USA > New York > The Minute men of '17 - a history of the service rendered during the recent world war by the Ninth Coast Artillery Corps, New York Guard and the Veteran Corps of Artillery, state of New York > Part 5
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ared to three hundred and twenty-five. Colonel Delafield asked him about supplies, and he stated that Major Burnett would fur- nish everything required, and not to worry about rations; that Captain de Garmo, as Supply-Officer, would report later and see to things. Finally, Colonel Delafield got in telephone connection with Adjutant-General Stotesbury at Albany, who at once solved the problem by directing Colonel Delafield to assume command of the Camp, with orders to see that everything necessary was done. Thereupon Colonel Delafield directed Major Burnett to move out tentage for three hundred and twenty-seven men, which he started to do. Again Colonel Delafield tried to reach Colonel Rose or his Adjutant by telephone, but could not do so. He then directed Major Burnett to hold the auto trucks to move the equipment the next day to the various posts and immediately procure rations from Peekskill. Shortly after 1 o'clock the men from New York City detrained at Roa Hook and marched to the camp under com- mand of Major Hodges, four hundred and thirty-eight officers and men. Colonel Delafield placed Major Hodges in command of troops in the camp, and Major Burnett was so informed, and in- structed to receive orders from him as to tents, supplies, etc. Col- onel Delafield was then relieved of command by the Adjutant- General, and was given permission to return to New York City.
Colonel Delafield's forethought in providing emergency rations saved the men great privation. During the afternoon, the tents were issued and put up, and late in the evening the cots were is- sued. It was rumored that Major Hodges drew a cot admirably suited to a ten-year-old boy, but it was part of the game, and the Major acted as if he enjoyed it as much as the men did.
The next day, by train, by truck, by trolley, the men went to their assigned posts on the Aqueduct. They were mobilized at the Armory on Tuesday night. They assembled again Wednesday morning, and after a long delay, had been dismissed. They as- sembled again at the Armory on Thursday morning, and proceeded to the State Camp. They pitched their tents that hot afternoon, and took them down Friday morning, and then proceeded by
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divers roundabout routes to their several posts which could have been much more easily reached from their Armory. When they arrived at their posts, they found that no provision had been made for them. Did they complain? They did not. They made the best of the situation. What they did not have, they bought. What they could not buy, they improvised. Corporal Tillinghast, in the Colonel's little Franklin, drove from City Island to the Aqueduct time and time again with cots, blankets and kitchen utensils. Cap- tain Helen Bastedo's Women's Motor Corps did splendid service. What our men could not get, they did without. Being as General Bell described them "men of affairs and standing in the commun- ity," they probably wondered more or less, but they did their duty, and obeyed orders because they had enlisted to serve their coun- try. The total cost to the special fund for absolutely necessary supplies, etc., for which no provision was made by the State in this guard duty, was $1,414.96.
Each week a new lot of men was sent up as replacements. At first the Detachment depended on volunteering, but later batteries were ordered out. The First, Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth had done fine work; the Third, Fifth and Eleventh had arranged for future dates; the Ninth, Tenth and Twelfth were under-officered, new and untrained, but men were needed for im- mediate use, and they were ordered out. Then followed a very disappointing experience. The sergeant at Headquarters was kept at the telephone for long and weary hours, until his left arm was numb and his temper anything but numb, and always by his desk sat a man who had volunteered and who did not want to do duty, while another of the same ilk was talking over the telephone. He tells with glee how he caught one. The usual excuse-"awfully sorry,"-"wanted to go,"-"father served,"-"but it would ruin the business, cost him his job, injure the boss," etc., etc. The ser- geant got the boss on the telephone, drew a lurid picture of what would happen to the boss and the business if the Germans blew up the Aqueduct, and the boss replied: "Of course he'll go. If he does not report on time, let me know."
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The old sergeant has often wondered since, especially when a damp east wind brings a touch of that numbness in his left arm, if some of those men do not regret today their facile excuses.
There was another side to the story. There was Private. . . . ... He was away, but Mrs. Private had received the order and reached her husband by telegram-telephoned every day that he would be there, and wanted to know what he needed, and would that be all, only she never could understand why he did not need sheets.
