USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine county in the world war > Part 3
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Our government, in common with its people, had been kept in ignorance of the straits in which the Allies found themselves in the spring of 1917. From the President down, our peo- ple believed the censored reports from France and England to the effect that the submarine blockade by Germany was a failure, and that the menace would soon be entirely removed by devices recently perfected.
Admiral William S. Sims, U. S. N., was sent to England late in March when it was seen that America would certainly be forced into the war by Germany's attitude. When he reached there, war had been declared and he was taken entirely into the confidence of the British ad- miralty. He was then informed frankly that "Germany was winning the war, and winning at a rate that means the unconditional sur- render of the British empire in four or five months."
The full statement of the extent of sub- marine sinkings had not been made public be- cause of the probable effect upon the Allied morale, and the fact that the Germans them-
selves did not know how successful their U-boats had been. The total sinkings in Feb- ruary, 1917, had been 536,000 tons; in March, 603,000 tons; and a destruction of 900,000 tons in April was anticipated. These figures were about three times as large as the ones publish- ed by the government. It was feared the situation would get much more serious, as it was becoming summer when the U-boats would have longer periods of daylight and fair weather in which to operate.
Admiral Sims, in his memoirs from which these facts are gleaned, said that he was as- tounded and asked Admiral Jellicoe if there was no remedy.
"Absolutely none that we can see," was the reply. "It is impossible for us to go on with the war if these losses continue."
Briefly, the situation was this: The trans- portation of supplies to the British army and navy, and the civilian population was being effectually stopped. The nation was threaten- ed with starvation. Not many U-boats oper- ated at sea at a time-perhaps not more than fifteen or twenty at the most, but they had the advantage of invisibility and could range around the British isles and as far south as the Mediterranean with safety. The length of their cruises was limited only by the number of torpedoes carried and used. About the only defense against them was the use of swift, shallow draught vessels of the destroyer or steam yacht type. These boats could approach them before they could submerge deeply, and drop depth bombs which would destroy them or put them out of commission if they explod- ed nearby.
But the Allies did not have enough of these vessels to convoy their merchant fleet effective- ly. Many were required to protect the high seas fleet and the transports. The Germans had deliberately sunk one or two hospital ships, knowing that the Allies would use destroyers to protect other hospital ships in the future. It was a barbarous thing to do, but the plan
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worked. Thereafter no more were attacked. Before America entered the war a large "mer- chant submarine" visited these shores, and af- ter we were in the war a naval submarine sunk a few ships off the New England coast in the hope that we would keep our destroyers at home to defend our own shipping. The Unit- ed States saw through this ruse, however, and did not allow itself to be led into abandoning the protection of vessels in the real danger zone off France and England.
Speaking of the situation in April, 1917, Admiral Sims says:
"What a dark moment in the history of the Allied cause: Not only were the German sub- marines sweeping British commerce from the seas, but the Germans were also defeating French and British armies in France. The high peak of success of the U-boats was achiev- ed at the very moment that General Nivell's offensive failed on the western front."
At this time, says Admiral Sims, Premier Lloyd George was the only high British official who was at all optimistic, and his view was explained by his faith in God and in a divine ordering of history which was so profound that a German victory never seized his mind as a probability.
In April 1917 the British had 200 destroyers. Of these 100 had to remain at all times with the grand fleet, prepared for battle in case the German fleet should leave its base. Of the remaining hundred, those that could be re- leased from other essential work to guard mer- chant shipping were pitifully inadequate to patrol the vast reaches of the Atlantic ocean,
British channel, Irish sea and the North sea.
The first work of America was to see that the Allies were not defeated. Therefore, the first request of Admiral Sims was that all available American destroyers and other light craft be ordered to Queenstown to cooperate with the British in their anti-submarine cam- paign. This was done, and immediate action was taken to build additional craft of similar or smaller types.
