Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-09-25
WASHINGTON WILL SEE FAMOUS
DIVISION OF REGULARS LED
BY GENERAL PERsHlNe.
IT HAS A SPLENDID RECORD
Was First In Action at Seicheprey,
and Later II Earned the Grateful AZ
lection Of the People Of France
Generals Who viii March.
BY EDWARD 8. CLARK.

him general for life has been signed
by the president. He has been nomi-
mated, and has been confirmed by the
senate. 1t is probable that congress
will give him its thanks, and present
him with a sword as a further evil
dence of Its recognition of his serv-
ices.
There is to be in few days a pa
rade of the First division of the A. e.
F. In this city. 1t will be headed by
General Pershing, who, while not the
direct commander of the division, COM
manded the army of which it formed
part. Washington has had no great
parade Of troops like unto that of May,
1865, when the armies of Grant, Sher-
man and Sheridan marched up the
broad avenue in review before the
president and the commanding gen.
erals. and took two days to complete
the march.
There have been several small pa
rades recently Of returned soldiers in
the town. The one in which the First
division will appear will be greater
than any of its predecessors. Wash
ington was made so war-weary that it
never has responded enthusiastically
to soldiers homecomings The war-torn
veterans have marched through streets
lined with apathetic crowds. 1t is
hoped that the parade about to take
place will reverse the rule Of former
occasions. The press and the mana
gers of the parade have done all that
they. could to arouse the citizens to a
sense Of their cheering duty"
The president of the United States
will not be here to review the parade.
His place will be taken by the vice
president, who will have on the re-
viewing stand with MIN the secretaries
of war and the navy and other cabinet
officers and quite number Of promi-
nent citizens.
Fine Record of the First.
There is a reason for specially hon
oring the First division. 1t was the
first large contingent Of American
troops to be dispatched to France,
where 1t went in June, 1917, under the
command of Maj. Gen. William l..
Sibert. who trained the division for
six months In France prepared 1t for
the front line offensive and took 1t
into its first fight. Later General ST.
bert was recalled to the United States
to become the chief of the chemical
warfare service.
Other major generals who at vari-
Gus times either commanded or served
with the First division are: Robert l..
Billiard, w. S. McNair, E. E. Ely, F.
w. Coe, ]. W. McAndrews. Charles P.
Summerall, Frank Parker and E. F..
McGlachlin. All of these major gen.
erals will have part in the parade.
1t was part of the First division
which engaged In the first warfare on
behalf Of America, as an American
fighting unit under American COM
mand. The first American blood of the
war was spilled at Seichprey, and it
came from the veins of soldiers of the
First division. Seichprey always will
be name and place memorable In
American history.
The little town, or what is left Of 1t,
is situated at the edge of the st. Mi
hiel salient. An American contingent
was occupying the outlying trench
when the Germans intent on making "a
coup raided in the early hours of the
day. They killed some Americans and
took some others prisoners, but they
paid toll in doing 1t and later full re-
venge was taken by other members Of
the division.
Beloved by the French.
The First division fought all through
the war, and it occupies place in the
hearts Of the French people from
which 1t never can be dislodged. The
sentiment of the French for the First
regulars is felt not only because it was
the first American fighting unit to ar
rive in France, but because also of its
sterling fighting qualities displayed on
many fields.
1t is probable, however, that in the
hearts of the French the Third Ameri-
can division will hold place trifle
higher than that of the First, for the
reason that it was the Third division
which threw back the Germans little
more than a year ago when they had
succeeded for the second time during
the war in gaining foothold south Of
the Marine.
1t is believed that the march of the
First division in Washington will be
the last great parade Of the soldiers
who took part in the war, which this
town will see. In way, it will be the
closing line Of the great epic poem Of
American action. Many members Of
the First have re-enlisted In the United
States army Men who three years ago
did not know how to make an "abOut
face" properly are today veterans Of
the greatest war in history and compe-
tent to be soldier instructors Of others.
I Ns ---------------------------- 8s4
There are said to be $500 estah-
Iishments manufacturing various kinds
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