, Judge Frank T. Lloyd, Wm. D. Sayrs, Jr., city draughtsman; James H. Long, chief engineer of the Water Department; and Charles F. Wise, member of the Board of Freeholders. They went down the Chesapeake Bay on a tug and met the transport. On its arrival in port the regiment marched to Camp Stewart, a short distance outside of Newport News, where it was officially welcomed by Governor Walter E. Edge. In the Governor's party were: Adjutant General Gilkyson, Colonel Myron W. Robinson, Major Arthur Foran, Captain Benjamin Hurd, State Treasurer William T. Read, State Comp- troller Newton A. Bugbee. Lieutenant Colonel Harry C. Kramer and Captain H. B. Stone, of Burlington, were also in the party of welcoming delegations.
The regiment left Camp Stewart on May 12 and reached Camden the following morning. Their arrival was announced by the blowing of railroad and factory whistles and the tolling of church bells. Thousands of people rushed from their homes and factories to the line of parade to welcome these heroes. They marched through flag draped avenues as the people cheered wildly, even broke from the sidewalks and hugged and kissed them.
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[Photo by Wonfor.] ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH INFANTRY MARCHING DOWN BROADWAY Welcome-Home Celebration May 13th, 1919
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NINTH WARD REPUBLICAN ASSOCIATION
DOME HOME.
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CAMDEN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WAR.
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[Photo by Wonfor.] 114TH INFANTRY PASSING UNDER NINTH WARD REPUBLICAN ASSOCIATION ARCH Welcome-Home Celeb ation May 13th, 1919
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THEIR HOME COMING.
Every city, town and hamlet in South Jersey was rep- resented in the great throng which crowded the streets. At the Court House they were greeted by the multitude singing "Keep the Home Fires Burning". At the plants of the Victor Talking Machine Company and Joseph Campbell Company thousands of workmen and girls cheered, hugged and showered the boys with confetti.
As they passed under the victory arch of the Ninth Ward Republican Association on Broadway, above Royden street, the employes of the J. B. Van Sciver Company showered them with flowers, while the Liberty Bell, tolled by the club in all its war drive campaigns, rang out in unison with the bells of old St. John's Epis- copal Church and Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church.
At the 3d Regiment Armory the troops were dined by the Camden County Chapter of the Red Cross. It was a wonderful sight to see these boys enjoy the big meal with hundreds of relatives waiting to greet them in the building. The scenes were touching as the boys were re-united with their families once again.
The regiment was commanded by Colonel George Williams when it reached Camden. Accompanying the infantry was the 53d Pioneer Corps, in command of Colonel B. S. Killion. The boys marched, wearing their trench helmets and carrying rifles. They brought back with them a grim visage of war and received a frantic welcome from a loving and admiring people.
It was a public holiday. Schools closed together with factories and business was suspended during the parade. The parade was headed by James H. Long, chairman of the parade committee. Mayor Ellis, members of City Council, Victory Jubilee and Memorial Committee and Board of Freeholders followed. Then came the boys. There were three bands in line, the 114th's own, Second Battalion Band, New Jersey State Militia, and Camden Battalion Band, State Militia Reserve.
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The regiment left for Camp Dix that afternoon where the boys were honorably discharged several days later.
This was the only regiment the city was able to honor with a parade as a unit before demobilization, but the other units were either welcomed at the port of debarka- tion or at Camp Dix by committees, who distributed candy and cigarettes among the boys.
The 3d Battalion Headquarters and Companies K, L and M of the 114th Infantry and 112th Field Artil- lery arrived at Newport News on May 20. The artil- lery was aboard the transport Orizaba and the 114th on the transport Powhatan. They were greeted by a com- mittee headed by Mayor Ellis. The regiments were sent to Camp Stewart. The balance of the 114th was transferred to Camp Dix and demobilized. The 112th Artillery was sent to Atlantic City for a parade and offi- cial welcome on May 29. The trains were stopped at Haddonfield enroute to the shore and candy, cigarettes and flowers showered on them by members of the Red Cross Chapter and hundreds of residents of the county. The regiment was later demobilized at Camp Dix.
The transport Mexican docked at Brooklyn on May 22 with the first units of the 311th Infantry, including the machine gun company, Companies D to M, field and staff headquarters, medical detachment, supply company, 3d Battalion and ordance detachment. They were sent to Camp Dix for demobilization.