This guard duty showed the quality of the Detachment. It was emergency service, entirely outside of and at variance with the original plan of procedure, but it was needed and the men were more than willing to make the sacrifices required. The failure to make proper provision for the care of the men had to be supple- mented by the Detachment. It was not the fault of the Battalion and Company officers. They covered ground with half the number of men allotted to their predecessors, but they did it and did it to the complete satisfaction of their military superiors.
A field officer of the First Provisional told the historian that the work of the men was exceptionally fine. He said "each man seemed to feel that the safety of New York depended on him, on his fidelity and efficiency; so his work was well done."
Not the least of the services rendered by the Detachment in this guard duty were the improvements at the different little posts. Many of them, when the men took possession, were in a shocking, a positively dangerous condition hygienically. All these matters were quickly remedied, cook shacks and mess halls, improvised as they were out of odds and ends, were properly screened and venti- lated; proper and well-located latrines were constructed at once. All camps and posts were thoroughly and properly policed. The work was well done throughout.
Strangely enough, the lost orders were never delivered. The fol- lowing letter from Brigadier-General Louis W. Stotesbury shows the orders given Lieutenant-Colonel Delafield giving him the com- mand of that part of the First Provisional Regiment at the State Camp on August 9th, 1917. It explains the situation in detail.
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STOTESBURY & MINER Counsellors at Law
55 Liberty Street New York, March 2nd, 1921.
Col. John Ross Delafield, 27 Cedar Street, New York, N. Y.
My dear Col. Delafield :
In your letter of Feb. 16th you asked me to write you in regard to the instructions given you on August 9th, 1917, when you reported at Peekskill with a detachment from the Veteran Corps Artillery for service in guarding the aqueduct which carried the water supply of New York City.
To briefly summarize the situation, various National Guard organizations had been called out for this service, and as they were later drafted into the Federal Serv- ice, they were continued on this duty under Federal authority, until we were notified that they were to be withdrawn and taken from the State to the Southern training camp, and that the State would have to assume responsibility for guarding its public works and utilities.
It was to take over this duty that we organized the Provisional Brigade, consisting of two provisional regiments, made up of detachments from various depot units of the National Guard organizations, and other units specially organized for the purpose. Col. John B. Rose was in command of the First Provisional Regiment of which your detachment was to form a part.
The detachments from the 7th Regiment, the 12th Regiment, the 69th Regiment and the Veteran Corps Artillery were to mobilize at Peekskill on August 9th, where Col. Rose was to establish headquarters and receive them.
Upon your arrival at Peekskill, Col. Rose had not arrived, and Major Burnett, of the Adjutant-General's Department, and a detachment from the Quartermaster Corps were in charge of the supplies.
You called me up from the camp, stating that the detachments from the 7th, 12th, 69th, and V. C. A. had arrved; that you were the Senior Officer present, and that there were approximately 179 officers and men of the V. C. A. at the camp. You stated that Col. Rose was not there, and that you had not been able to get in touch with him. I then directed you to take command of the camp and to see that every- thing necessary was done. I also told you that I would communicate with Col. Myers at the Arsenal and direct him to get in touch with Major Burnett, so that you would have all possible cooperation.
Later on, during the same day, I would say in the neighborhood of three o'clock in the afternoon, you again called me up at Albany. You reported that the men had had mess, that you wished to return to the city, and asked if you might turn the command over to Major Hodges of the Veteran Corps Artillery, he being the Senior
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Line Officer present. I told you that Major Hodges, being the ranking officer, might be put in command of the camp and that you might leave, turning over your orders to Major Hodges, and that I would receive you the next morning in Albany.
My recollection is that you did arrive in Albany the following morning, and that the subject of our telephone conversations of the previous day were there confirmed, but I think no written orders were issued referring to the matter, as the situation seemed to be fully covered by the original orders for mobilization.
Yours very truly,
S-BF
(Signed) LOUIS W. STOTESBURY formerly, The Adjutant-General State of New York.
MACHINE GUN COMPANY, 9TH C. A. C.
