PREPARATION
The last two weeks of August produced revolutionary changes in the
old Troop, recruits were eagerly sought to fill out the ranks of the
organization from its cavalry strength of one hundred and five men to
the machine-gun requirements of one hundred and eighty, requisitions
were entered for the new equipment and clothing prescribed for troops
going overseas, and doughboy training, both in close order drill and
road hikes, took the place of mounted drill. Batteries E and F of the
Field Artillery left camp for a concentration point in Massachusetts,
and the First Separate Company entrained for Springfield, where they
were scheduled to guard the arsenal, leaving the 101st Machine Gun
Battalion, of which Troop A had become Company A, with the Field
Hospital the only occupants of the camp.
Vaccination and inoculation, those terrors of all early experiences
in the army, held the stage on the afternoon of August 21, with the
usual accompaniment of blanched faces and shaky knees. It was at this
particularly unfavorable time the announcement was made by Captain Wolf
that the ranks were to be brought up to the strength required by the
addition of a number of men from the 1st Vermont regiment of infantry.
This organization had been split up to complete units forming the 26th
Division.
Leaving the impression that he had been called to attend an officers'
school, Lieutenant Condren left the following day, and the end of his
journey found him in France, one of the first National Guard officers
to reach his goal. Within a few days Lieutenant Nelson arrived with the
Vermont contingent, and Lieutenants Carroll and Bacharach were assigned
to duty with the Company by Major Howard, so that nearly a full
complement of officers was available for duties mainly of an ornamental
nature.
Having been duly welcomed as "Green Mountain Boys," and, in the manner
of the Company, christened "Apple Knockers," the Vermont men were
received into the fellowship of the organization. Upon their arrival
the newcomers occupied a company street of their own, the work of
erecting it having been conferred upon A Company, as many similar and
equally arduous honors were conferred upon that unit while it remained
a member of the 101st Machine Gun Battalion. The apportionment of the
men to the different companies completed, forty-six of the Vermonters
came to A Company, most of whom held non-commissioned officers'
warrants or had attained the dignity accompanying the rank of private
first class.
Since the edict had gone forth that an old cavalry organization was
to become a "doughboy" outfit, and the yellow hat cord of gallant
memory was to be replaced by the blue of the lowly infantry "with the
dirt behind their ears," the order had been more or less completely
ignored, so that drills had the appearance of a disciplinary formation
at a large army post where both arms of the service were represented.
This brought out an order which caused all cords to change magically
to the endorsed blue color, at least until the men reached a safe
distance from camp, where the change could be effected without danger
of apprehension, for who would dare return to New Haven wearing the
colors he had frowned upon in happier times? Leather leggins were
threatened, but the blow never descended and the "doughboys" from Yale
Field continued to salute the brilliantly polished puttees of the men
from Niantic as they strutted down Church Street.
Manifestations of grief at the passing of the yellow hat cords took
the form of a funeral procession on the evening of August 30, when,
preceded by Corporal Curtiss and Guerrant rendering portions of the
"Dead March" on bugle and harmonica, the men as mourners marched with
measured tread to the parade ground. They followed a plank which served
as a bier for a representative of the deposed cords, and, after a dance
symbolical of their grief, the pallbearers laid it to rest, while
Shemitz, with the powers characteristic of his race, paid a glowing
tribute to the deceased. After hymns had been sung the crowd broke up
to hide its tears and console itself in the various ways which have
become common to mankind, or were common before prohibition placed its
clammy hand on the vitals of the universal consoler.
Muster on the afternoon of August 31 was followed a week later by pay
day with a trip to New Haven that night for most of the men and a ride
back to camp on the 2:20. This train made several unscheduled stops
near the Niantic station because the conductor was adamant toward pleas
from the men and would have carried them to New London had they not
taken the matter into their own hands and opened the air valves when
close to Niantic.
Bill Bell's famous and much maligned whistle made its appearance during
this period, for First Sergeant McGeer had departed for the Officers'
Training Camp at Plattsburg, and the one long and one short signal was
in order for any time of the day or night. Because it was rumored that
McGeer would return to the Company if unsuccessful in his quest for a
commission, he received the best wishes of all the men and was treated
to a shower bath in his bunk the night before he left—an honor accorded
to but few men in the Company.
