Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-03


tered through a number of divisions
lighting the Hun when the armistice
went into effect on November IL at
IL o'clock.
The number of Pennsylvanians
among the nearly l,975,000 troops
abroad is roughly estimated at one
tenth of the complete total, although
there is no way even to approximate
the exact figures.
Pioneers among Pennsylvanians
abroad were the One Hundred Fifti-
eth Machine Gun Battalion, which
was with the Torty-second or Rain
bow Division. This division has ac-
tually been in all the great battles,
from Chateau Thierry to Sedan. and
even before the drive which started
the Hun downfall on July Is the
Raiubows were at grips with the foe.
The machine-gun battalion COM
prised the old KILN companies of
the former Fourth Pennsylvania In
fautry. The battalion left this coun-
try in command of Major Elmer
ReitZel. and when fighting ceased
was stationed at MaisonCelle and st.
Dizier. The battalion was comprised
of men from Bethlehem, Lebanon
and Reading, and numbered in its
ranks many of the Pennsylvania
Dutch"
Taunted PrusSians in PatOis
Stories of the manner in which
these Pennsylvanians, speaking that
patois, taunted the Prussians while
sitting opposite them awaiting the
order to go over the top have stimu-
lated many a Pennsylvania since
last July. These same boys march
ing through Luxembourg have been
able to talk with the natives in the
same language.
The Rainbow Division formed a
part of the First American Army,
commanded by Lieutenant General
Hunter Liggett, himself a son of old
Berks county. In this same army
was the Eightieth Division, which
was trained at Camp Lee and COM
prised drafted men from the western
half of the state, together with the
men from West Virginia and Virginia
This division, when the armistice
was signed, was billeted at Som
mauthe and st. Dizier.
The Twenty eighth Division, the
former Pennsylvania National Guard,
with two regiments of infantry, one
of artillery and many other units
from this city, won imperishable
fame. No less an authority than
General Pershing complimented the
division upon the enviable reputation
which it had established.
When the armistice was signed the
Twenty eighth was in the Second
American Army, commanded by
Lieutenant General Robert Lee Bull
lard, of Alabama. 1t was in camp
at Heudicourt and st. Dizier. The
Twenty eighth was in every battle of
consequence from Chateau Thierry
to the finale at Sedan. 1t named itself
the keystone Division" when the
boys sailed overseas. But the first
fighting the Pennsylvanians per-
formed side by side with the French
lost that name in the shuttle.
French Christen Division
The impulsive, temperamental
Gauls tackled the soubriquet of The
Iron Division" on the chaps from
William Penn land, a tribute to the
manner il. which they stood up to
Hun back at the second battle of the
Marne. Later the Twenty eighth
was granted the insignia of the Red
Keystone" TO be worn by its men as
one of the Red Fighting Divisions"
that gained memorable victories for
American arms.
The Seventy-ninth Division, COM
prised of the drafted men from the
eastern half of the state, Maryland
and the District of Columbia, ended
their fighting brigaded with the
French at Nacherauville and St.
Dizier.
Many Changes in officers
Many changes are apparent in the
| personnel of the officers of the
Twenty eighth Division, now COM
manded by Major General William
II. Hay. When the division went to
! Camp Hancock Major General
! Charles NJ. Clement, of Sunbury,
| was in command. He was relieved
and Major General Charles II. Muir,
a Regular Army man, was placed in
! charge. When General Muir was pro-
NOTED to the command of the
Fourth Army Corps, General Hay
succeeded HIM.
The roster of the division staff
comprises Lieutenant Colonel Walter
| c. Sweeney, a Regular and a former
Pennsylvania, who is chief of staff;
| Lieutenant Colonel David j. Davis,
/ adjutant general. Lieutenant Colonel
! NJ. II. Taggart, inspector general;
| Major c. y. Berntheisel, judge advo-
cate general; Lieutenant William ].
! Crookston, surgeon general; Major
/ Walter c. Sterling, ordnance officer;
| Major Sidney A. Hagerling, signal Of
| ficer; Lieutenant Colonel Fred c.
! Taylor Pusey, division quartermas-
| ter; Captain Theodore d. Boal and
Captain Benjamin C. Tilghman.
Many of these officers occupied
similar positions in the old National
! Guard and were at the Mexican bor-
! der in their present capacity. Colo
| mel Davis is former city solicitor of
! Scranton and has been connected
with the National Guard, for many
years. Colonel Taggart IS one OF
| of the youngest men to have such
rank. In the Mexican affair ne was
4 lieutenant and aid to General
! Clement, and has reached his silver
! leaf by leaps and bounds.
Old Guardsmen Represented
Major Bcrntheisel is another old
| Guardsman and Colonel Crooliston
was ut the border, and so was Colo
noy Pusey, who lives in Media and
whose son, Lieutenant Pusey Jr.,
recently was wounded.
Captain Boal lives at Boalsburg
and organized an Independent ma
chine gun company when the wal
started with the United States as q
bell!gerent and went to France in
command Captain Tilghman is q