Trench and camp. (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, October 24, 1917, Page Page 2, Image 2

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Page 2 g r il I I I ill XH! )| If «grsass===sgE.7n tvfO f u]l > ''. I I I™ yn§HjJO® 'vlr Ap 1 u EB mn 111 I II I I ' I REORGANIZATIONS NOW COMPLETED WHAT WORK OF A DIVISION MEANS Other Army Divisions Hava Been Going Through Reor organization Similar to Ex . periences of Camp Hancock. WHAT IT ALL MEANS; DIVISION IS A TEAM In speaking of the necessary reorgani zation work which has been going on in many army divisions as a result of recent orders, one of the officials of the 29th Division —the “Blue and Gray” Di vision, at Camp McClellan, Anniston, Ala. —tells what the reorganization has meant to the officers tand men and points out that a division is a team. A division must be trained as a team. It must work as a team. It must fight as a team. The hopes and ambitions of many men, have been blasted; or, at least, the real ization of the hopes has been deferred. Colonels who have spent years of earn est work in recruiting, equipping and training their regiments, and who, hav ing just left their home towns escorted to the depot by hundreds of their fellow townsmen and well-wishers, have brought their organizations into camp, with bands playing and flags flying—flags given them, no doubt, by the hands of the pa triotic women of their home cities, the handiwork, possibly, of these very wom en. Full of hopes for the future, and dreaming of the new names to be graven on the staffs of these flags telling of battles won—these men have been met upon arrival at their camps, with the news that they themselves were to be assigned to other units, possibly to an other branch of the service, that their regiments were to be merged with other regiments, that their very flags were to become relics, or. at least could only be used by other organizations. That these things should cause heart aches and disappointments, and, even, re sentment, was to be expected. Who of us have ever tried to represent his school or his college on the baseball or football field and has not suffered heartaches and disappointments when another was picked for the place we sought and hoped tor! But, on the other hand, who of us has failed tc glory in the accomplishments of the team and to cheerfully lead the yell for the very man who had taken our place, with the individual feeling of dis appointment completely lost in the pride we have in our team! Just so the sorrow, the disappoint ments, tre travail of disorganization has brought forth reorganization, 'and then, organization! and the team idea has been born! This division is. a team. It must be trained as a team, it must work as a team, and, later, it must fight as a team- The organization of the team has been effected. That there will be changes in the line-up is certain; men now substi tutes, will show such "class’’ that they will be put in before the first half is over. A strong string of substitutes must be trained to tafle the places of those who are “put out,” and these “subs” must be so good that when the first'team is shot*to pieces the substitu tion of the second team will bring with it no decrease in offensive power. The training will, speaking broadly, be divided into three phases: 1— The inculcation of discipline into the minds and very beings of each individual in the division. 2 The physical training of each indi vidual, so that there will be gotten not only the spirit to dare, but the strength and will to do. 3 The expert knowledge of the use of the wapon with which the soldier is arm ed —the rifle for instance —its use as a close combat weapon with bayonet fixed, and as a shooting weapon. For, aside from the development of skill and effic iency in the use of the weapon, the of fensive spirit must be developed—wars are not won by defensive actions! While the soldier in the ranks is being developed physically, and is being train ed as an expert in the use of modern weapons of warfare, the affairs of the division must be administered, with the least loss of motion, and with the least time taken from active training, the health and sanitation of the camp must be looked after; the soldier must be fed, clothed and armed,_and he must be taught things which the new development of warfare has made necessary and which his officers have not heretofore had opportunity to study; for the accomp lishment of all these ends divisional schools have been organized and are be ing conducted daily, in every branch of military science. The courses in many of them are so regulated that as a new subject has to be taken up in the various companies, there will be graduates of the various schools ready to act as instructors. While the private soldier in the ranks is being trained, the officers, too, are being in structed in*the intricacies of the new sci ence modern warfare. The captain of the team must not only “play the game” and play it as a leader, but when the other members of the team are resting after the labors of the day he must be planning the work of the next day. In its final analysis the object of all of this training is to so train the bodie sand so educate the minds of the officers and men of this division that they will come to look upon the accomplishment of the impossible as an every day matter—and that will be brought about by discipline, and that alone. The American spirit is essentially a spirit of fair play. There are those who are prone to think and are free to say that discipline is repugnant to the