Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. II, Part 84

Author: Carroll, Charles, author
Publication date: 1932
Publisher: New York : Lewis historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 716

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Of Spanish-American War colors at the State House, besides the flags of the First Rhode Island Infantry and of the First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Batteries A and B, are those of the U. S. S. "Sarah Bruen" and U. S. mortar schooner "Rachel Seaman," both of which were manned by the Rhode Island Naval Battalion.

THE WORLD WAR-Save for the suppression of the Aguinaldo insurrection in the Philip- pines, the United States had been at peace for over fifteen years when the beginning of the World War in 1914 was announced through flashes on newspaper bulletin boards. From the crowd gathered in front of one newspaper office in Providence an agent for one of the largest textile corporations in Rhode Island, who had read the announcement, turned away and walked off hurriedly. For several hours afterward he was busy in placing orders by telegraph and long distance telephone for raw cotton and other supplies. His company faced almost financial embarrassment temporarily by reason of the volume of his purchases, but within a month his associates realized that his prompt action in buying at prices prevailing on the day that war was declared, not only had relieved the factories of doubt as to the source of raw material, but also had assured magnificent profits through prospective sales at prices for manufactured goods which were rising rapidly as agents for countries at war entered the American markets as pur- chasers. Another who read the bulletin, agent for a chemical house, bought available supplies of khaki dye and raw materials used in its manufacture; the chemical corporation reaped a tre- mendous profit through its control of the market for a color wanted in almost unlimited quan- tities. As a manufacturing state, Rhode Island experienced, almost immediately after the open- ing of the war, a quickened movement, short-time summer schedules were abandoned for full time, first, and later overtime was the prevailing order as production was speeded up to meet an unprecedented demand for most Rhode Island staple lines for export. Cotton, woolen and worsted cloth, iron and steel and rubber goods were wanted, and Rhode Island had facilities for producing them. When the manufacture of munitions was undertaken, jewelers found ready employment in assembling containers for explosives, and many jewelry shops were transformed temporarily into factories for the manufacture of hand grenades and bombs. Emotional sym- pathy for either group of contestants in the European War was developed in rather leisurely

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fashion ; the war was 3000 miles away, and had been precipitated by quarrels, some of them dynastic, which for the time being apparently did not concern America seriously except as war made business good, excellent as a matter of fact in Rhode Island, because of the market cre- ated for American goods. Rhode Island's first interest was economic and principally financial.

The early rapid advance of the German armies confirmed the iteration of irresistible Teu- tonic thoroughness and efficiency which had been accepted in America as true since the Franco- Prussian War. For a while America awaited announcement that the war had ended with the Kaiser in possession of Paris and dictating thence terms of peace to France, Belgium, England and Russia. America expected another congress of European nations and a readjustment of European national boundaries with the purpose of restoring the diplomatic balance of power. Then from the smoke of battle emerged the heroism of Belgium and the unconquerable Car- dinal Mercier in the ruins of Louvain, the dogged persistence of a "ridiculous" little British army which did not know that it had been beaten and which was sacrificed in France while time was sought to recruit another and replace it, and the mighty military strategy of Joffre and Petain at the Marne. America rang with "They shall not pass!" Paris had been saved, and Teutonic efficiency had been checkmated. Still America hesitated. The Allies had halted the German advance, but were themselves unable to undertake an effective offensive movement.