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T HAT section of the line of the Aqueduct patrolled by the men from the Veteran Corps of Artillery (part of the First Battalion, First Provisional Regiment, New York Guard) extended from the effluent north of the Kensico Dam to Hillview Reservoir, just above the New York City line. The orders issued required two companies of three officers and one hundred men each. The line covered was about fifteen miles long. This was a long line to be held by two hundred men (they relieved about twice that number). The suddenness of the call made necessary replace- ments from time to time, owing to the business and professional needs of the officers and men; and they served as they could for periods varying from one to forty-two days. Major Hodges and Captain Lane served for a year or more. The term of duty for the contingent began on August 7th, and the last contingent was re- lieved on September 17th. The pay-rolls of the First Prov. Regiment show that 667 officers and men of the Field, Staff and Provisional Batteries, V. C: A., participated in this duty. The map in front of book shows the location of the various posts and headquarters.
The whole line of the Aqueduct is replete with points especially susceptible to attack by an enemy equipped with explosives. These had all to be guarded day and night; and it was on or near these that the majority of fixed posts were located. Some of the country is rough-wooded-full of secluded glens and nooks, which seemed especially designed to favor the work of the sniper or conspirator. It was a matter of definite knowledge at that time that the crippling or destruction of the Aqueduct was part of the German war plan; and their total failure to do any damage whatever is assuredly due to its having been well guarded.
One of the achievements of the V. C. A. contingent was the mak- ing of a military survey of the entire Aqueduct, from the Hillview
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Reservoir, at the City Line, up the east side of the Hudson to Breakneck Tunnel, and the rest of the way on the west side to the effluent at the source, the Ashokan Reservoir in the Catskills. Until early in September Headquarters possessed no definite graphic knowledge of the military features of the terrain they were given to guard; these maps, on a scale of one foot to one mile, showed all the vulnerable points and other necessary detail which might enable the authorities to envisage the exigencies of the situa- tion. The east side was surveyed and the maps drawn by Frederick G. Clapp and William L. Somerville; the west side by Henry D. Brandyce and Chas. B. Bradbury. The map printed in this book was made by Captain Brandyce, based on these surveys.
The Southern Sector, from the New York City Line to the White Plains-Tarrytown Road, was held by Company A, divided into twenty posts. Company B was administered as two platoons, the one, under Lieutenant Perry, with headquarters at Elmsford, extending its nine posts northward to the mouth of the Eastview Tunnel; the other with Company Headquarters at Kensico Dam, reaching from the Kensico South Siphon to the Upper Effluent (six outposts) and to the Dam itself (four Interior Guard posts). Because of the unusually large number of vulnerable points to be taken care of, and the special importance of that part of the Aque- duct city-wards of the Kensico Reservoir, the proper protection of these fifteen miles by less than two hundred soldiers was a matter of some difficulty.
Week after week the work went on. Men to whom the physical exertions were a real hardship, at least in the beginning, stuck to their duties throughout and showed the best of all virtues, cheer- fulness and good humor. The experiences of one private told in the following pages is typical of them all. The private's story is told in his own words :
I joined the V. C. A. in April, 1917, and was assigned to the Fourth Company, then in process of formation. The first event of importance thereafter was the Joffre re- ception. Being a "rookie" with scarcely any drill, I did not expect to "show," but the day before the event. a gun was thrust into my hands, a drill-sergeant hammered
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me for ten minutes on "Present Arms" and I marched gaily forth to find myself, at the vital moment, a front rank private with nothing but air and two cops be- tween me and the great man, offering the only movement of the manual I knew on the Altar of Patriotic duty.
Officers came and went in the Fourth Company, but we always had Lieutenant Perry and Top Sergeant Backus, both later promoted. By the time we set out for City Island in August we were fairly well drilled, and except for the limitations of age, and physical defects inherent thereto, rather efficient. The spirit of the men was splendid. Men of high position in the business and social world would obey with alacrity orders to fetch and carry, and with never a complaint or growl would stand and meekly listen to reprimand and criticism, often times unjustly administered, with- out reply or defense. I used to marvel at their restraint, but there was always one answer, one reason; that which put them into uniform, most of them for the first time, "to do their bit" and help "win the war." I often thought that they were do- ing a harder job and showing more self-sacrifice than young men of no experience or achievement who were marching off to their first adventure. It took some self- control for an executive head of a great business to drop his pen three times a week and rush up town to be bossed around for an hour and a half by a youthful, and sometimes not tactful, non-com. But they did it, and the rolls will show how faithfully they did it.