Am erican mind. That is not so. The forced enforcement of discipline is repugnant to the American mind, for discipline it self is far play ipersonified. To be real discipline—and fair play—discipline must be uniform; if uniform, it will rarely have to be enforced, for it will appeal to all as fair play. Take, for instance, the matter of sa luting, men rarely fail to observe the proper military courtesies, and to take a pride in the observance, when once they have a- clear conception of what salut ing is for and what it means. The use of the words “saluting officers” is some- TREN|CH AND CAMr what confusing. All men in the mili tary service salute one another, but for uniformity’s sake, the junior, whether an officer, or an enlisted man, salutes first. It is the honorable recognition by one soldier of another soldier’s right to be considered a member of the All-American team and to be spoken to as a brother in arms. The wearing of the uniform is an introduction, in itself, to all other men who wear the uniform, and being in troduced thus, and being members of the same team, it is only proper that those members should speak on passing or meeting one another. In civil life if one meets another whom he knows and one speaks very cordial ly, and in return, receives a cold indif ferent bow one naturally feels that when next they meet the acquaintance will re ceive just the sort of salutation he gave on this occasion. While that can read ily happen n civil life it should never happen,. in military life, for the method of speaking (saluting) is prescribed, the time when the salute is to be rendered is prescribed, the method of its rendition s prescribed, and the only limitation is that it is to be rendered between sol diers in good standing—that is, a pris oner or man under arrest cannot salute the members of the team, for he has dis graced the team by committing a mili tary offense —and when two men in uni form pass without saluting it is because one or both is not a soldier —certainly not a good soldier —a good soldier marches with head erect; he is alert, trying to sse what is going on, not to keep from seeing. To say you don’t see an officer, as a reason for not saluting him, is to admit that you are not conducting yourself as a soldier should, or that you are slouch ing. I believe the average officer wants to salute the average enlisted man—they belong to the same honorable profession and are enlisted for the same “great ad venture,” —but he cannot salute first, as the enlisted man is his junior. On many occasions the officer does not know he is being saluted for, while the enlist ed man salutes he does not assume the position in time, or else he doesn’t look toward the person saluted. I venture to say that if every soldier in this camp will read carefully the paragraphs on saluting and will conform correctly to it, he will find every salute cheerfully and properly returned. It is sometimes difficult to tell an officer when the coat is not worn, and it is very difficult for officers at time to tell which is the junior, but if we are all ready “to take a chance” the salute can be so nearly simultaneous as .to satisfy the most punctilious "senior.” All these are little things, but of such is discipline and training. Saluting helps team work, engenders an esprit de corps, and makes easy the transaction of rou tine duties and is generally considered an indication of the efficiency of a command because it’s a true key to the attitude of mind of that command toward discipline and team work. For the people back home it might be said that the time of the members of this camp is not taken up exclusively in sa luting one another, but that eifeht hours daily are put in at drill and other exer cises calculated to develop the minds and bodies of their sons and brothers, who are, in addition, their soldiers. Your boys may not yet be interested irtotheir daily work, for they may feel that they are do ing over again the same things they have been doing for years, but in a few weeks they will be writing home of new things, of new thoughts, and then you will see that the War College has prepared a special, progressive, practical, course of training calculated to fit the men in this division to know how, and to be able to stand all of the hardships and the experi ences which lie ahead of him. The ."people at home” have their part to play in actually assisting the. training here. If they will remember that a blue, discopraging letter may spoil a whole day’s work for a large number of the sol diers of their army; if they will realize that the flag of our country has taken on a new meaning for their sons and broth ers and friends, and that the discipline and training they are getting here is in order that the flag, their flag, may be properly and honorably carried wher > the nations of the world are fighting for the honor of the world, then I predict that the discipline and training in this camp will have its reflex action back home, and the temptation to write blue and dis couraging letters for instance will be completely routed by and lost in the new ideas of discipline.. To help make your boy happy and satisfied in his new com pany, is true patriotism; to make him unhappy and dissatisfied contributes to his inefficiency, and helps our enemies i nthe end. It’s a little thing what you write to your boy privately! Yes, but it’s a big thing what the fathers and moth ers of the nation are collectively writing to all of their boys—and to win this war the entire nation must be organized and disciplined. In