The 104th Engineers arrived at Hoboken on May 22, on the transport Manchuria, and were sent to Camp Merritt. They were met by Robert J. D. Field and Harry Pelouze, representing the Victory Jubilee and Memorial Committee, and George W. Whyte, represent- ing the Red Cross. Other 29th Division units aboard the Manchuria were the 58th Infantry Brigade Head- quarters, 104th Supply Train, 104th Sanitary Train, 104th Mobile Ordnance Repair Shop, 104th Train Head-
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BATTERY B, 112TH HEAVY FIELD ARTILLERY Camden Artillerymen Marching Through Streets of Newport News on Arrival from France, May 21st, 1919
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THEIR HOME COMING.
quarters and Brigadier General Frank S. Cocheu, 58th Artillery Brigade.
On May 25 the Camden Reception Committee joined the Newark and Philadelphia Committees in welcoming the 312th Infantry into this port on the transport Mont- pelier by going down the Delaware river on a tug to welcome returning heroes.
All these troops were demobilized at Camp Dix. The 104th Engineers paraded in Newark on May 26 and the 31 Ith Infantry in Trenton the same day. The trans- port Europa arrived in Hoboken on May 26th with the 309th Machine Gun Battalion. The transport Otsego brought home Companies A, B, C and D and Headquar- ters and Medical detachment of the 78th Division on May 26. The IIIth Machine Gun Battalion arrived in Hoboken on May 22 on the transport Iowan and was sent to Camp Dix for demobilization. The 307th and 308th Machine Gun Battalions and 309th Artillery reached Camp Dix on May 13, arriving in Hoboken on May II. The 307th Field Artillery arrived at Camp Dix May 14, having reached Hoboken a few days before. The 308th Field Artillery arrived about the same time. Part of the 309th Infantry reached Camp Dix on June 4 and the balance arrived in Hoboken on that date on the transport Chicago, with the 303d Sani- tary Train and 303d Supply Train. The 349th Infantry, colored troops, many of whom were from Camden reached Hoboken in the early part of June and were sent to Camp Dix for demobilization. The 303d Engi- neers arrived on the transports Santa Anna and Santa Lubia on June 6 and June 12.
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HENRY B. WILSON
T HE most distinguished citizen from Camden, who served the nation in the Great War was Ad- miral Henry B. Wilson, who commanded the American fleet in French waters. He had served forty years in the United States Navy when America entered the war. He commanded a fleet that piloted more than one million soldiers to France and that fleet never lost the life of an American soldier, despite the frightfulness of the sub- marine warfare conducted by the enemy. During the war the fleet commanded by the Camden admiral moved all the munitions and supplies used by the American Army in France. Soldiers paralyzed from battle wounds were rescued from transports that had been submarined. Lives of sailors were lost but only in an effort to pre- vent the enemy from taking the lives of American sol- diers. Such was the record made by the branch of the navy he commanded and this report was made personally by this hero when he returned to Camden for the public welcome on April 17, 1919. Besides this wonderful work his destroyers kept a constant vigilance on the seas, sinking enemy submarines. The admiral's headquarters were at Brest, France, and by means of radio sounders the enemy wireless on their submarines were intercepted at night and the movement of their ships ascertained with the result that destroyers went in search for them and sunk many of them.
Admiral Wilson returned to Camden on April 17 at the invitation of the Victory Jubilee and Memorial Com- mittee, but not until a special committee, the members of which were James H. Long, James J. Scott, Rev. J. B. McCloskey and Charles F. Wise, of Audubon, had waited on him at his Washington home. The admiral came from Washington by train and was met at Broad
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[Copyright by Wonfor.] ADMIRAL HENRY B. WILSON Commander of American Fleet in French Waters during Great War.
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HENRY B. WILSON.
street station by the Camden committee and taken to the Bellvue-Stratford Hotel, Philadelphia, where he was entertained, after which a receiption was given at the Camden County Court House. An automobile parade followed to his home at 345 Mount Vernon street. The streets were lined with thousands of cheering people. At the Ninth Ward Republican Association's arch flowers were dropped on him and the pupils of the Broadway public school sang patriotic songs while the bell in old St. John's Episcopal Church was tolled by his brother-in- law, Rev. John Hardenbrook Townsend, rector. At the home of his mother he embraced her and kissed her and a basket of flowers was presented to this good woman, Mrs. Mary A. Wilson, who was then eighty-seven years of age. The parade continued to the Mohican Club, near Delair, where a planked shad dinner was served. The speakers were Mayor Charles H. Ellis, toastmaster ; Admiral Charles F. Hughes, commandant of League Is- land Navy Yard; Admiral Carlos V. Brittain, who hailed Admiral Wilson as the next full rank admiral of the navy, and United States Senator David Baird.
