THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 14

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

As time went on and officers and noncommissioned officers were brought to a full realization of their responsibilities, discipline, so necessary to efficiency, improved. In recognition of the fact that the platoon is perhaps, the most important single unit in the training and handling of infantry and that much depends upon the character of the officer in charge, a platoon commanders’ school was established, which was declared to be the most important factor in the progress made by the infantry during the period under consideration. The assistant chief of staff declared that ” credit for the success of this school ” was due to Major Clifton T. Smith of the 135th Infantry and that his ” untiring efforts” were ” responsible for the splendid results procured.” Those in charge of the infantry training endeavored constantly to impress upon both men and officers the importance of the so called open, or maneuver, warfare, a policy reflecting the views of the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces. The 68th Infantry Brigade made an enviable record during the first six months of training, according to reports of the assistant chief of staff. The high efficiency of the 135th and 136th infantry regiments was ascribed to the spirit of cooperation characteristic of brigade officers.

An important change in the command of the brigade occurred on April 4, 1918, when General Resche was honorably discharged, after thirty years of service in the Minnesota National Guard. Presumably the reason was that he was of German birth and had served in the German army, for it seems to have been the policy of the war department not to permit such persons to go overseas in any of the higher commands. This order apparently worked a real hardship, for the general was greatly admired and trusted by the men of his command, as was evinced by the demonstrations accompanying his leave- taking. Broader considerations of policy doubtless justified the action, however, and General Resche accepted the inevitable in the spirit of a true soldier. The command fell temporarily to Colonel Luce of the 135th Infantry, senior officer of the brigade. On June 2, 1918, Brigadier General John A. Johnston, an officer of the national army, assumed command. General Johnston had been graduated from West Point with the class of 1879 and had had a distinguished career in the army, which extended down to 1903, when he tendered his resignation in order to enter business life. Upon the declaration of war against Germany, lie offered his services to President Wilson and was appointed to the command of the northeastern department, where he was stationed at the time of his assignment to the 68th Brigade. He was one of the most capable officers associated with the 34th Division at any time and the spirit of the 68th Brigade was quickened by his leadership. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Camp Cody, New Mexico, Cement Swimming Pool At Base Hospital, Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 13

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

Since a large majority of the Minnesota troops at Camp Cody were included in the 68th Infantry Brigade, some account of the training activities of that organization may be of interest. At first a large amount of time was devoted to the ordinary close and extended order drill. Regimental and brigade ceremonies on Saturday mornings served to stimulate the esprit de corps and to mark the progress being made from week to week. In time there came tours of duty at the so-called ” Fluorite Sector,” ten miles distant from the camp, where the men were given training in trench construction. A thorough course of instruction and drill in firing was given on the rifle range, a few miles to the northwest of the camp. The firing line was over a mile in length and there was provision for simultaneous firing by two hundred and fifty men, at ranges of from two hundred to a thousand yards. Tactical training did not progress satisfactorily, because of the officers’ lack of training and experience. By the middle of February there we ‘ re evidences that not only the infantrymen but the members of the division as a whole were becoming stale and there was some apprehension regarding the sick list. Upon the recommendation of the division surgeon and other medical officers, therefore, the men were allowed a two-week period of rest and recreation, training being resumed on February 25.

As time went on more attention was devoted to the new technical aspects of infantry training and for a while one day each week was devoted to special instruction in the automatic rifle, the rifle grenade, bombing, sniping, liaison, gas defense, and intelligence. This was supplemented by marches and maneuvers, which afforded the training in coordination so vital in modern warfare. On May 17 the 68th Infantry Brigade left camp on a nine-day practice march and maneuver, which involved a severe test of the effectiveness of the previous six months’ training. The troops wended their way northward, averaging perhaps fourteen miles as a day’s march; at first they trudged through the dust and heat of the plains, but at length they emerged upon higher ground, where a greener and fresher landscape presented itself. In spite of sand and heat, the men enjoyed the excursion, for the novelty of the country, as compared with that which they had left at home, was a continual source of diversion. At one halt they were privileged to witness the round-up of some five thousand cattle by ” the Bill Harts of New Mexico.” Snakes, horned toads, centipedes, and other creeping things were also a source of amusement -when they did not become a nuisance. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Hotel and Train Depot Used by Camp Cody Soldiers, Deming, New Mexico