conclusion, let me sum up, the di vision is completely organized; the nec essary divisional schools are thoroughly organized, and are functioning 'properly, the comfortable quartering, and the proper clothing of the men is well ad vanced; facilities are at hand for the prosecution of the study of the latest forms of trench warfare; the health of the division is excellent; and the morale high. The future holds promise of much in teresting work for officers and men alike and if the favorable weather conditions continue to prevail, this division should be ready to take its place on the firing hne whenever the call shall come. SOLDIERS ROB MOTOR I ST. Five men wearing the United States army uniform help up F. C. Kuhlke near the clubhouse of the Schultz Agricultural Club last Friday night, took his monev and Buick car and got away. The meh egaged Kuhlke to take them to Aiken and when the vicinity of the club was reached, the men ordered Kuhlke to stop and get out. Pistols were placed to his head and he was relieved of sl7, after which the men left in the car. Police au thorities were notified, but no trace them has been found. It is not known wheth er they were soldiers from Camp Han cock or auto thieves masquerading as soldiers. NEW YORK TROOPS DIVISION CHANGES Many Famous Regiments Dis membered to Conform to New Army Rules of Fighting War Tactics. The National Guard of New York, at Camp Wadsworth, Spartanburg, S. C-, has been going through the same painful theros of re-organization that has dis tressed the Pennsylvania troops and other army divisons. A summary of the New York Division changes follows: A summary of the New York Division changes follows: Seven hundred men of the First New York Cavalry became connected with the One Hundred and Fourth Machine Gun Battalion. The Fifty-third Infantry Brigade will consist of Brigade Headquarters, the One Hundred and Fifth, the One Hundred and Sixth Regiments and the One Hundred and Fifth Machine Gun Battalion. One thousand three hundred and sev enty-five enlisted men are transferred from the Seventy-first New York Infan try to the One Hundred and Fifth Regi ment of Infantry. One hundred and forty-two enlisted men of the Twelfth New York Infantry are transferred to the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment of Infantry. - Non-commissioned staff officers, first sergeants, mess and supply sergeants and bandsmen are not included in the trans fer. The One Hundred and Sixth takes all of the enlisted men of the Twenty-third New York Infantry, and 1,292 enlisted men from the Fourteenth New York In fantry. The One Hundred and Fifth takes 511 enlisted men from Squadron A, New York Cavalry, and 30 enlisted men from the Eighteenth New York Cavalry. The One Hundred and Seventh Regi ment of Infantry will be made up of all the Seventh New York Infantry and 1, GOO enlisted men of the First New York Infantry and 320 enlisted men from the Twelfth, New York Infantry. The One Hundred and Eighth will con sist of all the Third New York Infantry, 1,350 men from the Seventy-fourth and 293 men from the Twelfth. The One Hundred and Sixth Machine Gun Battalion consists of 550 enlisted men of the First New York Cavalry. The Fifty-second Artillery Brigade con sits of Headquarters, the One Hundred and Fifth and One Hundred and Sixth Regiments of Field Artillery and One Hundred and Second Trench Motar Bat tery The Fifty-second Field Artillery is divided into brigade headquarters, Brig. Gen. Charles L. Phillips command ing and Maj. Leonard B. Smith adjutant, the One Hundred and Fourth Regiment of Field Artillery, the One Hundred and Fifth Regiment of Field Artillery and the One Hundred and Sixth Regiment Os Field Artillery. The One Hundred and Second Regiment of Engineers, formerly the Twenty-second Regiment of Engineers, will receive 87 enlisted men from each the First, Twelfth, Fourteenth and Seventy-fourth Regiments. CAMP WADSWORTH NOTES. Grigadier-General Gatley, commanding the artillery at Camp Sevier, spent Sun day, October 7th, with General Phillips. Over 14 automobiles have either turned turtle or have run off the embankment on the roads between Spartanburg and Camp Wadsworth. Private James Lay ton of the 19th was injured in an auto which turned turtle October 6th. A small bone in ’the spinal column was injured. He has been gaining and hope of his en tire recovery is entertained. There have been two deaths at Camp Wadsworth up to the present time. One was Private Seanlore of the 12th and the other was Private James A. McGowan, of the Machine Gun Company of the 3rd Regiment. The former was from New York City, the latter from Rochester, Ne wYork. There are now about 30,000 soldiers in camp. The latest arrivals are the First Battalion of the Second Field Artillery, eight companies ow the Fifteenth and two battalions of the Forty-seventh In fantry are expected soon. For two weeks Company E of the Twenty-second Engineers has been at Glassy Rock preparing the artillery range for the Twenty-seventh Division. Tnis is about 30 miles from Spartanburg. The detachment is under the command of Lieutenant O’Dell. The One Hundred and . Second Engi neers are to have a field which will be the Polo Grounds of Camp Wadsworth. It will be used by the various teams in camp. The present plans provide for a large stage at the foot of the natural am phitheater. Out door movies will be shown here. Chaplains Fell, Keever, Foreman and McCord are preparing for quite extensive programs of entertainments in the near future. The Y is trying to co-operate in every way in doing its bit of the work. SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON TO MEET Members of the Signa Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at Camp Hancock are plan ning to form a club for fraternal and so cial purposes. A notice has been posted on all company bulletin boards requesting members of the fraternity, both at the camp and tn Augusta to send their names and addresses and the name of their chapter to James O. Sheppard at Division. Headquarters.