The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-02-09
AMERICAN TRANSPORT SUNK.
CUNARD LINER TORPEDOED OFF
IRISH COAST.
Ship Carried Nearly 2,2O0 American
Troops, OF Whom 1912 Are Report
Cd savci-'Transport Was Convoy
cd by British Warships.

can soldiers, has been torpedoed and
sunk or the Irish coast, but Official re-
ports late tonight said 1912 of the Of
hcers and men had been saved and
indicated that the list Of rescued
might prove even larger The troops.
composed chiefly OF detachments OF
Michigan and Wisconsin National
Gnardsmen. were travelling on the
Tuscania. British vessel under con-
voy of British warships.
A brief diapatch to the war depart
mont from London early this evening
announced the disaster and reported
tho landing OF only 100 survivors.
This was made public shortly after
10 o'clock. and for more than two
hours IL was feared that probably l.
400 men. including members OF the
lincr's crew. had gone down.
When a message came to the state
department from the embassy at Lon
don saying at IL o'clock tonight 1912
OF the Americans had been account
ed for the Joy OF officials almost
swept away the distress occasioned
by the earlier news. The first LOO
survivors were landed at Larne and
Enncranna, two widely separated
Irish ports and this coupled with the
evident fact that rescue ships were
at hand quickly gave rise TO hope
that nearly everybody on board the
Tuscania except those injured by
the explosion might have been saved
The president. Secretary Baker and
II, fact all official Washington were up
late awaiting for additional news
Only the briefest dispatch gave de-
tails OF the attack on the liner. Even
the time was missing. but II was as
sumed that IL occurred early this
morning as the first message was
hlsd at London at O'Clock this after
noon. probably within an hour after
sAs relief ships reached the Irish
eosst. y =
The president was at the theater
when the news was received and he
was not told until he returned to the
+ White House.
Because OF the nature OF the mill.
tary organization carried by the ship.
the war department announced II
weuid be impossible to say definitely
what troops were aboard until the
lhs of survivors was received. Later,
however. the adjutant generals Office
made the list public. 1t follows:
Headquarters detachment and
companies ID. r and Il OF the
Twentieth Engineers.
One Hundred and Seventh Engi-
nser Train.
One Hundred and Seventh Military
Police.
One Hundred and Seventh Supply
Tfaln.
One Hundred and Fifty eighth Aero
Squadron.
Two Hundred and Thirteenth Aero
Squadron.
Replacement detachments Nos. 1
and OF the Thirty-second Division.
Fifty-one casual officers.
The Thirty-second Division Is COM
posed Of National Guard troops from
Michigan and Wisconsin. The division
trained at Camp Macarthur. Texas.
thus all the soldiers are former
wisconsin and Michigan guardsmen
except those i'm the aero squadron
who probably were recruited from all
parts OF the country.
Neither the dispatch TO the war de-
partment nor that to the state de-
partment referred to the fate of mem
oers OF the Tuscanias crew. I'm
doubtedly many of them were saved.
anu when all reports are in officials
hope that the loss OF life will be re-
mnrkably small. The liner which is
not a regular transport was under
convoy and the war ships apparently
were QUICKLY alongside for rescue
work when the torpedo struck. The
FIRST news was given out here in this
terte announcement from the war de-
partment:
The war department has been Of
hcially advised that the steamship
Tuscania was torpedoed and sunk and
thaf survivors numbering 1.1Oo. as far
as could be ascertained. were landed
at Buncranna and Larne. in Ireland
There was total OF 2.179 United
States troops on this vessel No name
OF persons lost has been reported 10
the war department. Additional par
ticulars are promised az soon ms re.