Behold us at City Island and under canvas. There we first did Sentry go in real fashion, with many adventures and amusing incidents. I well remember on Post No. I at 2 o'clock A. M. trying to make P. Tecumseh Sherman understand that he could not cross through the lines without my permission. I made him understand it, but not before I had awakened every officer in the headquarters and brought him to the window. Then the inspections, new to us and consequently necessarily severe and to be dreaded. It was a funny sight to see bankers and merchants, lawyers and engineers, crawling around their tents looking for burnt matches, butts and like treas- ures to be concealed from the lynx-eyed inspectors. We always believed the cusses carried these things with them and planted them so as to have an excuse to nail us. True or false, they generally did find something to complain of.
The second day of duty we had "Colors" for the first time. It was to be a fine event, for we had naval visitors who were, of course, present at the ceremony.
Unfortunately none of us had ever officiated before. The bugler was worried at the importance of the occasion and didn't bugle well; the man at the halyards got them mixed and the Colors danced down; the officers saluted and the company did not know what to do, so some saluted, some didn't, and most changed their minds and did and didn't several times. It took several hours, seemingly, to get the Colors down, and then Top Sergeant Hastorf summed up the case. Facing the company, with every possible expression of contempt in his voice and mien, he spoke: "Hams! ! Dismissed!" and we slunk off like guilty school boys.
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One day, I think Tuesday, just after mess, when we were due for an hour's rest after a strenuous morning of work, we were rudely disturbed by the attempt of Sergeant Cazell to blow "Assembly." This was followed by the cries of various other non-coms bidding us hurry, all of which forced us from our repose and rushed us into formation. Perry, then Lieutenant and our commanding officer, stood before us, a telegram in his hand, which in a steady voice and with an eye flashing with martial ardor, he read aloud. It was an order to report in New York at once for active service, and we were to strike camp "instanter."
I think nothing showed more strikingly than the execution of this order the spirit of service actuating that bunch of business men, off for a week's holiday with soldiering on the side. Without a question or a moment's hesitation they went to packing and dismantling the Camp, and in an incredibly short time were ready to move. Vehicles had been provided, and by 7 o'clock the command was assembled at the 34th Street Armory.
Four or five of us, under Corporal Howard, had been left behind to bring down the arms and ammunition in a moving van, which did not put in an appearance. We fi- nally commandeered a Fifth Avenue bus which appeared unexpectedly on the scene, loaded the stuff aboard, climbed in on top of it and "set sail," reaching 34th Street not far behind the rest of the Battery.
I shall never forget the scene presented as I entered the Armory drill floor. All was hustle and confusion; men in uniform and out of uniform were hurrying in every minute and mingling with the crowd. Orators were orating, some with an audience of three or four, and others to larger groups. No one seemed to know what it was all about, and the wildest speculation was rampant. I was jostled out of my trance by one of our non-coms and hustled over to a far corner where I found the Fourth Battery assembled, and there learned that a sudden call had been made on us for duty on the Aqueduct, and that the Fourth had volunteered to a man: "How about you?" asked the "Top." About 10 o'clock we were dismissed for the night, to report at some ungodly hour in the morning. After most touching farewells to my family, I reported and hung about the Armory all day, the only redeeming feature of that day being the rehearsal of the Hippodrome Chorus, which was enjoyable. Inci- dentally we, having more lunch than needed, fed the members of the chorus with the excess. My haughty pride revolted at being detailed to serve coffee to a few hundred chorus ladies, but I did it and got some fun out of it. That night we were again dis- missed and assembled the next morning and formed into a provisional company under Captain Shurick, and Lieutenants Perry and Backus, and marched gaily to the G. C. D., where we entrained for Peekskill. On arriving at that place I managed to become the first casualty, by falling off the car steps with gun, blanket roll and other impedi- menta. I was really rather badly shaken up, and have not, to this day, fully re- covered from that fall. However, I was well looked after, and was very much im-
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pressed by the watchful care my officers exercised in regard to me during the next few days. It gave me great confidence in them.