- Oct. 24, 1917. CHAPLAIN FUTCHER" DOING GREAT WORK Spiritual Overseer of 109th Infantry Holds Services For Various Faiths. One of the most efficient chaplains in the United States Army is Chap lain Futcher, of the 109th Infantry. When no.t in army work, Chaplain Futcher is„pastor of a Methodist Epis copal Church (at Phoenixville, near Philadelphia. For several years, he has been chap lain of the First Infantry, now the 109th, and his experience with the men in the national guard camps and on the border last year, have given him an expert knowledge of the needs of the men in the army. And he is meeting these needs. Upon the return of the regiment from Texas, Chaplain Futcher enlisted the aid of some well known Philadel phians in a plan to raise a fund for the welfare of the soldiers and as a re sult of his initiative, the sum of SB,OOO. was given in small amounts for this commendable work. This money is disbursed among the various units from Philadelphia and as a result, the infantry, cavalry and ar tillery from Philadelphia have their own motion picture outfit, a library of 1,000 carefully selected books, fifty motion picture films, stereopticon slides and athletic equipment for every company. Probably the two most noteworthy activities of Chaplain Futcher have been the distribution of pocket testa ments and the holding of services for the Jews in the First regiment. On the authority of Mr. Davis, head of the Pocket Testament League, Chaplain Futcher holds the world’s record for the distribution of testaments. More than 1,500 have been given to the members of the old First regiment, and now that the 109th consists of 3,650 men, there will be an increase in the number. The service for the Jews v of whom there are probably sixty in tlie old reg iment, is one of the most unique in ths army. So far as known. Chaplain Futcher is the only man holding spe cial services for the Jews. The Sol diers’ Leisure Hour Fund, whioh the chaplain raised, has supplied Jewish prayer books and every Sunday morn ing at 11 o’clock, the chaplain meets his Jewish “boys” and conducts the Service, giving a short address on Old Testament history. Opportunity is also given the Catholic priest to hold mass once a month in the chaplain’s tent for the Catholic “boys,” as the chaplain speaks of his men. In addition to this, the chaplain su pervises the entertainments and a pro gram is given every night in the week. On Sunday nights, he has been giving illustrated talks, including “Den Mur,” “The Passion Play” and other noted subjects. Last week he was called upon to perform a marriage ceremony in the Motor Supply Train and also baptised the child of Lieut, and Mrs. Rupple, of the 109th Infantry. There are also the administrative af fairs to be looked after, the welfare of dependents, the pleas of-the prisoners and many other things and with it all. Chaplain Futcher always has time to be courteous and kindly to visitors as well as the men. THIRTEENTtFIrEGIMENT PRIDE OF SCRANTON (Continued from page one) millionaires, men prominent in the social and business life. Its officers represent the best families in the great anthracite I coal fields; its men the hardest and most sincere patriots; men who have already fought and won many battles; who know what it is to sacrifice home ties and all I that binds one to the fireside; who have I been in the active Federal service for sis- I teen months and all this without a mark J of discredit or blemish on the unit. Captain Laurence A. Waters, Co. C, is a son of the former colonel referred to ■ hereinbefore; Captain George B. K< nkle, ■ CO. £>, is another man who rose in the q ranks from private in 1898; Captain Rob ert A. Hull. Co. F, is an attorney in Scranton; Captain Clarence B. Altemose, Co. G, is one of the officials of the State Normal school at Stroudsburg; Captain Harry S. Barton, Co. I, is a prominent insurance agent of Bloomsburg; Captain James F. Cooper, Co. L, was traveling engineer for the Western Railroad; Cap tain C. E. Correll, adjutant, is an engineer of the Erie. Lieut. James A. Linen, Co. L, is presi dent of the city council of the City 'of Scranton, with a population of nearly 200,000 people; Lieut. Staley E. Dolph is president of the Scranton Pump Works; Lieut. Albert H. Crane is proprietor of a large department store in Carbondale, and Lieut. Arthur P. Matthews is of the firm of Matthews Bros., wholesale drug deal ers, in Scranton. The three latter are battalion adjutants. Much more might be said of lie line officers of the regiment, but space forbids. Let it suffice to say of them all, that a more soldierly appearing, efficient set of officers could not be desired. While eight of the line companies, head quarters company and the supply com pany have their station in Scranton, four of the line companies are from thriving towns in the vicinity' of the city, all of them the capital of prosperous agricul tural and Industrial counties—Honesdale, Bloomburg, Stroudsburg and Moscow— while the Machine Gun Company has got ten practically all of its men, skilled me chanics, from the railroad shops at Sayre. :