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 12

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

The conditions facing the 34th Division at the beginning of its period of training were far from favorable and they were to a large extent typical of other divisions. The most serious difficulty was the dearth of efficient officers, even in the higher commands. Consequently, the preparation of officers had to proceed simultaneously with the training of the division as a whole. In the 34th Division, moreover, as in other National Guard organizations, some of the officers had not been carefully chosen and the task before them proved to be beyond their capacity. The shortage of equipment was hardly less serious, for it is extremely difficult to instruct a soldier in the use of a new weapon unless it is available in sufficient quantity for purposes of demonstration and drill. These two factors should be borne in mind in following the history of the 34th Division at Camp Cody. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

From the time when the various organizations arrived until the end of October 1917, training was left to the regimental commanders, who prepared their own schedules of instruction. The men were drilled in the fundamentals, such as the school of the soldier and the school of the squad, while considerable time was devoted to the improvement of campsites and general preparation for a long sojourn. Toward the end of August the war department issued programs for sixteen weeks’ courses of training for infantry, field artillery, and machine gun organizations, which became the basis for the early training of the 34th Division. Intensive training began on October 29, 1917. At first, drill schedules were prepared by organization commanders, who attempted to follow as closely as possible the war department’s directions relative to subjects of instruction and allotment of time. Strict adherence, however, was soon found to be impossible, because of the lack of trained officers and the scarcity of equipment.

The early training of the division was hampered also because of the absence of General Blocksom and his chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Raymond, who departed on September 18, 1917, for a tour of inspection in France and did not return until December 10 The assistant chief of staff was obliged to assume a large share of the administrative burden during this period and hence was able to devote very little time to inspection and personal supervision of training. In the latter part of December, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh H. McGee of the 135th Infantry was named assistant chief of staff and placed in charge of training and from that time on, progress was more satisfactory. To Colonel McGee, a Minnesota man, must be awarded a large share of the credit for accomplishing the very difficult task of whipping the division into shape. As chief of operations, he prepared and distributed training schedules among organization commanders and he kept in close personal touch with the situation throughout the command.

With the inauguration of the drill schedule on October 29, the men awoke to a realization of the fact that a soldier’s life is a busy one. They found themselves occupied with drill and other military duties from 7: 00 A. M. until 11: 30 A. M. and from 1:00 P. m. until 4:30 P. M. Wednesday and Saturday afternoons were given over to compulsory athletics. Officers and men also had their regular tours of guard duty to perform. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Gold Avenue, Deming, New Mexico, Sand Storm, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 11

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

At the time of its organization the division was commanded by Major General Augustus P. Blocksom of the national army. General Blocksom was a fine gentleman, an officer of the old army school. He had been graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1877; had been commissioned in the cavalry; and had seen active service in a number of the frontier Indian wars, the Spanish-American War, the Boxer uprising, and the Philippine Insurrection. His chief of staff was Lieutenant Colonel William H. Raymond. Commanding the 68th Infantry Brigade was Brigadier General Frederick E. Resche, who had come to Camp Cody in command of the Minnesota infantry. At the head of the 135th and the 136th infantry regiments were Colonels Erle D. Luce and William T. Mollison. Commanding the 125th Field Artillery was Colonel Hubert V. Eva. Other units in which there were large proportions of Minnesota men were commanded as follows: the 125th Machine Gun Battalion, by Major Sheppard B. Philpot; the 135th Ambulance Company, by Captain Olof I. Sohlberg; and the 135th Field Hospital Company, by Major Willmar C. Rutherford.

The highly specialized character of modern warfare has complicated immensely the problem of training. he invention of new weapons, the use of which requires a high degree of technical skill, and the development of new tactical methods have so altered military combat as to make necessary more native intelligence in both officers and men and a much longer and more thorough course of preparation than formerly.

