The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-28
MEMORIES OF WAR
Stories of Commanders of 130th
Field Artillery.
Capt. Arthur Mills Most POpu-
lar Officer in Command.
HAD EIGHT DIFFERENT C. 0.'S
Regular Army Officers "Made
Good" With TOpekans.
Actual Instances of Treatment
of Enlisted Men in A. e. F.
HAD EIGHT DIFFERENT C. 0. IS
BY SAN FARRELL.

Nearly every regiment of combat
troops returns to the United States
with memories OF its commanding Of
ficers. Sometimes the troops speak
of their colonies in high terms OF
praise, and frequently their opinions
are such as to be inexpressible in the
presence of ladies.
The buck private does not dislike
a colonel because he wears an eagle
on his shoulder. He either likes him
immensely, or dislikes him on merit
alone. The fact that he may be a
strict disciplinarian has nothing what
ever to do with it, II the officer him
self is man in every sense-of the
word.
Despite the criticism that has been
thrust at the regular army, and per-
haps Justly, the two best commanding
officers of the 100 field artillery, in
the opinion OF the writer. were regu-
lars This opinion is also voiced by
the majority OF the enlisted men and
officers. Some of the general Of
ficers. products of West Point. who
commanded the S5th division from
time to time, were more capable of
chevrons on their sleeves than a d.
vision or a brigade.
Mills Proved Popular.
The 130th had eight officers in COM
mand from it's time of organization
to its rehabilitation at Camp Funston
on May 10 and IL of this year. There
is no question that the best liked was
the last one of all, Capt. A. M. Mills.
of Topeka, who had, at various times,
commanded the headquarters and sup
ply companies, and the personnel sec
ton. Captain Mills command of the
regiment was of brief duration, fol-
lowing the departure of Col. W. w.
ThurstoA at Camp Upton, y. Y. short
ly after the transport Mobile had
locked.
The commanding officers, in order
named. were Hugh Means. T. A. Ellis,
Roy F. Waring, James Wilson, Will
liam w Thurston, Thomas H. Jen-
nings, Hugh S. Brown and Arthur M.
Mills. Colonies Thurston, Jennings
and Warning were in command at dif-
ferent times. Maj. w. A. Pattison. of
Topeka, commanded the regiment also
for a short time at Camp Doniphan,
and in France for two weeks Col. Karl
D. Klemm. of Kansas City, Mo-, was
placed in temporary command await
ing the arrival of Lieut.. Col. James
Wilson, of the regulars.
Lawrence Attorney in Charge.
Colonel Means organized the regi-
ment, with the assistance of several
other officers. He is a Lawrence law
yer with lOIlS ISCOIu OI SSENlSO III
the national guard. A capable organ
izer, he made an efficient command
ing officer. but was sent to school in
Texas shortly after arriving at Camp
Doniphan. He never returned to the
regiment after completing his course
at the school of fire, but was pl ced
in command of the casual camp at
Fort Sill, and subsequently assumed
command of Camp Doniphan after the
division had sailed.
Lieut.. Col. Thomas A. Ellis, as
signed to the 130th in January. 1918,
whipped the unit into shape. No bet
ter officer could have been selected
for this post, and he was universally
respected by officers and men. He
was strict in the most rigid sense of
the word. but he had the quality of
justice and fairness which is essential