Two more steps were considered at once. One was the manufacture of vast quantities of mines, which at a future date could be used to cut off the exit of the German surface and submarine vessels from their bases. The oth- er was the construction of merchant shipping to replace that already destroyed. As a re- sult of the first work, a "mine barage" was almost completed from Scotland to Norway before the war ended-a task so stupendous that the ability of the Allies to perform it had not even been considered prior to America's entry into the war. In regard to the other plan, it was working out in magnificant style during the following year, when millions of tons of shipping were turned out by the typic- ally Yankee method of manufacturing stand- ardized parts for ships in factories all over the country, and then assembling them into the completed ship in a few weeks at yards on the coast.
But the use of the destroyer fleet was the first big naval assistance given the Allies, and it began to turn the tide against the Central Power at once and contributed largely to their ultimate defeat.
CHAPTER V
RACINE NATIONAL GUARD MEN CALLED
F OR eighteen years following the Spanish- American war, Racine county had no representation in the National Guard. Lack of a suitable building for armory pur- poses was one of the main reasons why Wis- consin's second largest city had not maintain- ed a military company.
The World War broke out in August, 1914. Far-sighted citizens who were interested in National Guard matters to a greater or less degree, began to feel that America might get involved in the conflict and that it would be wise to plan for the establishment of Guard organizations in all of the cities of the state. The matter dragged along for a year and a half. The federal government apparently hesi- tated to provide for larger defensive forces. President Wilson constantly urged, with all the eloquence at his command, that the people of America be neutral in thought, word and deed and there was a pretty general feeling that Wilson would keep us out of the war, as he had up to that time.
In 1916 the Mexican situation became too serious to be longer ignored. The Mexican government was powerless to control the bandit and revolutionary forces which swarmed in the mountains and plains near the Texas border, and these bands of armed men made frequent forays on the American side of the Rio Grande, stealing and slaying.
Most of the regular army was sent to the border and the National Guard was told to pre- pare for a call into federal service in June, 1916. Authority was given to increase the number of companies, and under this order Major Westfahl of Milwaukee offered to allow his battalion of field artillery to be completed by the raising of a Battery at Racine if so desired there.
Immediate steps were taken to see if the battery could be recruited. Captain Henry C. Baker, a veteran guardsman and then chief of police was a leader in the movement. The probability of active service at the border prov-
ed a sufficient incentive, and within a few weeks the necessary 110 men had enlisted and been accepted. In June, 1916, the Adjutant General of the state approved the organization at an inspection in the Commercial Club rooms, and the next day the governor commis- sioned as captain, George W. Rickeman, a vet- eran officer of the Spanish-American war. James W. Gilson and Richard Drake, were named first lieutenants. Richard G. Bryant was named second lieutenant, and a few weeks later Harry J. Sanders was also named as sec- ond lieutenant.
Drills were held twice a week at the Lake- side Auditorium. The older guard organiza- tions from other parts of the state were called into federal service and dispatched to the Mex- ican border in July. The Racine unit, now known as Battery C, 1st Wisconsin Field Artil- lery, expected to follow shortly. Its officers and a number of men were detailed to go to Texas and take part in the maneuvres there with Battery A of Milwaukee until their own battery should be called ont. They remained three weeks or more, some men staying for several months.
August 14, 1916, the Battery was ordered to Camp Douglas, Wis., but as there were no guns or horses for it, the men spent days in foot drill and then were sent back to Racine. Nothing more was done about providing equip- ment, excepting uniforms, so these boys missed their first chance to see action. The rest of the Guard returned from the border duty in the winter.
After quite a campaign of oratory, the peo- ple of the city voted at a special election to have the city build a $50,000 armory, and au- thorized a bond issue of that amount so that the battery could obtain guns and horses from the government. Before it could be built, it was decided by some of the city officials that it would be better to put more money with the $50,000 and erect a structure large enough to use for public auditorium purposes. Eventu-
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THE WORLD WAR
ally this was put up to the people, but the re- quest for authority to issue $100,000 bonds ad- ditional was defeated. Before the council could get busy again on the $50,000 building project, the National Guard had started for France and the whole proposition was allowed to drop.
