The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1919-06-11
THE WILDCATS" AS
A COMBAT DIVISION
l'riet Account Of It's Brief But i,is
tinguished Career
ATTACKED ENEMY NOV. 9
Majority of Officers and Men From
North and South Carolina
and Florida

Columbia, June 8.-The Eighty-frst
or "Wild Cat" division, composed prin-
cipally Of troops from North Carolina,
South Carolina and Florida, first
went over the top" on November 8,
1918, two days prior to the signing
of the armistice, but in the short space
of its fighting career it distinguished
Itself. The following is short his
tory of the "Wild Cats" as a combat
division:
The Eighty-frst division was or
ganized at Camp Jackson, Columbia,
S. G., August 25, 1917. The majority
of the officers and men were from the
States of North Carolina, South Car
olina and Florida. At Camp Jackson
large number of men were trans
ferred out of the division to other di-
visions and new drafted men were
received from North Carolina, Florida
and other Southern States. At Camp
| Sewer about G,00O additional drafted
men were received from Alabama and
1900 from New York.
"The Eighty-first division is named
the "Stoncwall" division, but most
people speak Of it as the "Wild Cat"
division, from its shoulder insignia,
| which is wild cat in circle, differ
cnt colors being used to designate va
| various organizations, as follows:
White, Wild Cat 161st infantry
brigade.
Blue, Wild Cat 162nd infantry bri-
gade.
Red, Wild Cat 156th F. A. Brigade
30Gth Ammunition train, 3O6th T. NJ.
battery.
I Black, Wild Cat division headquart-
ers 3OGth engineers and train, 316th
NJ. G. battalion, 3O6th train hcadquar-
tcrs and military police.
Orange, Wild Cat 3O6th field signal
| battalion.
Green, Wildcat 3O6th sanitary train.
Buff, Wild Cat 3O6th supply train.
"On May 10Th, 1918, the division
Qess l56th f. A. brigadc) moved from
Camp Jackson to Camp Sewer, S. C.
"The division (lcss the artillery bri-
gadc) began moving from Camp Sc
vier, S. c., on July 13, for port of en-
barkation, at Hobokcn, N j. This
continued until July %. The first
units sailed July 81, and arrived at
J Liverpool, England, enroutc to France
August | 1l,i19l8, and In the Tomere
(Yonne) training area, August 18,
| 1918.
'The artillery brigade sailed from
Hoboken, ". j., August 6, 1918, and
arrived n France, August l3, 1918.
and in the Valdahon training area
August 2G, 1918, where it remained
until November 1918, when it moved
to vicinity Of Chateau. Villain.
"From August II to September II,
the division was attached to the Sixth
| u. S. army corps, September 10, the
| division Qess the artillery brigadel
! occupied front line in the St. Die
(Vosges) sector. which was consider
ed quiet sector, relieving the Nine
| tySecond division.
From September II to October / .
| the division was in the Thirty-thirG
French corps, when it was transfer
| red to the Tenth French corps. (Note
From September II, to October 25, at
tachcd for administration to the Sew
| cnth u. S. corps, Second army.) Oct
ober 20, 1918, the division was re-
lievcd in the line by the Twentieth
French and First Polish divis-
ions and played in reserve in the
Rameer-Villcrs (Vosges) area. On
October 81, November 2, the division
was moved by rail to the reserve of
the First army and joined the Seven
teenth French corps. November 2 to
November 7, 1919
Over the Top Nov. 8.
"On November 7, 1918, the division
occupied the front line in Somme~
dieue sector Of Neuse-Argonnc fronts,
relieving the Thirty-ffth division and
becoming part Of the Second French
colonial cocrG. This was an active
sector, and en- November 8, 1918, the
division attacked the enemy, and our
advance continued against stubborn
resistance until II q. M, November
II, 1918.
"Thc division remained where it
was at suspension of hostiliiies until
November 10, 1918, when it started
to march to the Twelvcth training