Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-06-07
AtIantians Bid Godspeed
To Old Fifth When Flags
Are Presented OF Wheeler
More Than Nine Hundred En-
listed Men of One Hundred
and Twenty Second infantry
Are Expected to,Leave Soon
for France
BY WARD GREENE
journal STAFF Correspondent

CAMP WHEELER, Macon, Ga, June
6.-When the boys Of the old Fifth
Georgia regiment, now the One Hundred
and Twenty-second United States infan-
try. board the troop trains for an east
ern port in a day or two, they will
face the great game over there with the
memory green in their hearts of how
the homefolks from the old home town
gave them Godspeed on their crusade
10 Berlin.
1t may be months from now that the
memory will come sweeping back TO
them. In a dugOut in the front-line
trenches, perhaps. with "whizz-bangs"
tipping overhead and the coolies and
. the trench rats playing prisoners base
all over the shop. Bill will turn to his
buddy and remark
Say, DO. do you remember the day
down TO old Camp Weller, when the
folks from Atlanta gave US the colors?"
DO II" saws Bits bunkie. do you
think I'll ever forget the fried chicken
and the sweet potatoes and the 'vaniller'
ice cream"
And the green peppers stuffed with
potato salad and the string beans"
And the asparagus and the jelly and
the lemon pie? Oh, boy
And then the thoughts of both of
them will go homing back three thou
sand miles across the sea to a hot sum-.
mer's day in June, to the cantonment
spread among the green fields of Bibb
county, to the blazing parade ground
and to a picture of Judge John S.
Gambler, mounted on a platform in the
center Of the scene, telling them to take
the twin flags to Berlin and not to
bring them back stained or soiled, while
beside him a little girl all in white
looked down at them and smiled and
dipped her bouquet of field flowers,
tied with the ribbons of red and white
and blue.
Judge Gamblers Address
II am not here to sympathize with
you, but to congratulate you" he said.
You have the worlds most wonderful
opportunity. 1t is an opportunity I'M
dreamed of, an opportunity that has
come to no other citizens of the United
States in the last one hundred and fifty
years, an opportunity, 1 dare say, that
will never come TO a citizen of the
United States again.
First young men, you are going to
war to represent the greatest nation
under the sun, to represent principles
you may be proud to live for and prouder
still TO die for. You are going over
there as the fighting men of the great
est and best government in the world
A government of free men. 1t is the
greatest regret of my life that 1 have
but one son to go with you. 1 am
sorry, too, that 1 cannot go along and
see that he does what / know he is go
ing to do-his fully duty.
1T is your opportunity to go out to
fight for this grand and great govern
ment against the most dastardly and
barbarous foe that has scourged the
earth since the days Of Attila. The most
savage American Indian was not cir
cumstance to the German, his crimes
were child's play beside the atrocities
committed by the Huns. When you
come home, boys, you will have the sat
isfaction in your heart of having crush
ed civilizations worst enemy"
Colors Unfurled
Here Judge Gambler turned, while out
from the grandstsnd came two men
with the colors. AS they unfurled them,
the crowd cheered, for the flags were
beauties-the silken banner of the Star9
and Stripes ripping forth in the sun
alongside the blue regimental flag with
it's stars floating against a field of
clouds.
Il charge you to bring back these
flags unstained," said Judge Gambler.
PLANT them in the first rank and never
let them go back Advance them until
they wave from the ramparts of the
Hohenzollern palace in the city of Ber-
lin"
With the last words, the band broke
into pixie" the crowd yelled again and
the two colorbearers, with the two col
or guards, advanced and received the
flags from the hands of Judge Gambler
and from little Jacqulin Moore.
Responding for the regiment, Colonel
Hall spoke briefly, concluding with the
declaration that I'VE will bring them
back unblemished and unconquered!"
The ceremony was followed by the
escort to the colors" and by a regimen
tai review. with Judge Gambler, Mayor
Gambler, General Harris and others in
the reviewing stand.
Those who could stayed over in Ma
con Wednesday night for a reception
for enlisted men aPd their friends at
Camp Wheeler and dance for officers
and their friends in the city.