Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1917-10-24

While the Thirteenth Infantry retains
its identity under the reorganization
schedule there is keen disappointment
among the officers and men who have
been transferred to the Tooth Infantry
approximately 1880 men will go to the
109th, leaving about $50 with the old
command, Nearly all the lieutenants will
be transferred, the staff and other line
officers remaining to receive tn men of
the national army.
There were many factors which led the
men Of the Thirteenth to believe they
should be given consideration over other
regiments 1t is the fourth senior regi-
ment of the state; it was kept on the
Mexican border long after the other regf-
ments returned to their homes; it did eff
fcient police duty in guarding strategic
points from the time war was declared
until sent to Camp Hancock; it's person..
mel of officers and enlisted men is very
high, but like true soldiers, the men will
hide their disappointment and bow to the
mandates of those in authority.
History of Regiment.
The regiment was first organized in
Scranton, heart of the anthracite coal
field, in 1877, and has been commanded
by some Of the most prominent men in
Northeastern Pennsylvania 1t was the
pioneer among many movement to sys-
tematize the military of Pennsylvania and
was the first to inaugurate and maintain
systematic rifle firing and target prac-
tice.
It's first colonel was Fl. M. Boise, author
Of notable work on "penalogy.' The
second commander was Col F. r. Hitch
cock, prominent pioneer resident Of the
city; then came Colonel Ezra HI. Ripple,
father of the present colonel; Col. r. M.
Ceursen, who commanded the regiment
while here in 9S, was next. The next
was Col. L. A. Watres, former
acknowledgements of Pennsylvania, and
he was succeeded by Col. F. w. Stillwell,
present commanding officer of the 55th
Brigade at Camp Hancock. Then came
the present colonel, Ezra H. Ripple. Jr..
who, like Colonel Stillwell and his prede-
cessors, acceded to the command after
passing through all the enlisted and COM
mission grades.
Colonel Ripple is prominent attorney
and referee in bankruptcy in Scranton,
and at the time OF the Spanish American
war was private and corporal in the same
regiment.
veteran of '98 and served in all the grades.
For years he was enlisted in the Illinois
National Guard.
OF the field officers two of the battalion
commanders Major Robert M. Vail and
Major Ralph A. Gregory, served in SO
and Major Vail saw active service in the
Philippines at the time of the insurrec-
ton. Major Carroll J. Kelley, commando
ing the Sd battalion, has had 20 years
experience in the military and is at pres
ent senior instructor at the machine gun
school at Camp Hancock. He is assistant
postmaster at Honesdale, Pa, when at
home. Major Vail is superintendent of
water company and Major Gregory is
cashier in the Third National Bank at
Scranton.
Line OFFICERS Service Record.
Many of the line officers have likewise
seen long service. Captain Chester B.
Smith, Co. B; Captain Thomas H. Russell,
Co. H; Lieut.. Claude 70. Lester and Lieut..
David M. Arthur of the Machine Gun
Company having been either in the army
at the time of the Spanish American war
or in the foreign service. To Capt. J. T.
Cooper this also applies.
The Machine Gun Company of the 18th
was the first organized in any national
guard unit and the second in the United
States. 1t is the senior Of the PennsyI-
vania Division.
Taken as whole the regiment is one
of the most cosmopolitan in the service.
It's enlisted personnel contains many vete-
rams and ax-army men: representatives OF
nearly every creed and denomination;