On the other hand, while the role of the individual is more difficult and responsible than ever before, a high degree of coordination of effort is also required, which likewise can be secured only by the most elaborate and intensive training. Even under the most favorable conditions, the task of training is not an easy one. The United States was now confronted with the problem of improvising, within the space of a few short months; an army equipped to meet European forces that were the product of a generation of painstaking study and experiment. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Getting Ready For Inspection at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 10

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

The reorganization was naturally a big event in the history of the camp. The men and officers whose units retained their identity were jubilant, while those belonging to organizations that were badly broken up were correspondingly disappointed and depressed. Officers in some cases lost old commands and many of the men were separated from friends and comrades with whom they had enlisted. Like most events of moment in the army, the change seems to have come as something of a surprise to the persons most concerned. A period of four days, from October 2 to 5, was occupied with the moving and rearranging of camps necessitated by these various changes.

Obviously, the Minnesota troops fared exceptionally well under the reorganization. The three regiments were left almost intact for the time being, although the 3d Minnesota was transferred to the artillery, a change regarded by its members as highly flattering. The announcement was “received with wildest enthusiasm ” on September 28; led by their band, the men paraded along the regimental streets, “cheering and singing until late at night.” Not even the blinding rainstorm that attended the moving of camp, soaking equipment and blowing down some of the tents, could dampen the good spirits of the men.

Even after the arrival of all the National Guard units assigned to Camp Cody, the 34th Division was still below the strength authorized by the tables of organization. It was the policy of the war department to make up such shortages by assigning selective service men to the units in which vacancies existed. The machinery of the depot brigades, originally established in each of the sixteen national army cantonments for the purpose of furnishing replacements to the divisions to which they were attached, was adapted to the mobilization and preliminary training of the men selected to bring the regular army and national guard divisions to war strength. In accordance with this policy, over five thousand drafted men were received at Camp Cody from October 22 to November 3 – two thousand from Camp Funston, three thousand from Camp Dodge, among them many Minnesota’s, and about a hundred and fifty from Camp Lewis – who were ultimately assigned to the units where vacancies existed. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Land that became Camp Cody with Florida Mountains In Background, Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 9

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

The Minnesota National Guard units, which were to be used in the formation of a division of this description, were partially equipped and trained; in some cases their organization extended back over a period of many years. The people of the various states represented at Camp Cody and elsewhere had hoped that the local character of their respective units might be preserved; the honorable history of the units themselves, considerations of sentiment, and friendships formed among the men all strengthened this desire. Military policy, however, dictated otherwise, for there were serious objections to making the preservation of such local identity a primary consideration. Under modern conditions of warfare, all military units contain certain specially qualified and trained men, not all of whom can ordinarily be furnished by any one locality, and military necessity must be the determining factor in assigning them. Moreover, the fortunes of war bring about disproportionate losses in some units and if their local identity is preserved an unfair burden of loss falls upon those communities from which they are drawn. Finally, casualties must be replaced promptly during active operations and the military authorities must not be hampered by having to consider the local origin of the troops used for replacements. In effecting the reorganization of the National Guard on a divisional basis, however, it seems to have been the policy of the war department to preserve intact the various state organizations when other considerations were not involved.

Orders for the reorganization of the units that were to constitute the 34th Division were issued on September 28, 1917, and became effective on October 1. The following changes were made in the Minnesota organizations. The headquarters of the infantry brigade became the headquarters of the newly created 68th Infantry Brigade. The 1st and the 2d Minnesota Infantry were assigned to the 68th Brigade and were henceforth known respectively as the 135th and the 136th Infantry. The 3d Minnesota Infantry, with the exception of the machine gun company, became the new I25th Field Artillery, a change that left a number of surplus men, most of whom were transferred, with about 950 men of the former 1st South Dakota Cavalry, to the new 136th Infantry. The machine gun company of the 3d Infantry was transferred to the 125th Machine Gun Battalion, becoming Company B of that organization. The 1st Minnesota Ambulance Company and the 1st Minnesota Field Hospital Company became Ambulance Company No. 135 and Field Hospital Company No. 135, respectively, of the 109th Sanitary Train. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Deming, New Mexico Train Station Near Camp Cody, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 8

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

Before any definite program of training could be undertaken, it was necessary to effect a permanent divisional organization. In the case of those divisions composed of national guard troops, this involved an extensive reorganization of the original units. This process will be made clearer by a brief description of the character and composition of an infantry division under the new tables of organization. The division is a unit that is self-supporting in the military sense, being capable of operating in the field as an independent unit and having its own supply system. The division commander and his staff, together with the attached troops, are known collectively as “division headquarters.” The “headquarters troop,” acting under the orders of division headquarters, provides for the security and general welfare of the commanding general and his staff. Each of the two-infantry brigades is comprised of a machine gun battalion and two infantry regiments and is commanded by a brigadier general.

