New-York tribune., 1919-06-07
9 Transports Bring
1850 Officers and
Men Home i'm Tav
Son of August Belmont Is
Back on Same Ship That
Brings Rival Clergymen
Who Praise Others Deeds

The tide of homebound troops ran
full and high yesterday when nine
, transports brought home from France
18, 500 officers and men of the A. E. F.
The days grist was not record
breaker, bu: it was the biggest aggre-
CATION Of returning fighters that has
come to port within the last two weeks.
The troop ships carried remnants Of
divisions the greater part of which
are now discharged from service. and
mingled with the bclated units came
hundreds Of men grouped into casual
companies.
The military passenger complement
Of the Santa Ana, consisting of ,42S
officers and men. was made up largely
OF soldiers of the 18th Uightning>
Division. These troops have been trail
ing homeward in large and small de-
tachments for nearly ten weeks but the
group that came home yesterday was
accompanied by Major General James
H. McRae, who was the division COM
mander throughout it's service in
France. General McRae said that
there was no division that surpassed
the 18th in gallantry, morale and
tenacity OF purpose. The divisions Of
iicial casualties according to records
brought over on the Santa Anna were
$500 dead and wounded.
On this troopship came two chap
lalns with mutual admiration for each
other, one Catholic and the other a
rotestant. Both had fought the en-
cmy beside their men in the heat of
battle and each had assisted the other
in caring for wounded and dying men
of their creeds.
The Catholic chaplain of the 18th
was the Rev. Father John A. Fa~relly.
His side partner was the Rev John H.
Buchanan, of Blue Mountain, Miss,
senior chaplain of the same division,
who is pastor of the First Baptist
Church, of Finchville, KY.
Father Farrelly said there was no
finer or more fearless man in the SER
vice than DR.. Buchanan and the lat
ter had the same impression Of his
Catholic associate.
Captain Raymond Belmont, son of
August Belmont the banker, who was
With the headquarters troop of the
18th Division, returned on the Santa
Ana. He went overseas as a first lieu
tenant and was promoted shortly be-
fore the ST. Mihiel drive.
Another traveller on the TRANSPORT
was Major Robert p Mcdowell, OF
Elmira, n. Y, who was greeted at the
pier by his wife and eleven months
old son, who was born soon after the
major arrived in France.
The Pannonia, which carried o.O53
troops, brought home Colonel Sydney
Grant who trained and took overseas
the 59th Coast Artillery, which was the
old 18th of Brooklyn. He was greeted
down the bay by several hundred men
who fought under him, headed by Col
oncl Clarence W. Smith, who succeeded
him as commander Of the 18th Repi-
ment
Two weeks after his arrival in France
Colonel Grant was assigned to con-
struction work at base ports and for
his work received the decoration Of the
Legion Of Honor
The Pretoria, which brought home
2,3S6 officers and men, had among her
u'its the 144th Infantry and dctach-
men's Of the 141st Infantry. Amonf,
tne lighters were several hundred Ind
ians. some Of whom were decorated
FOR gallantry in action.
The Madawaska carried 1888 Office RS
and men, made up chiefly Of men of the
18th and 90th divisions When two days
out OF port sixteen-year-o stow
away, named Robert Chevreul. was
discovered in the hold. His parents
were killed in the war, and for nearly
seven months he had been living with
troops Of the 10th Division. While in
France he attracted the attention Of
! Major K. l.. Stcbbins, Of Irontonvillc,
Mich, who offered to adopt him. He
/ was sent TO Ellis Island. whczs he will