The Topeka state journal., 1919-04-12
TOPEKA'S OWN
SOLDIERS ARE
ON The OCEAN
13Oth Field Artillery Sailed
From France April 9-1O-11.
Should Land in New York
About Twenty-Fifth.
HEADQUARTERS and BAND
Other Units From Topeka Also
on the High Seas.
At Last the Good News Awaited
Here for SO Long.
HEADQUARTERS and BAND
Other Units From Topeka Also
on the High Seas.
Topeka HAPPY TODAY
News of Sailing of 13Oth Brings
JOY to Relatives of Boys.

This is a great day in Topeka for
the relatives of the men in the both
field artillery.
The announcement that the Topeka
troops were on the ocean was made on
the State Journal bulletin board at
1915 this morning.
The usual morning crowd was
watching the big electric machine post
the window news, letter by letter.
Many were there in idle curiosity
others from the force of habit that has
developed here since the State Journal
installed its bulletin machine three
years ago.
Then came the bulletin to the effect
that Battery and other Topeka or
ganizations had sailed. The news was
as electrical in it's effect as it was in
its mechanical production.
In fifteen minutes the State Journal
telephone was swamped with inquiries.
Mothers, sweethearts, sisters, fathers,
brothers-even sons and daughters
wanted to know IF it was true that"
There is many bright face on Kan
sas avenue today. And out home in
the kitchen the towel hanging over
the sink and the white apron were
used to brush away tears of happiness
tears that were NOT brought about
by the peeling of onions -s.,.-- -
The 130th field artillery regiment
is on the water on it's way home. To-
gether with the 129th field artillery it
sailed from France on transports leav-
ing April 9-1C-11.
Word to this effect was received at
the adjutant generals office today
from the militia bureau in Washing
ton 1t is the first official announce
ment that the Kansas boys in the
35th division artillery sections are on
their way home. Various rumors
have been afloat in Topeka for the
last two or three weeks that the boys
were on the water. but this is the first
official notification of the fact.
Contains Four Topeka Units.
The 130th field artillery before its
induction into federal service was the
First Kansas field artillery regiment.
1t includes Battery A from Topeka.
Headquarters company from Topeka,
the band organized by Doctor Morri-
son from Topeka, the medical detach-
ment under Doctor LulTs command,
and batteries from Lawrence. Kansas
City, Kan. Wichita and Pittsburg.
The 129th field artillery regiment is
a Missouri organization. The names
Of the transports on which the regi-
mentS sailed are not given in the
telegram. Neither is the date of eX-
pected arrival, but from the records
of transport sailings and arrivals, it is
thought that the vessels will arrive in
America about April %.
Battery A, one of the three Topeka
units in the 130th field artillery. is
one of the oldest military organiza-
tions in the state. 1t was organized in
Topeka some eighteen years ago, first
as a company of infantry and later as
a battery of field artillery.
Saw Service on Border.
Battery saw service on the Mex
lean border in 1916. being modified
and sent there at the time PershinG
went into the desert after PanchC
returned to Topeka and mustered out
of the federal service in the late sum-
mer of 1916. 1t drilled faithfully thru
that winter and when the call to arms
came in April, 1917, it was ready for
immediate dispatch to the French
front
But the powers that be in Washing
ton held the general mobilization or
der for Kansas troops until August 5
on that date the battery was modified
at the Free fair grounds in Topeka
where it lay encamped until late IL
September. when it went to Camp
Doniphan, Oklahoma, for period Of
intensive training.
The regiment of which Battery A
was a part became the 130th fielC
artillery at Camp Doniphan. Thi:
regiment sailed for France in the lat.
ter part of May, 1918, embarking from
Camp Mills, Long Island
In England Short Time
From Camp Mills the regiment wen
to England, stayed there severa
weeks, and then was sent to France
Its first real battle was in the famous
drive of the YankS at St. Mihiel wher,
it supported the doughboys of tn,
Thirty-fifth division in closing tn,
Jaws on one side of that now famous
salient into the allied line
The regiment took part in severa
other engagements including the fight
ing at Verdun. 1t was one of the de
Gliding factors in the first drive int,
the Argonne wood.
When the battery left Topeka 70
Camp Doniphan and when it lef
Doniphan for France it was in com
mand of Capt. William p. MacLean