The Washington times., 1917-12-01
.RA|NBOWS TOOK
DEPARTURE WHILE
NEW YORK SLEPT

The Rainbow Division. which for
several weeks prior to its departure
for France was In camp near Nine
ola, L. l.. sailed from New York in
the week that began October 10.
The departure OF the division was
accomplished, 80 quietly. and the train
and embSrkinE arrangements, worked
out weeks In advance, were carried
out so smoothly, that the famous
command was on the sea and headed
for the war zones before even the
nearest relatives Of the officers and
enlisted men learned Of the departure.
So perfectly. In fact, were the ar
rangements that officials Of the Long
Island railroad subsequently wrote
letters to the War Department COM
mending Major Frank A Adams and
Capt. S. +. Callan, Of the quarter
master corps, for the efficient and
speedy way in which they had solved
very big problem In transportation.
ReveIIIe At 1 A. N.
The buElers sounded reveills-at 1
o'clock the morning Of departure.
There were q cup OF steaming coffee
and roll for each man. and then. like
q great machine, the Rainbow Di-
vision began to move. First went
the engineers, then the supply, am
munotion. and other organizations OF
the division train. Next the artil-
lery, then two regiments Of infantry,
and at last the headquarters organi-
zation, Col Douglas Macarthur. the
chief OF stan. being the last of the
STAN officers to board the trains which
left that morning.
The men Of the division had suspected
for days ahead that the date OF de-
parture was drawing near. and in guard
ed letters to their homes said that they
were shortly to start for France To
save time and to simplify the mail prob
write their farevells In care Of the regi-
mental chaplains. The result was that
every chaplain In the Rainbow Division
was q postmaster the last two days
that the Rainbows were here II was
estimated that each chaplain received
between 200 and 900 letters In the
two days that preceded the departure Of
the first men. Thousands OF other let
ters which did not reach Camp Mills
before the troops sailed are now on the
way to France.
Other Unfts Followed.
The men who did not sail In the nrst
lot departed In later units, the last to
80 being q company Of Western infan-
trymen who were held back by a case
Of diphtheria In the ranks. which neces-
STATED the Quarantining Of the unit until
the danger OF an epidemic had passed.
They left about two weeks after the nrst
Not an accident Of any sort marked
the departure Of the Ralnbows, and tbs
number Of Btraggiers left behind. most
Of whom have since sailed to Join their
comrades, u said to have been fewer
than 100 out Of the whole division
Sigh Of Relief Here.
Official and unofficial Washington
heaved q community sigh Of relief
when announcement was authorized
that the men o fthe District OF CO.
lumbia and the two States Comprising
the hrst national guard eontingents
had arrived In France.
For . month and q half Washington
has known that the Rainbow" troops
were on the move It was known In
Warrington when the frst contingent
left October is, slipping quietly out
Of Camp Mills before dawn. The or
which followed was known here. but
an alright voluntary censorship
withheld publication OF the news.
It was known, too, when the hrst OF
the national guard contingents
reached France. This announcement,
too, was withheld until all the
guardsmen Of the frst contingent had
not only reached France, but had been
safely billeted in training quarters
behind the lines.
The troops nrst sent to France
were picked organizations, men for
the most part seasoned by months of
training on the Mexican border and
ohicered by regular army officers OF
national and international promi-
nence.