Straw ticks had been issued and they were filled and put to use now
to replace the cots, which, in various stages of demolition, had been
turned in and, according to the best information, sent to Camp Devens
to accommodate the first men of the selective draft to arrive at that
cantonment.
Fall weather, with its snappy morning air and delightful days,
gradually replaced the warmer days of late summer, enthroning football
in the place baseball had occupied. The first game was a heart-breaking
affair in which neither A Company nor B Company was able to score, the
second was also a tie in which C Company scored seven points equally
with A Company, and the third was disastrous for the finances of the
old Company, for D Company, formerly M Troop, scored four touchdowns to
one for A.
All plans were interrupted on September 23, when orders were sent out
from Battalion Headquarters to strike tents and roll packs preparatory
to leaving the camp. This accomplished, with a day's cooked rations
issued and loaded down with packs which would have taxed the capacity
of the staunchest of pack mules and taken prizes for the variety of
form and number of bundles and bags hung over them, the column, in
command of Captain Wolf, toiled out through the streets of Niantic and
interminably along the roads leading in the direction of New London.
Halts for rest were short and infrequent, and the one called for the
noon lunch seemed to be the only event which could have saved from
complete collapse many in the long, struggling procession.
There was much speculation on the truth of the rumor that a train
was awaiting the men before they finally saw the head of the column
turn back toward Niantic. A squad of grinning cooks stood at present
arms with brooms and sticks of wood, but this sight did not tend to
sweeten the tempers of the returning men who found they must again
pitch their tents and rearrange their belongings to the best advantage
for a longer stay. Sweetly worded memoranda from Headquarters conveyed
the information that the Major was pleased with the showing the men
had made in breaking camp, but they failed to explain why orders
prohibiting men from riding in any form of conveyance on the march
did not apply to a man from C Company who rode by several times while
the column was on the march and turned on the men gazes of pitying
condescension.
Cosmopolitan elements were added to the Company by the acquisition of
several men from the draft contingent and Corporal Charles Nutt was
assigned the post of instructor and guide over the new men, all but one
of whom were destined to complete the tour of duty with the Company.
Conscientious Charlie watched over his men like a hen with a brood of
new chicks,—he took them to mess, to the supply tent, answered for them
at reveille and retreat, and drilled them during the hours set apart
for that purpose.
Politics played its part in the life of the men when on election day,
October 2, they were transported to New Haven in automobiles by the
Republicans or were given railroad transportation by the Democrats,
while the stern non-partisan element travelled by freight or graft. The
ardent voters were almost persuaded to remain when word came that pay
was ready to be distributed on that day, but the call home was stronger
and they returned to get their share of the funds the following morning.
Another method of getting home was discovered shortly after this,
and with a special train chartered for team and rooters, most of the
Company, with the exception of certain members from Vermont who had
travelled home for a visit without going through the formalities of
asking permission, left for New Haven at noon Saturday, October 7, on a
final trip and to play a game of football against the Annex A. C., one
of the strongest semi-professional teams in the state. Sunday, the day
of the game, was ideal, but the opposing team was too strong for the
soldiers and came out on the long end of a 20-0 score.
For some time previous to this, men in the habit of talking to their
friends over the telephone in camp found that remarks indicating
an expected move in the near future resulted in the loss of their
connection and a stern reprimand, so Monday's preparations, while full
of interest, were not unexpected. Instructions on the conduct of the
troops while travelling were given out and full preparations made for
leaving at a moment's notice. There was no freight to be handled for
all heavy baggage had been packed and loaded into box cars nearly a
month before, leading the way to the port of embarkation.
Profiteering, at least from the point of view of the soldier, had
brought disfavor on a man who conducted a small store near the grounds,
so the last night in camp was selected by certain bold spirits to have
a final settlement with him. They completed their task by earnest
demolition of all property they could find belonging to the accused
individual. His complaint caused assembly to be blown at headquarters
and a strict check taken of all men absent. Well-founded alibis were
numerous, however, and nothing came of the incident to reflect on the
records of any of the suspected men.
Early on the morning of Wednesday, October 9, orders were again
received to break camp. This time preparations gave them a genuine
flavor, and at 9:30, in a disagreeable rain, which they were to know
better after two winters in France, the men started their journey,
cheered on by the hospitable residents of Niantic and full of eagerness
to reach its end.