The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-03-26
Troop Ships to
Charleston
South Carolina Port to Receive
All ssOld Hickory" Fighters
Except Sick and Wounded.

Washington, March 20.-AH trans
ports bringing home units Of the
Thirtiefh cold Hickory") Division
viii go to Charleston. S. c., unless
they carry also sick and wounded
soldiers. for whom there are no ia
cififies att he South Carolina port
IN addition to the transport Mer-
curry. the war department announc-
ED officially late today that the
fansperts Pocahontas. Matawaska and
Konigen der Nederlander, all with
units Of the Thirtieth aboard, had
been diverted from Newport News
and would land their men at Char
lesion.
Charleston, March 2o.-Ohcial
news was received here this morning
the southeastern Department
Headquarters that the U. S. S. Pocha-
hnntas, which sailed from st. Nazaire
seaSAEarch Is for Newport News, has
been diverted to Charleston aud is
expected To arrive March 80 with
nearly 5000 officers and men Of the
hirtieth Division, bringing the to-
tai number OF troops scheduled to de-
bark here within four days up to
abnut s,00el. The present expecta-
tipns are that the Koningin der Ned
serIan6en Will arrive on March 81,
fhe Mercury on March 20 and the
Pocahontas on March 80, which
means tha. the debarkation officers
be called upon to handle a
mneh larger number of troops in one
Mnek than was originally expected.
There Is a report current, which is
net as yet officially confirmed, that
Fo other vessels are also bound for
Charleston.
The following units are aboard the
R0eahontas: OF the One Hundred and
Eighteenth Infantry, First ard Third
sBafta.ions, medical headquarters de-
taetmeat, Companies Alb, C, D, L
AID M in an "a officers and 790 men.
OF the One Hundred and Seventeenth
Infaatry are headquarters and staff
headquarters of the First Battalion.
ordnance and sanitary detachment,
Ehst and Second Battalion headquar-
tefs,s Machine Gun and Supply COM
panies A to :, inclusive, totalling SO
officers and 2.027 men. There are also
aboard special casual company No. s.
Ten discharged, one officer and 235
mem; also two casual officers Of the
ansesvice and one civilian, the total
number aboard being 2,918.
With the troops Of the, first two
transports, these units will be sent to
Camp jackson. where they will be
70
tf1edr home towns The casCa1 officers
NH be handled here.
Due to the fact that the transport
Mercrey is a somewhat faster ship
than the Koningin der Nederlanden,
the two ships bound for this port
with nearly 5.oe0 boys Of the Thlr-
fieths Division, many Of them Char
lestonians Or South CaroIinians. on
board. the local entertainment COM
Ynittee working with Mayor Hyde is
endeaRoring to arrange if possible |
for the transports to enter Charles
tom harbor, together for the sake Of
combining the city g greeting and Ia
ezlitating arrangements generally. It
Is not known whether this can be
done. IA appeared practically certain
today that there would be no oppor
tunity for the troops to parade here
upon landing, as their trains will be
within very short distance Of their
ship and Charleston is eight miles or
sosfrom the port terminals. A meet
ing at city hall today Of the mayors
committee about completed all de-
tails for the citywide greeting to be
extsnded the soldiers. The people
viii line the waterfront when the
transports proceed up the Cooper
River, whistles and bells will ring.
signal will be sounded to appraise the
public of the ships approach, bands
Of music will play at vantage points
along the wharves. and there will be
a general display Of flags with the lid
of as to cheering: Official commit
tee boats will meet and escort the
Soys in from the ocean. Red Cross
workers will supply them with re-
freshnents at their landing place and
on the trains going to Columbia.
Nv York, March 21.-The famous
sSistine choir from Rome will make a
concert tour Of the United States.
: Z L: &c.