The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-03-21
Many Green Mountain Boys in
3O2d Field Artillery
LETTER TO GOV CLEMENT
Soldiers Hope Their Battle Flags
@s' May BE Preserved at State
Capitol


al guardsmcp were absorbed into
other organizations. there has been
. feeling OF regret that there was to
be no distinctiyely Vermont regi-
ment TO win honor for the Green
Z Mountain state In the great war
j ACROSS the seas. There was, how
csever, one regiment In France that
was largely composed OF MEN from
4 Vermont as will be seen from the fol-
lowing open letter TO Governor P, W.
Clement written by Corp. John G..
Hutton, a Bennington boy, and a
copy Of which has been received at
the Banner ONCE:
Camp De souge (Gironde) France.
February "a, 1919
To Hon. Percival w. Clement,
Montpelier, Vermont.
Dear Sir.
Being yermonters and much inter
ested in the politics OF the state, we
were very much pleased to hear Of
your election and wish to congratu-
late you heartilyWe were glad to
know that in your speeches you in
+. dorsed the paying of state aid money
Ito all In the service, volunteers,
drafted men and nurses alike. This
ttsaof interest to US as we are almost
I. al drafted men. We have men from
! every COUNTY and most OF the towns
OF the state In our regiment. We
were the only regiment to get to the
front with entirely American equip
ment. We had good American 4.7
Inch field.guns with good American
tractors, motorcycles, White and
Dodge automobiles and ammunition
trucks .that. showed the efficiency OF
American manufactures. and almost
every gunner was vermonter
The flghting is over but II seems
that the hardest part is the waiting
10 20 home.
We read an article in the Barre
Daily Times which asked for some
OF the regimental colors from regi
ments which have served In France
There is no organization In the A. r
F. composed entirely OF vermonters
but our regiment has majority OF
Green Mountain boys and we greatly
desire TO see our standards in the
capitol at MONTPELIER. We are sure
that you will cooperate with us to
bring these war mementoes back
home TO Vermont
Our regiment. being corps artillery
belonged 10 no especial division but
when the armistlce was signed, We
we're In position on the Heights of the
Meuse, backing up the Slst division
generally known as the Wild CATS
who were on the edge of the great
plain OF the Woevre which extends
twenty-five miles TO Metz. During tn,
last few days, our infantry took sew
eral small villages and early in tn,
morning OF November 18th, We movet
our guns down from the ridge to new
positions on tho plain from which w
could cover the further advance o
the Wild Cats.
Throughout the war. the line hat
changed very little at this point. Jus
north, the German drive upon verdui
had been shattered and just south thI
fine had been Strengthened by tn,
famous 81. Mihie offensive. II re
maIned TO start the drive across tn
plain 10 take Meta when Germany ac
cepted the conditions OF the armistic
which demanded the withdrawal L
the other side OF the Rhine.
mot being put into the army of oC
cupatIon, we we're sent to Camp d
Souge, near Bordeaux and are nov
hoping for q speedy return to tn
United States. 4. :.
Again congratulating you, we wis
to assure you Of our support when W
are mustered out and are sent bac
to vermont's Green hills.
Yours sincerely
. John G. Hutton.
Battery c, so2d Field Artillery
Cor. John @. Hutton, Bennington.
Cor. Arthur 7. Osha, Rochester
ist Serg. John O. Kenehck. Barr,
serg. Robert y, Knox, Barre.
Serg. Julian p. Rockwell, Swantol
Serg. Oliver E Tatro. vergennes.
serg, Foster I, Andrews, Morri
VILE.
serg, Buell. A. Brewster Can
bridge.
Serg Edward V, Eastman. windst
Sunnly. Serg Charles h. Este
Springfield.
Mess serg. Wallace j. Mayo, NJ
dlebury,
serg, Raymond p. Gravius, Read
boro.
Serg. Wallace Harrington, Sou
Shaftsbury
serg. Clarence T.. Badger. lily,
PARK
Cor. James f. Aldrich, st. John
bury.
Cor Raw Il. Nichols, Felchville.
Cor Fred J. lfarwood Rupert
Cor Ivan G. lIartshorn, East CO