That evening a public reception took place at Third Regiment Armory. The admiral entered escorted by a large detail of sailors. Fully 5,000 persons greeted him, including the children of the public schools, massed in the balcony. They rendered a program of patriotic songs during the evening. Mayor Ellis was chairman and an address was made by Prosecutor Charles A. Wolver- ton, during which the admiral was presented with a beautiful sword on behalf of the city and county.
The following telegram, which gives expression of the esteem in which Admiral Wilson was held, was read at the dinner and reception that evening :
"Baltimore, April 17, 1919.
"Mayor Ellis, Camden, N. J.
"I want to add my mite to the reception of your favorite son to-day. At Brest, France, I saw a great deal of Admiral Wilson
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and he was the most beloved man in France not only by his own people but by the French. Admiral Wilson was so big, so real that he could sit in the park talking and playing with little orphan French children, or giving advice to an ordinary sailor with the grace and ease of a master. Every sailor loves him and not a word but of praise will ever be said of him. The Admiral left behind in France a real remembrance of the great big real American that he is, the biggest American that ever stepped on the shore of Brittany. God bless him.
"MAJOR E. W. BIRDSALL, "U. S. Army."
Admiral Henry B. Wilson was born at 269 Mount Vernon street on February 25, 1861. His parents were Mrs. Mary A. Wilson, 345 Mount Vernon street, and the late Hon. Henry B. Wilson. His father was prominent in politics during his career. He was a member of City Council, New Jersey Assembly and was also postmaster of the city. He was president of the Board of Educa- tion at the time of his in 1898.
Vice Admiral Wilson attended the old Kaighn and Fetters Schools during his boyhood. He entered Anna- polis Naval Academy at the age of fifteen years and graduated in 1881. As a lieutenant commander he con- manded the scout cruiser Chester. He was promoted captain when he assumed command of the battleship North Dakota. His next assignment was to command the battleship Indiana. He came into national prom- inence when he was named to command the dreadnaught Pennsylvania when that ship was commissioned in 1914.
President Wilson promoted Captain Wilson rear ad- miral in July, 1917, when Admiral Sims called him to command the American fleet in French waters. When the new rear admiral reached Brest he was given the rank of vice admiral by President Wilson.
That he did the job well is evidenced by the praise Vice Admiral Wilson received from Secretary Josephus Daniels. The admiral won the admiration of the French Government for the efficiency of his command. After
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the armistice was signed the admiral was stricken with pneumonia and was desperately ill for several days. He rallied and eventually recovered.
He was honored by President Wilson by being placed in command of the convoy fleet for the steamer George Washington on the President's first return fromthe peace conference at Paris.
Before departing from France Admiral Wilson was signally honored by the French Government. He was presented with a handsome oil painting of himself, the work of a French master. He also received a bronze bust of himself and the school children of France presented him with a magnificent brass vase.
Just before sailing for the United States the admiral was advised by Secretary Daniels that he had been placed in command of the American dreadnaught fleet and the battleship New Mexico was designated as his flagship.
Upon reaching the United States his health was such that he could not with his fleet to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for maneuvers. He was granted a leave of ab- sence to recuperate and he spent two weeks with his wife and two children, Ruth and Henry B. Wilson, Jr., at Washington.
On June 16, 1919, the Navy Department divided the American naval forces into two equal squadrons to be known as the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. Vice Admiral Wilson was placed in command of the Atlantic fleet with the full rank of Admiral. On June 25 he was deco- rated at Washington by Captain Saint Seine, French naval attache, assisted by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, on behalf of the French Government with the Cross of Grand Officers of Legion of Honor, the second highest honor that can be bestowed in this order.
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PROMINENT MEN REPRESENTATIVES
C AMDEN county was fortunate in having represen- tatives in both branches of Congress during the Great War, Hon. David Baird, who represented the State of New Jersey together with Senator Joseph S. Freling- huysen in the United States Senate and William J. Browning, representative from the First Congressional District, comprising Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Upon the death of Senator William Hughes during the war, Senator Baird was appointed by Governor Walter E. Edge on February 22, 1918, to fill the vacancy, and he took the oath of office on March 7, that year, serving until the following general election in November, when he was elected to finish the unexpired term of Mr. Hughes.
Although a life long Republican, Mr. Baird voted for every measure advocated by President Woodrow Wil- son, deemed essential to win the war, even to the Over- man Bill, which gave the President unlimited powers.
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