Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1919-06-26


officers and men. Twelve hundred of
that number are Marylanders. The
outfit is commanded entirely by white
officers. five of whom are Baltimor-
cans. The chaplain of the regiment is
Lieut.. George A. Rosedom, formerly
pastor of First Baptist (colored)
Church. Baltimore.
The Maryland committee. headed by
Rev. DIR. c. Ernest Lyons. arrived
from Baltimore at Newport News
shortly before o'clock this morning.
On their arrival they were informed
that the big transport bringing home
the Marylanders had "sneaked"
through the capes unannounced and
would dock at $3.50 o'clock. No time
was lost by the committee in getting
in touch with Lieut.. Col. H. M. Clay
Supplee Of Baltimore. the chief OF
stan to Maj. Gen. Adelbert Cronkhite,
commander of the port who arranged
places for them on the dock alongside
of the debarkation officers.
Cheers Answer Cheers.
There were only nine men in the
official welcoming committee, but the
cheers they sent out as the big trans
port pulled up alongside the dock
would have done credit to q hundred
or so more. The boys on the trans
port were tickled with the reception.
They cheered back and the cheers of
those colored soldiers were heard
many blocks away from the dock
There was no band on the dock to
greet the colored soldiers. 1t was not
the fault of the officials at this port.
The officials did not expect the boat
until later in the morning. But mu-
sic, plenty of it, rear ragtime melo-
dies. came before a quarter of the
regiment had left the ship.
Band Secured in Hurry.
When the officials learned of the ar
rival Of the ship a message was sent
to Maj. Thomas S. Bridges command
er of Camp Alexander, and he hurried
ly sent the band of his regiment to
posed of colored men and is known at
this port as "Alexander's Ragtime
Band"
The band marched onto the dock
playing Maryland, My Maryland"
They played it as only colored must
clans can.
Officials in charge of the troop
movements here said this afternoon
that it is most probable that the
1900 Maryland members of the regi-
ment will be started for Camp Meade
Wednesday morning. They will ar
rive at the Maryland cantonment late
that afternoon.
Col. Ellery w. Niles, commander of
the regiment. was delighted with the
reception given the men today as they
left the transport and was more than
pleased when told that the boys would
be given a feed by the home folk to-
morrow.
He said the boys were a credit to
Maryland while in France. He was
exceedingly pleased with the healthi-
ness of the men in his regiment and
said that every man in the outfit
would return better and healthier
one than wien he left.
The SOSth was organized at Camp
Meade and the men who composed it
were drafted men. The outfit sailed
for France late in August, 1918, and
arrived in that country on Septem-
Der z of that year. They went at
once to the Meuse-Argonne section.
While the regiment saw no active
service in France. sixteen days after
their arrival they were caught under
heavy artillery fire and mustard
gas attack sent over by the Huns.
The regiment was waiting to go into
the front Line trenches when the
armistice was signed.
Since the armistice the regiment has
been busy collecting materials princi-
pally railroad trucks. wheelbarrows,
picks. shovels and hardware left on
the battlefelds around the Meuse-
Argonne section by the Germans. The
material was deposited at st. Jouvain,
and officials said that material gath
cred by the boys from Camp Meade is
valued at hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
When the boys arrived at Camp
Alexander they were handed copies
OF the Sun by q corps Of newsboys.
The papers delighted the soldiers.
They said they were the first home
papers they had seen since they left
this country