In April, 1917, war was declared against Germany. The National Guard quota was again increased and all organizations ordered to be filled to war strength. Battery C was recruited to 200 men, and it was decided to have another battery in Racine to complete the 1st Wisconsin artillery regiment. The work continued, the Battery C members acting as re- cruiting agents. There were also three or four public meetings held. One, on the ex- treme south side, resulted in the enlistment of a score of Polish young men. One at Union Grove added a dozen men to the battery from that village and surrounding towns.
A month after war was declared the new battery was completed, assigned to the regi- ment as Battery F, and began drilling three times a week under direction of Battery C of- ficers. On June 16, the governor promoted Captain Rickeman to major, and made the fol- lowing promotions and assignments :
Battery C.
1st Lieut. Richard G. Bryant to be captain.
2nd Lieut. Harry J. Sanders to be 1st lieu- tenant .
Ludwig Kuehl to be 1st lieutenant.
Sergt. Harry J. Herzog to be 2nd lieutenant.
Pvt. Harrison L. Clemons to be 2nd lieuten- ant.
Battery F.
1st Lieut. James W. Gilson to be captain. Hugo A. Rickeman to be 1st lieutenant. Walter L. Haight to be 1st lieutenant.
Harry C. Stearns to be 2nd lieutenant. George H. Wallace to be 2nd lieutenant.
All of Battery F officers had been members of Battery C. Lieutenant Bryant had become the senior officer in Battery C when Captain Rickeman was promoted, due to the prior resig- nation of Lieutenant Drake. The officers at- tended a two weeks' school of instruction at Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, the last two weeks in June, 1917.
While the Batteries were being completed, Dr. William W. Johnston of Racine was asked to raise a motor ambulance company in the city to become a part of the National Guard. The work proceeded as rapidly as expected and the full quota of 143 officers and enlisted men was obtained by early in July. Dr. Johnston was commissioned 1st lieutenant and given
command, Drs. William Salbreiter, William J. Hanley, Clarence O. Del Marcelle and Luther N. Schnetz, were given commissions as lieu- tenants and assigned to the company when Lieutenant Johnston was promoted to captain and the company ordered to report at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, on July 30, 1917.
Batteries C and F left Racine for Camp Douglas on July 2d to join the rest of the artillery regiment, which was composed of Green Bay and Milwaukee units. The occa- sion was a dramatic one. The country had begun to see that the United States would have to engage in active hostilities against Germany and it was anticipated that the Na- tional Guard would be sent overseas as soon as transports could be provided. Parents did not know whether they would ever see their boys again, or if they should, whether it might be years before they would be reunited. The en- tire city turned out to watch the soldiers' de- parture.
The batteries answered roll call at the Audi- torium at 6 o'clock in the morning. All the recruits, including all of Battery F, were with- out uniforms. They carried home-made kit bags containing toilet articles and a few per- sonal belongings. None were loaded up with surplus baggage, and most of them showed by their countenances that they realized that the adventure they were starting upon might be a tragic one.
Shortly before 7 o'clock the two batteries, headed by a drum corps composed of members of the two units, marched up Third street to College avenue, then to Seventh Street and east to Main street, going then between two lines of massed humanity to the C. M. & St. P. railroad, where a special train was awaiting them. The G. A. R. and Spanish-American War Veterans acted as escort of honor. Fif- teen minutes was allowed in the depot yards . for a last farewell. Then came the command to get aboard, and within two or three more min- utes the long train had started on its trip to Camp Douglas, with Racine's first contribu- tion-410 picked young men-to the great war.
Fully 30,000 persons saw the boys depart. Main Street and the vicinity of the railroad depot were a solid mass of humanity. State street and Fourth street bridges were jammed from the girders to overhead arches. Along the railroad right-of-way people crowded near the tracks to shout a farewell to the boys. The fences were lined with men, women and children almost the entire distance to Corliss.
An almost equal demonstration was given on July 30th when the ambulance company started for Camp Douglas.
RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
31
NATIONAL GUARD UNITS WERE FIRST TO GO, AND MEMORABLE SCENES MARKED THEIR DEPARTURE
The parading of troops in the streets, the entertainments and the packing up, the good-byes and the drilling, were every day occurrences in the opening days of the war. The batteries recruited up to war strength and spent much time drilling. On the day of departure the men, some in uniform and some in "civvies," all with packs and bags, marched to the St. Paul station to leave for Camp Douglas. The pictures show Milwaukee batteries of the 21st Field Artillery off for war.