Once more the end of the war seemed near, when one afternoon a newspaper bulletin announced that the Germans were throwing explosive shells into Paris from a distance estimated as seventy-five miles. Meanwhile, however, a resentful public opinion hostile to Germany was being developed in America as tales of German cruelty, albeit thoroughness, were printed in the newspaper press. America was plodding on, business the order of the day, and business took precedence over emotion and sympathy. Rhode Island was very much part of and like America, because Rhode Island was very busy. But not all of Rhode Island had been unre- sponsive. Professor Henri F. Micoleau of Brown University sailed for France on receiving news of the war ; he joined his regiment in the French reserve, and was killed at the Battle of the Marne. Others also, Americans and Rhode Islanders by birth, found their way to Europe, or to Canada to join the expeditionary forces being recruited there. One also there was, citizen of the world and of Rhode Island, John R. Rathom, editor of the "Providence Journal," who seemed to have penetrated Teutonic purposes at the outset, and who uncovered and exposed German propaganda at work in the United States. Using the resources of a great newspaper, Rathom gathered and published evidence connecting German agents with the destruction of American factories engaged in producing ammunition and other supplies which would be used in neutral trade and reach the Allies rather than Germans eventually because of the blockade, and indicating the participation of German diplomatic agents in alleged plots involving the neutrality of the United States. The "Journal" achieved unique international distinction at the time, and became one of the most powerful influences molding American public opinion, and particularly public opinion in Rhode Island. Followed the German ruthless submarine cam- paign, the destruction of the "Lusitania" and of American vessels engaged in legitimate com- merce. The war, which in 1914 had seemed far away, 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, was brought very near to Rhode Island when, on October 7, 1916, the "U-53," a German sub- marine, sailed into Newport harbor "to post a letter," and then sailed out again, without viola- tion of neutrality. The next day six unarmed merchant vessels were torpedoed by a subma- rine or submarines near Nantucket. The "Deutschland," German submarine, visited New London on November 1, 1916.

RHODE ISLAND PREPARED-Rhode Island had been preparing for war. In 1916 it appeared that war with Mexico was imminent, possibly as a threat or diversion in the strategy of world diplomacy to prevent American adhesion to the cause of the Allies and participation with them in the war against the Teutonic powers. The latter was indicated by increasing tenseness in the

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relations between the United States and Germany because of utter disregard by the German sub- marine commanders of the inviolability of neutral commerce under international law. On June 3, 1916, 53,000 men and women, carrying small American flags, marched in a "preparedness parade" in Providence. The procession, besides being the largest in the history of the state, was remarkable for the steady pace without interruption at which unbroken divisions poured unceas- ingly over the route of march. It was a magnificent demonstration of loyalty and a significant gesture of unanimity. Scarcely two weeks had passed when President Wilson, on June 18, ordered the Rhode Island militia mobilized for service on the Mexican border. Early in the morning of the day on which orders were received, Battery A, Field Artillery, Captain Everitte S. Chaffee, in heavy marching order and with complete equipment, had begun a two weeks tour of practice duty in the field. From this it was recalled and ordered to Quonset Point to prepare as rapidly as possible for departure for the southwest. The battery moved on June 29, and on the following day entrained at Davisville for Fort Bliss, twelve miles from El Paso, Texas. Battery A was the contingent in the Rhode Island National Guard that continued the life and traditions of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery, chartered in 1801, and known as the "Mother of the Rhode Island Batteries." From the Marine Artillery had been recruited at the beginning of the Civil War the First Rhode Island Battery, which was engaged at Bull Run. From the Marine Artillery Armory, recruited through the initiative of the Corps, had gone also nine other Rhode Island batteries, known, respectively, as Batteries A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, in the Rhode Island Light Artillery, and Tenth Battery, a total of 2373 fighting men and officers, of whom 379 were killed, wounded or reported as missing. As Battery A, a contingent of 110 men and officers had enlisted for the Spanish-American War, nearly one-quarter of whom after discharge reenlisted for service in the Philippines. In 1916 Battery A was first away for whatever might happen to be its mission somewhere 2500 miles from home along the Rio Grande. Battery A was not engaged in actual fighting ; the prospective war with Mexico evap- orated when the United States made a convincing demonstration of preparedness. The Rhode Island battery was assigned to the Fifth Field Artillery and brigaded with the Eighth United States Regiment, regulars. With the exception of one battery from New Mexico, Battery A was the only National Guard unit appraised as ready for brigading with regular troops and for immediate service. Of eighty-five batteries of field artillery from the National Guard of the several states called to the border in 1916, Chaffee's Rhode Island battery received the highest military rating. The Rhode Island cavalry, also fully equipped and mounted, was ordered to the border on July 8, 1916, and rendered creditable service on patrol and other duty as assigned. Both artillery and cavalry received on the border in four months of 1916 excellent and intensive training, which was valuable preparation for the service to which they were called in 1917.