We camped at Peekskill-a hideous night-and on the morrow embarked for our posts. Being a "casualty" I was not allowed to go with the Company, but was put in a car with "Casualty 2," a chap, Higgins, who had a "touch of the sun." Pri- vate Lloyd was put aboard for general reasons, and with the Doctor made up our complement. We had a fine ride to Elmsford, stopping on the way to eat a very good lunch, which was doubly acceptable after the sandwich diet of the last two days. Elms- ford was our destination, and we reached there ahead of the Company, but found Lieutenant Perry and one or two aides already there. A detachment of the Twenty- Third Regiment, which we were to relieve, was on duty. They were not hospitable, either men or officers, as far as I could judge. A temporary camp site was chosen, and those of us who had reported were put to work cutting out brush and marking the position of the tents to be erected. This work was scarcely completed when the Company arrived in trolleys. Immediately there was great excitement and con- fusion. The Top Sergeant Hastorf ran along from car to car reading the names of those who were assigned to Elmsford and those who were to go on. Everybody was asking, "Did he say Jones?" "Do you mean me?" "Isn't Robinson to stay here?" and the like unmilitary questions, to the Top's great disgust. I was read out for Elmsford and was glad of it, for I was too sore and tired to want to move. So I sat on the wall and enjoyed the rumpus. Details began unloading tents and equipage from a flat-car and piling them up beside me. Everybody was on the run, and every- body except the poor private shouting orders. Finally came "All aboard," and fran- tic scrambling for seats as the cars began to move. I suddenly became aware of a negro civilian standing in the middle of the road, a helpless look of indecision on his face, and he addressed me: "Boss, where do I go." I rushed at him and demanded who he was and where he was told to go. "I'se de cook," and then he added under his breath something about "dam." I grabbed him and hustled him to the last car and threw him aboard, priding myself on being 100% efficient. Then I limped back. God forgive me for that error of judgment which left an army to starve in a wilder- ness. Two cooks had started; one had deserted, namely the one who was to go to the Kensico Dam; the other was the lost soul I had put on the car. The "damn" I heard was the other kind, and I had unwittingly left my companions foodless. Tents up, we were marshalled into cars and taken to White Plains for dinner.
Returning, we staggered to bed, a pretty well worn-out bunch, but not to sleep. Oh, no. Contantly new men reported, and every time they did we were moved up to make "room for another," until I landed half in half out the canvas, a rock for a pil- low and a tent peg in the small of my back. The others said they had no sleep be- cause I snored! ! Snored! ! I was delirious with pain and anguish.
Next morning we were lined up and told that if we wanted food we could go into
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White Plains and get it at seventy-five cents per head; that the State allowed us only forty cents per dinner, and that our dinner the night before had cost two days' allow- ance; that if we wanted food we would have to pay for it, but that we would be allowed an hour to get it. Thankful for this, we made a rush for the next trolley and ate. The Y. M. C. A. also let us wash, free.
Lieutenant Perry evidently felt that the conditions were unjust, as on our return he called for volunteers to cook the dinner. Corporal Howard volunteered to cook and I to help him, and we were introduced to the kitchen. The stove was a hole in the ground, over which had been placed a piece of sheet iron, through which protruded a shaky piece of stovepipe. There were no cooking utensils and no food, and it was 10 o'clock. Howard foraged for food, and I found an old frying-pan ,a wash boiler and two pails. Our commissary had sent up some canned stuff, we stole potatoes, and served beans, boiled potatoes and coffee at 12 o'clock to about forty men. By this time I realized my crime in losing the cook, and I paid the penalty, stuck to the job for three days until a new cook could be kidnapped from New York. He arrived, took one look at the surroundings and started to bolt, but I clung to him, loved him and served him long enough to effect my own escape and retire to outpost duty.
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