Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-09-18
GEN. EDWARDS REVIEWS
PARADE AND ADDRESSES
SOLDIERS
Exercises Tribute to Success Of
Work Carried on by Lieut..
Col. WeStmoreIand. Stirring
Address by Hon. LaWtOn B.
Evans Concludes Program

In the presence Of q large crowd of
Augusta friends, assembled at the in
vitation of General Edwards to wit
ness the graduation of the first class
from the Central Machine Gun Off
GERS Training School, G47 members of
the First Battalion, COL White and 46
colored. constituting the graduating
class, passed in review before General
Oliver Edwards commander of The
camp, on Monday morning With the
general in the reviewing party were
Lieut,-Col Westmoreland. command
ing the c. NJ, G. O. T. s; Col. Frank
Wickham, commanding the NJ T. d.,
and group of four BritiSh officers,
members OF the British Mission at the
school.
The review and the exercises follow
ing it took place on the parade ground
just back Of the Camp Library on the
Wrightsboro Road, and promptly at
1880 o'clock the crack First Group
Band swung by the reviewing stand
at the head of the column of soldiers.
Constituting, as they did, the first
graduating class of the first. and only
training school for Machine Gun Of
ficers in the United States, these young
soldiers carried themselves in a man
ner which reflected their quite JUS
tifiable pride in their military appear
L
strenuous work in the training school
were evident in the precision and the
smoothness with which the movements
of the parade were executed.
The men of this class entered the
newly created Training School four
months ago, coming from every camp
in the country to receive special train
ing in machine gun work. The great
success achieved in this short time is
due to the hard WORK and untiring eff
forts of Lieut.-Co Westmoreland, who
was placed in command of the school
by Colonel, now Brigadier General,
Edwards. His long experience as
cavalry officer, his genial personality,
and his executive ability have made
him a very efficient and popular com
handing officer.
A noteworthy feature of the exercises
was the presence of 40 Coloreh soldiers
among the successful candidates for
commissions. This is the first time in
the history of the United States any
colored men have been commissioned
as machine gun officers; and it is es-
peciaily significant that the event
should take place in the south. Only
fourteen out of a total Of fifty six
Colored candidates failed to receive
commissions; and it is a fine showing
to have II per cent of the company
successful.
After the review the battalion was
drawn up in company front formation
before the speakers stand, which was
beautifully decorated with greens and
flowers, and the exercises began with
an address by General Edwards, fol-
lowing a brief and well worded intro
duction by Colonel Westmoreland.
The general took occasion to remind
the men, most of whom have been as
signed to machine gun units in this
camp, that their first obligation is to
do as well as possible the duty imme
dlately before them, forgetting for the
time being their natural eagerness to
get overseas. He spoke of the fact
that, however desirable and important
it may be to present a neat personal
appearance, it is more important that
a young officer endeaYOr to fit his uni
form than that the uniform fit hiT0
perfectly. The extgencies of maChire
gun fighting, he said, and the great
danger attached to it frequently COM
pei one man, left alone with a machine
gun to defend that gun against SUI
perior numbers; in such case it is
possible for a soldier of true courage
and valor to render service Of the
greatest value to lis command. The
same spirit of fight to finish should
inspire the work of the officer in the
training camp. where men are trained
for the final test.
At the conclusion Of his address Cen
eral Edwards introduced, as one of the
most patriotic and influential citizens
Of the country, LaWton B. Evans, sup
erintendent of the public schools Of
Augusta and prominent lawyer Of the
south. After congratulating the men
most warmly upon their successful
completion of the difficult course, Mr.
Evans spoke of the remarkable Oppor-
tunity open to the young men of this
age to display the stern qualities of
hardihood and fearless bravery which
have come down to them from their
pioneer ancestors. only one, or at most
three, generations removed. These
qualities have already been brought
out in striking manner by the aston
ishing record made by our army in
training soldiers for the severe test of
trench warfare in less than year He
also spoke of the opportunity open TO
the enlisted man to inspire his COM
rades to do their full duty by his own
cheerful and willing work; in a sense
each soldier bears the entire respon-
slbility of the army, but the right kind
Of man is inspired and not discour-
aged by that responsibility. The au-
dience applauded heartily the speakers
Continued on page eight.