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RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
As the government had not yet completed the construction of its mobilization camps, the Wisconsin National Guard was kept at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin, the state reservation, for some time. The men were equipped with uni- forms, and the Racine batteries began the long period of intensive training that was to fit them for overseas service. The older Milwau- kee and Green Bay batteries had obtained four 3-inch field pieces and caissons apiece, and the regiment had some sixty horses, which were utilized by all the batteries in turn for drill purposes.
In addition to the artillery regiment, there were six regiments of infantry and two brig- ade headquarters, a regiment of cavalry, a battalion each of engineers and signal corps and three ambulance companies. The total strength August 5th was 15,266 men.
Captain William Mitchell Lewis of Racine, who had commanded Company F of this city during the Spanish-American war, offered his services to the state in any capacity desired, and he was commissioned a major and given command of the battalion of the signal corps.
Rev. Frederick S. Penfold of St. Luke's church was appointed chaplain and assigned to the 1st Field Artillery. Dr. Frank H. Fancher was commissioned 1st lieutenant in the dental corps, and Dr. Roy W. Smith was 2nd lieutenant in the veterinary corps, both being attached to the artillery regiment.
B. F. Crandall of Racine was commissioned 1st lieutenant in the signal corps and served as adjutant for Major Lewis.
There were also quite a number of Racine men who enlisted in Milwaukee companies of the National Guard because they preferred other branches of the service to the artillery.
Members of the guard went through the required physical examinations, innoculation against typhoid and para-typhoid, and vaccina- tion against smallpox. On July 15th both batteries were mustered into federal service and during the month that followed the entire guard went through the same ceremony. On August 5th an act of congress disbanded the National Guard as such and all members were drafted into the United States army, although National Guard units continued to be designa- ted by that title for several months in offcial orders. The following spring all distinction between regulars, guardsmen, reserve officers in service and selective service men was drop- ped officially, as the frequent shifting of men due to the enlarging of units, replacement of casualties and changes in organizations made it impossible to keep the regiments filled with men from the various parent bodies. For in-
stance, 1,500 men from the Wisconsin Guard regiments were transferred in a body to the 1st division, generally termed a Regular Army division, before that organization, went into a battle.
After six weeks at Camp Douglas, Battery F was selected as one of a number of organi- zations to precede the rest of the Guard to Camp MacArthur, Waco, Texas, and prepare the camp there for the balance of the troops. It had but two days' notice of the plan, and most of the boys did not have time to say good-bye to their folks, although many people visited Camp Douglas from Racine during the training period there. On September 12th the rest of the 1st Artillery regiment, including Battery C, arrived at Waco and by the latter part of the month the Wisconsin contingent was all present and had been joined by the Michigan National Guard. State officials of both states had protested against taking the men so far away from home for training, but the war department believed it was the better policy as no provision could be made for hous- ing men at Camp Douglas. At Waco tents were comfortable for most of the year. The climate was mild all year around excepting for occasional freezing spells in winter and fre- quent dust storms in the autumn.
The Wisconsin and Michigan units were combined into the 32nd division, U. S. army. The regiments were enlarged and renumbered. The Wisconsin infantry regiments formed the 127th and 128th infantry, as well as portions of the divisional supply, sanitary and ammuni- tion trains, and military police companies. The 1st Wisconsin Field Artillery regiment be- came the 121th Heavy Field Artillery, and the 1st Wisconsin cavalry was transformed into the 120th Field Artillery. There was much mourning over the loss of old regimental identi- ties, particularly in the infantry, and at the wholesale shifting of officers entailed. But the government declined to consider personal de- sires or sentimental arguments.
For the next three months the division drill- ed steadily for six days a week from sunrise to sunset and were not entirely idle on the seventh day. At Christmas time it was de- clared ready for combat service, and was the picture of efficiency and strength. As yet the artillery had not received its guns, which were to be furnished in France.