A third machine gun battalion is unattached to either of the infantry brigades. The one field artillery brigade, also commanded by a brigadier general, comprises a trench mortar battery and three regiments of artillery, two light and one heavy, and its principal function is to support the infantry in its operations. The necessary field construction, such as bridge building and road repairing, is in the charge of a regiment of engineers, which is supplied by an engineer train with the material required for this purpose. A field signal battalion constructs telephone lines and provides other means of communication in the field. Finally, various trains attend to matters of supply and the evacuation and care of the wounded. An organization known as ” train headquarters and military police” is responsible for the administrative work connected with the management of the trains and also polices the area occupied by the division, enforces military regulations, and rounds up stragglers.

The ammunition train brings up ammunition from the rear to the point where it can be delivered to the various regiments. Similarly, the supply train brings up food, clothing, and necessary equipment. The sanitary train, including four ambulance and four field hospital companies, is charged with the care of the sick and wounded in the field until they can be evacuated to the rear. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Constructing Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 7

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

The preparation of the 34th Division, as well as other military units, for service overseas involved two problems. First of all, the very definite and concrete task of organization and training presented itself. Men must be fitted, both as individuals and as constituent parts of a vast and complex military machine, to take their places in the battle line. It was to fulfill this object and no other that the great training camps came into existence. But there was also a secondary problem, of a social nature, upon the successful solution of which the achievement of the first depended. The assembling of more than twenty-five thousand men in close proximity, under abnormal conditions, called for a thousand and one new social readjustments, which must be accomplished without undue friction or loss. It was to the solution of the first of these two problems that the military authorities directed their energies primarily. The secondary task was performed by the great number of welfare agencies-some of them specially created to meet the emergency- working in close co6peration with the military authorities. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Camp Cody Tents with_Black Mountain in Background, Deming, NM 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 6

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

HORSE THIEVES NABBED

Five Mexicans were arrested near Outlaw Park Monday night by Deputy Sheriff Lee Caldwell and lodged in the county jail. Shortly after they were safe behind the bars, Sheriff Herbert McGrath and Deputy John Parrott rode into town in pursuit of the party, who are accused of stealing five horses near Reserve N.M. The officers had been riding in pursuit of the alleged horse thieves for twenty-four house [hours] by automobile and on horseback, and had traveled more than 200 miles.

The heterogeneous growth that sprang up about every camp and cantonment had already started. Restaurants, theaters, soft drink stands, curio shops, and less reputable establishments appeared as if by magic, to assist the soldier in spending his money and to give employment to the military police. Camp Cody, taken in the midst of its surroundings, presented a curious blend of military life and frontier atmosphere, which must have made a lasting impression upon every sojourner there. – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Camp Cody Soldier And Motorcycle, Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918

THE FEDERALIZED NATIONAL GUARD UNITS AT CAMP CODY – Part 5

By Franklin F. Holbrook and Livia Appel

As soon as possible after his arrival the guardsman was certain to visit Deming, either from motives of curiosity or to purchase small articles needed for personal comfort or to fit up the crude shelter he now called home. In the late summer of 1917, the village still bore considerable resemblance to the western town of the moving pictures. True, in many respects it was like any small mid-western town and some loss of atmosphere must have resulted from the closing of the saloons shortly before the troops began to arrive. But the large number of small frame buildings, adobe houses, and Mexicans in blue overalls still gave it a western flavor. Occasionally, too, the newcomer’s pulse quickened at the sight of a spare western pony, ridden by an individual wearing ” chaps,” Stetson hat, and ample spurs. Such an item as the following, which appeared in the Camp Cody Bulletin, was also calculated to stimulate the imagination of any one who in the days of his youth had had a predilection for the “Wild West.” – Published by the Minnesota Historical Society – Saint Paul, 1928

Camp Cody Soldiers Downtown Deming, New Mexico, 1917-1918