Other preparation preceded the declaration of war against Germany by Congress on April 6, 1917. Six companies of coast artillery of the National Guard were mobilized in February, and assigned to guarding railroads and bridges, reservoirs and other public property. Battery A and coast guard companies were ordered to recruit to war strength in March. Immediately after the declaration of war steel nets were stretched across the entrances to Narragansett Bay as a protection against submarines. Volunteers were called for by President Wilson in anticipa- tion of the draft through which a national army was to be raised, and large numbers of young men flocked to recruiting stations maintained by army and navy and the Corps of Marines. Many went from other parts of Rhode Island to Newport to enter the navy. The National Guard was called for mustering into the service of the United States. Authorization to recruit Battery A as a battalion of three batteries was obtained, and the work went forward rapidly. About the senior organization as a corps, three batteries, A, B and C, were gathered by volun- tary enlistment. The Marine Corps of Artillery, through its active representative, Battery A, Rhode Island National Guard, was still the "Mother of Rhode Island Batteries." Batteries A, B and C became part of the One Hundred Third Regiment, Fifty-first Brigade, Twenty-sixth

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or Yankee Division, Major General Clarence R. Edwards commanding, and all participated in active service on the western front. As part of the Yankee Division, they were among the first Americans, other than regular army and marine corps contingents, to go overseas and to par- ticipate in actual fighting. The Rhode Island Squadron of Cavalry, except Troops B and M, went forward with the Yankee Division as the One Hundred Third Machine Gun Battery, under command of Major Walter G. Gatchell. Troop B became the One Hundred First Supply Train, Captain Davis G. Arnold commanding. Troop M was consolidated with the battalion of Field Artillery in the One Hundred Third Regiment. The Rhode Island Ambulance Company was transferred to the Yankee Division as an ambulance contingent. Rhode Island units which were first away were mobilized on July 25, 1917, when 3898 men paraded in Providence before leaving for Quonset Point. The next movement was to Boxford, Massachusetts.

RHODE ISLAND OVERSEAS-Batteries A and B sailed October 9 from New York via Hal- ifax for Liverpool on the steamship "Baltic." They crossed England by rail from Liverpool to Southampton, and the Channel to Havre on steamship "Viper," October 29-30. Their first camp in France was at Coetquidan, where the batteries, reorganized as heavy artillery, were armed with French 155-millimeter* howitzers instead of the three-inch field pieces with which they had been equipped while in the National Guard. At Coetquidan active preparation was begun for participation in the trench and siege warfare along the Western front. Battery C was sent south from Boxford in September to Newport News. Captain Chaffee followed with Bat- tery D of the One Hundred Third Regiment. Captain Chaffee was promoted to be Major, and placed in command of Camp Hill at Newport News. A detachment of Battery C, with 1000 mules and horses, sailed from Newport News for France on October 21 on the transport "Panaman." Other detachments of Battery C, with other consignments of horses and mules, sailed successively on the steamships "Arcadian," "El Sol," and "Sewanee." Eventually Bat- tery C was reunited with respect to detachments and with Batteries A and B at Coetquidan. Major Chaffee reached Coetquidan in January. Batteries A, B and C received intensive instruc- tion in handling and firing the howitzers, in range firing, in establishing and maintaining com- munication, and in all the details of service that make a well-trained and efficient artilleryman. Other units of the Yankee Division, including the Rhode Island cavalry, reorganized as the One Hundred Third Machine Gun Battery, light artillery, were in the same neighborhood, all preparing under the direction of instructors, assigned from the French army, for active service. The Yankee Division moved on February 4, 1918, from its training camps to the Chemin-des- Dames sector. To Battery A had fallen the honor of being the first National Guard unit to fire the new French howitzers in practice, and it was also the first, on February II, 1918, to send a shell into the German lines. On April 7, 1917, the day following the declaration of war, four squadrons of Rhode Island naval reserves were ordered to Boston for the navy. Commander Richard E. Byrd, at the time, was instructor of naval militia in Rhode Island, and was active in preparation and recruiting the reserve to war strength. In June the construction of a training camp for 6000 naval recruits was begun at Newport.

