The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-28

the enforced policy Of employing combat
as replacement divisions. However. the
selected nucleus Of the original draft alb
Sorbed with amazing rapidly IN" r"-
CruItS or Tho later drafts. and every CT
fort was made to preserve the territorial
character OF the units Of the division
which had proved 10 possess the expect
ed advantages.
AS successive ContiuCcntS Of he draft
appeared IN rapid succession at Camp
Lee. tho division began To tax" shape.
the proprietary interest Of The three
states whence came the men began To
manifest itself and as the splendid re-
suits of the Efforts OF thos" responsible"
for its organization and III" spirit with
which the work WAS undertaken began
to appear. mere interest was soon con-
verted into real pride. During those in
spring days Of CraS"lcSs labor which
made up the autumn Of 1917 the chi"t
executives Of Virginia. West Virginia
and Pennsylvania. III" ConfCd"rat" vet
Grams and many other. representative
men visited and revisited IN" great
training camp NJ Petersburg always TAX
ing home 10 their people The gratifying
promise that their confidence and PRIDE
would he fully justified by III" Blue
Ridge" division. aud with Il sentiment Of
high responsibility 10 ihoS" pcopl" the
officers and mon alike Of tn" division
were inspired from tho first. TIL" record
OF those formative days--iayS "r'!iuar-
lily so dull and lacking in int"rcSt-is
one Of which all concerned may we'll be
proud
No, ha feir NCr hl ~
mrnt To france. Division headquarters
the 31Sth infantry embarked NJ llohokcn
for Brest on the great ship I"viathan.
while all other elements shipped from
Newport News. Virginia. for ST. Nazair".
bordeaux and RrcSI Tho troops de-
barkcd nj the three ports mentioned dur
ing May 80 81. juno and Jur" u.
after various adventures on tn" high
seas which lent interest to tn" voyage.
! Tho Lcviathan WAS unSurC"SSiuilr Hi-
tackled May >" at IN" very "n;ran''" I"
the harhcr of BrcSt by n fl"tilla Of Ger
man submarines tn" strength uf which
was estimated from S"v"n 60 two craft.
An agreement had been rcachod with
tho British whereby ten American diNi-
sions were to be ~ Si Cn"d /" the British
training areas in France, and L. r"'cIv"
training aud equipment n III" hands ~
the British army. While with tho Erit-
ish these divisions w"r" ~ occupy posi-
lions along tho recently constructed SOC
ondary lines uf defense. This arrange
ment rendered the general situation
moro Sccur" pending tn" CNistlrS tenn
porary shortage NJ a.llod troops which
had resulted from The enormous lnsS"s
of tho diSaStrO Spring Campa fn. TIL"
SOth division was fortunately selected
for this training service which WAS In
give 10 l. practical "Np"ri"nc" If war ~
the British trenches before being en-
ga gcd on a larE" scale in Tho American
sector.
From the ports Of dcha rkation the d.
vision less tho artillery. was transported
to Calais. where tho troops exchanged
American for British arms. B"for" tho
middle Of June IN" division was assem-
blcd in tho Sam"r training area. sov"ral
miles cast of Roul0cn". under tn" tut"-
larC Of first the 18th tlrish) and then
the 23iih British divisions. which had
been reduced w lnsScs 70 more Cadr"s.
Tho artillery h~irad" with INC ammuni-
ton train proceeded from TIA" ports az
bordeaux and Rr"sr 10 E"d"n. near 81.
Eazairc. where Il received It's animals
and most of the material. Roma ming at
Rcd"n until tn" last part Of July. IN"
orCicCrs ana m"r of tho advance detail
COMPOSING tNr specialists. received
training n, ,h~ artillery firing school At
Clmr d. C""Gu,lan. Early N August
'h,. Antilles, hr gaiC was assembled NJ
the American training area n camp
M"ucUn. also near 81. NHZalr" where II