Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-17
NOT LIKE BADGER STATE
CAPT.BUTTERS COMPARES WIS
CONSIN WITH TEXAS
Writes of Army Reorganization il
New Quarters-NirOqua Boys
Make Good Personal Re-
CARDS to All
SUPPLY COMPANY. SIXTH WIS
CONSIN INFANTRY

CONSlN INFANTRY
Camp Macarthur, Waco, Texas. Oct.7.
My Dear Munson: l know of no
better way TO spend hot Sunday af-
ternoon than in writing, through the
columns of your paper to a host of
friends. The Sixth Wisconsin Infan-
try. the next to the last unit to leave
Camp Douglas, arrived here at $50
p. m. last Sunday. We found, as the
troops before US have all found, a
half-circle shaped camp around the
city of Waco, and for the most part
all points about equally distant from
the center of the city, about three
miles away. The sections are letter
ed. Section A-B-C-D-E-F. Il so
happens that the Third Regiment in
which most of the Viroqua boys are
in is Section A. and the Sixth Regi-
ment is in section f, so we are three
miles apart and see but little of each
other. Along with all the Wisconsin
troops and the Michigan soldiers To-
gether they form the 32nd division of
the army. As all branches of the
army are being reconstructed after
the more approved methods used in
the French and English armies.
We found upon our arrival that
this division was in a great turmoil
organizations that hive been in exist
ence for better than two score years
are done away with and men are be-
ing changed around like pawns on a
chess board to fit in with the new ia
bies Of organization At present
these tables are to be held as conf
Dental by all officers, and if not they
would be found to be so complicated
chat a statement of them would mean
but little to the average mind. 1t
is enough when the compleXity of the
organization completes a headquar-
ters company for each regiment of
2S2 men. the old Headquarters Gom-
pany Of Niroqua had but IS men.
These 292 men are divided in differ
ent sections as the Band section,
Mounted orderly section, Signal corps
section, etc. A company of soldiers
| has 250 men, instead of $50. Then
| besides the regiments of infantry
there are an innumerable number of
units, as motor truck ambulance
trains, motor drawn ammunition
trains, supply trains, artillery sec
tions, machine gun sections, trench
motor sections, etc.
The 4th, 9Th, and 9th regiments
that formed a brigade under com
mand of General r. A. Richards of
was the LIST, 2nd and Bird regiments
| under command Of General Boardman
| former adjutant general of the state
of Wisconsin. General Boardman viii
| have in the miX-up, command of one of
| the two infantry brlgades in the divi-
sion. General Richards draws what
is called the 57th Depot brigade, a
! brigade attached to the 32nd division
that acts continually as reserve to
, the fighting line. constantly changing
as to the personnel of officers and
men with the exception of the gener-
al and staff and three other admins
Iative forces. It's functions are TO
| prepare supplementary division in
all parts like the main lighting force
of the Sind division and attached to
| il as a brigade, ready and equipped
and trained to step in whenever a
gap occurs. ! captain is sick A
captain from the depot brigade train
ed for that place is at once sent ia
fill his position. A company is de-
moralized in action, company from
the depot brigade is ready to step in
and Immediately the depot brigade
goes about preparing a new company
to take the place of the second com
pany sent, and so on. One of the
administrative forces = the division
is termed, the Supply Quartermas-
ter Corps, consisting of one major
two captains and IS enlisted men
This is the organization to which
am personally attached. With ms
in this organization will go Charles
". Porter, with rank Of sergeant Isl
class, and also the two other regi
mental supply sergeants that | haC
at Camp Douglas. My major will b.
Major Ed. Markle of Oshkosh whom
military men all over the state vii
remember as the most efficient helper
of Col Williams in the subsistence
department at Camp Douglas for /;
score of years during encampments
We will mess with General Ricf ardl
and his staff and it will seem like
home to me to get back to the Ok
| mess that l had charge of PERSONAL!
for many years when chaplain of th'
Third. Our present Colonel, Mar
shall Cousins, has been made super
intendent Of the training forceof thu
division, a most responsible place
Major +. C.. Atkinson has been made
major of the machine gun section
No officer changes his rank in thu
mixup, but his duties may be chang
ed in a marked manner. Out of j
all is one good feature, the Wisconsin
troops will be held intact and no
scattered among other state troops
or with the regular or national arm!
except as the national army is sen
10 fill up the organization. The fac
is that the troops of Wisconsin aEe
Michigan combined are not enough
to make one division as now con
structed.
It was my plan when starting thii
letter 10 write concerning the boy.
Of Viroqua more than about the
dOings Of the army, and / know thai
the above will be but dull reading
d but there are so few Of the fellows
have seen since | arrived here that
can say but little about them. | an
glad to report that Victor HetlanC
and Harold Cowden have been made
sergeants. They had it coming anc
will make good.
The climate here is to me rather
, depressing. One rain, they say
+ since the 4th of July. Dirt every
where, and when the wind blows i
gets in everything, especially food
1t is gumbo, but kind of meal5
gumbo. But few trees in the camp
and they a dirty slate color from
dust. The Brazos river Is two and