THE SELECTIVE DRAFT-Had there been no valid military reason for avoiding the rivalries and jealousies and the errors of other wars coincident to raising armies consisting of units enlisted by states and commanded, in the first instance, by officers appointed by state governors, perhaps the exalted idealism of President Wilson and his effort to interpret the "new democ- racy" for the American people would have persuaded Congress to order a registration of men of military age and a selective draft. As it was, army officers, trained to national ideas at West Point, had recognized the deficiencies of state recruiting, and the representatives of the Allies who came to America immediately after the declaration of war stressed nothing more certainly, along with the desirability of raising an effective American army promptly and placing it over-

*Approximately six inches plus.

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seas at the earliest possible moment, than the necessity for maintaining America's productive power unimpaired. Thus military expediency pointed to the conclusion which President Wilson must have reached in his approach from philosophy, that the drafting of an army is more demo- cratic than volunteering because the responsibility for service is thus more definitely imposed upon all of the people. Eventually, as the reconstruction of the social and economic order pro- ceeded in relation to military necessity, every citizen found his place in an intricate system of national defence established practically upon a legal basis. Those who were not drafted and sent to the colors were assigned positions in the economic organization. In January, 1918, the Gen- eral Assembly enacted a "work or fight" statute, the enforcement of which was aimed at loafers and slackers.

The first national registration day was set for June 5, 1917, when men of ages twenty-one to thirty were enrolled as the first preliminary for the draft. On that day 53,000 Rhode Island- ers registered. Later each man enrolled furnished detailed information, in the form of answers to an exhaustive questionnaire, to be used in the process of selecting those preferred for draft- ing. Governor Beeckman ordered a military census of youth and men over sixteen years of age, and of women from sixteen to sixty years of age, which was taken on June II. The national draft was selective in the sense that men of military age were classified in ways emphasizing health and physical ability for military service, occupation or training for occupation, and the responsibility of the person for the support of members of a family dependent on him. The exposure and severe physical strains attending modern warfare urged the wisdom of rejecting men who were not in perfect health and strength ; men who were sick or who suffered from dis- abilities were not wanted at the front to increase the burdens of hospitals. The war was an economic as well as a military struggle, and America, as an effective associate of the Allies, must continue food production and manufacturing of useful articles without abatement ; hence men engaged in "necessary" occupations were sent back to work. Besides that, it was easier to train raw recruits to be reasonably good soldiers in a short time than to replace skilled mechan- ics. In the crisis of war an increase of public dependency must be restricted so far as possible to the victims of warfare; hence men with dependent families were excused.

In the allocation of draft quotas states and divisions of states were credited with voluntary enlistments following the declaration of war in any military or naval service of the United States. The town of Barrington was exempt from the first draft because enlistments had exceeded the town quota. Rhode Island enlistments preceding the order for the draft had been 64.6 percent of the state quota, which was far above the average for the country; eventually, with 5998 enlistments against a quota of 6277, only 4.5 percent of the Rhode Island quota was obtained by the first draft. The contingent for the new army left Rhode Island in three groups, III on September 5, 884 on September 19, and 884 on October 3. The preparation for the first draft disclosed one condition which was not highly satisfactory. Of 9379 men called for phys- ical examinations, 6309, or 62.27 percent, were accepted, and 3070, or 32.73 percent, were rejected as unfit. The percentage of rejections was exceeded only by Pennsylvania, Connecti- cut, Vermont, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Massachusetts, and Delaware, that is, four other New England states, two coal mining states of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and Delaware. The first draftees were splendid young men, in the vigor of wholesome, healthy manhood, and they went to camp, as a rule, with light hearts and few cares, as if starting on a great adventure. America had risen to save democracy for the world, and America had begun to sing, as in other wars, besides patriotic anthems, the carefree lilt of "Tipperary," the cheering "Smile, Smile, Smile," the comforting "Keep the Home Fires Burning," the yearning "Long, Long Trail," and eventually the strident, triumphant "Over There," the last written by a dis- tinguished native son of Rhode Island, George M. Cohan.