Transports were not ready, however, the di- vision waited impatiently until January when the entrainment for Camp Merritt began. The artillery and ambulance companies left in Feb- ruary, the batteries entraining February 5th.
They remained at Camp Merritt for almost
RACINE COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR
33
CAMP DOUGLAS BECAME THE SCENE OF UNPRECEDENTED ACTIVITY IN JULY, 1917
Active military training began when the troops arrived at the state reservation. The men were given uniforms and rifles and camp equipment and were started into a period of dr.lling and army practice which continued at Camp MacArthur, Texas, until the next January. Hundreds went to Camp Douglas to see their soldier friends and relatives and the camp scenes shown above were as familiar to Racine civilians, almost as to the boys themselves.
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a month, during which many of the men were quarantined for scarlet fever or mumps. Most of them were released by March 1st, but a number were left there and went to France in casual detachments a few weeks later.
Some of the first units of the division sailed in January on the transport "Tuscania," which was torpedoed and sunk off Ireland. Thirty Wisconsin lives were lost in the disaster. The artillery brigade, including the Racine batter- ies, boarded the transport "Leviathan," former- ly the giant German liner "Vaterland," and sailed for France March 4, 1918.
They landed at Liverpool six days later, en- trained for a rest camp at Winchester, Eng- land, crossed the English channel from South- hampton to LeHavre five days later, and after three days at Camp Sanvic entrained for Guer, in Brittany, where they were provided with French 155 mm. howitzers. For two months
they studied gunnery and the science of artil- lery under French instructors, firing every day. on the range. They were then ordered to join the rest of the division, which had been scat- tered through various training camps in France.
On June 8, Battery F entrained for Belfort and on June 11th its guns were in position near Bretton, across the frontier in old Alsace, with the remainder of the personnel at Ettonfont-le- bas, the rear echelon position. From that time on its history is closely connected with that of the 32nd division, and is given more in detail in later pages of this book.
Battery C, like certain other selected units of the brigade, was ordered to report to an officers' training camp to act as school bat- tery temporarily. The ambulance company from Racine preceded Battery F into the Bel- fort sector. Their records also will be recount- ed on other pages.
CHAPTER VI VOLUNTEERS JOIN THE COLORS
V OLUNTARY recruiting for the Regular Army, Navy, National Guard, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps was begun energetically immediately after the declaration of war, but at no time was the great effort put forth in this direction that marked similar situations in the Civil war or even the Spanish- American war. There were several reasons for not depending entirely on volunteers.
First, the people of the whole world had be- come intimately acquainted with the disagree- able side of warfare through reading accounts of the European conflict for nearly three years. Glamor of army service from the standpoint of pure adventure or romantic excitement was missing among most people, just as it wears off after actual service in the field. No one could look on this war as any sort of picnic. They knew only too well what modern warfare meant in terms of casualties.
Second, the United States planned to put in the field such a large army that it was out of the question to raise it quickly by voluntary enlistment, judging by the speed of such en- listments during the Mexican trouble in 1916 or in previous wars. The selective service act was the only means of getting as many men as were wanted, just exactly as rapidly as they were needed, and no faster.
Third, as a matter of justice all military experts were opposed to the idea of putting the burden of fighting the nation's battles upon the men who felt the obligation to offer them- selves. All who claimed to be American citi- zens should bear their share. Also, many might volunteer who could help more efficiently by remaining on jobs at which they were ex- pert.
Fourth, the Selective Service act was before congress right after war was declared, and many men who might otherwise have enlisted felt that they were acting entirely within their moral and legal rights if they waited until the government asked for them, and occupied the intervening time in arranging their affairs so
as to suffer as little material loss as possible from their service. At no time did the gov- ernment question the fairness of this view- point.
On the other hand the army and navy need- ed men at once for the purpose of bringing regular establishments to a war basis, and men who volunteered their services gained some advantages by doing so. They were pretty sure to see early service overseas. They could generally pick the branch of serv- ice they desired to go in, and wherever possi- ble they were permitted to join the regiments they selected. Only men of perfect physique were permitted to enlist; many who were re- jected upon attempting to do so returned home only to be drafted and sent to camps a few weeks later to serve with the National army.
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