Following the first registration, two others were ordered by Congress, one on June 5, 1918, of men who had attained majority within the preceding year, and another, on September 12,

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1918, of men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five who had not been enrolled previously. The total registration in Rhode Island was 134,515, of whom 94,822 under age thirty-six were classified on the basis of answers to questionnaires. Of the 94,822 registrants classified, 66,005 were exempt, as follows: Necessary occupations, 505 in agriculture and 3048 in industry ; dependent families, 35,859; aliens, 11,738; in service, 5631 ; physical disabilities, 7181 ; other causes, 2043. Only 710 of 12,148 men called for final examination were rejected. The selective draft included workers as well as soldiers. In February, 1918, 5000 men were enrolled in Rhode Island for service in shipyards in the construction of the fleet of merchant vessels planned to offset losses by submarine warfare. In March, 182 machinists, chauffeurs and draftsmen were drawn to go to Kelley Field at San Antonio, Texas. The drawing of soldiers continued. In April, 817 left for Camp Dix at Wrightstown, New Jersey. Earlier in the same month a flag was raised in honor of the 12,000 men who within a year after the declaration of war had entered military or naval service. The 12,000 were equivalent to twelve regiments of the old standard of 1000 men. In June, 1257 Rhode Islanders left for Camp Meade, in Maryland, and a month later, 1275 more went to Camp Upton, besides 219 negroes, who were sent to Camp Devens. The quota to be drafted in July, 1918, was announced as 1800. Altogether Rhode Islanders who were engaged in some military or naval service during the war numbered close to 29,000 .* Rhode Island State College reported at the end of 1917 that sixty-three percent of men students had gone to the colors ; the college furnished an unusual number of officers because of the training received in the cadet battalion. One student who left shortly after war was declared to enlist in the navy rose during the war to command a destroyer; Lieutenant Com- mander Emmet Driscoll of Rhode Island and Rhode Island State College was the youngest naval officer in charge of a vessel during the war. Brown University also had witnessed the same departure of students that had occurred during the Revolutionary, Civil and Spanish- American wars. Both colleges received contingents of the student training corps established by the War Department, and during the war period were practically under military law, as the student corps was commanded and directed by United States army officers. Brown University, as a war measure in 1918, announced an all-year program without summer vacations, thus to enable students to complete the course for graduation in three years instead of four.

HOME FIRES KEPT BURNING-The home spirit during the war was magnificent, and the people responded generously and enthusiastically to every call for service, sacrifice or money. In April, 1917, a campaign to promote the naturalization of so many as possible of the 44,000 aliens living in Rhode Island was started. An analysis of the registration of aliens in the first enrollment on June 5, 1917, showed that more than four-fifths of alien men of ages between twenty-one and thirty were of national origins that classified them with the Allies. The number of draft evaders and of persons arrested as active sympathizers with the Teutonic powers was small, in view of the very thorough censorship and espionage established. Among other war measures. public officers executed a new engagement of service, and the State Board of Educa- tion prescribed a "Pledge of Loyalty" for public school teachers. In tribute to the loyalty of the public school teachers it should be recorded that only two of nearly 4000 questioned the form of the pledge, and that these two with all their colleagues in public education service took the pledge by oath or affirmation. The pledge of loyalty has been prescribed since the war as one of the requirements for certification. The study of German language and literature was practically banished from the public schools during the war, and after the lapse of a dozen years has not regained the place which it once held in the curriculum. To the suggestion that German propaganda had been permitted to reach the public's children through textbooks, the Commis- sioner of Education responded with an inquiry, and appointed a commission of superintendents to examine all books used for instruction or reference. The commission found that there was little in the books used in Rhode Island that might be interpreted as propaganda, though there

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Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. II, Part 84

Author: Carroll, Charles, author Publication date: 1932 Publisher: New York : Lewis historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 716

Author: Carroll, Charles, author
Publication date: 1932
Publisher: New York : Lewis historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 716