The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-01
Citizens Military
Training Camp
a Letter to the Officers and Men
Of the 8lst Division,
19i7-1919

DuT.ng this coming Summer. there
are to 90 in;,u&ura1ed the first Of 4
sow series Of Citizens MiIitar: Train
ing Camps The young mon Of the
Fourth Corps Area. OF he South as
i is affectionatei.. known TO lis sons.
arc invited by The Wa: department TO
participate IN one Of these camps.
which is 70 open at Camp Jackson, :.
c.. July IS, next.
To al nlen u the South who parti-
cip;,tcd in ;he World War there VIII
come back tht- picture Of the mobiil-
za;ion days ot 1917.
TO al m.n who joined the first con-
tiit2cnt at Camp Jackson. the announ-
ccnleat CT this training camp must
bring back a remembrance Of the
.iI:: l<c:ilitts and confusion and the lack
OF essentials which existed then. ana
u.liei bring also 4 .e:,iiZail"n that IN
planning Tor il. Citizcns Trimming
Camps and IN establishing th-ir rela-
ZION 50 he Res:r'c forces ol the ma
ton n rae Of cme:Genc!' th" "ar de-
pertinent ia; ili-en :: step which ~l!l
- Of iIn1rei..;e benefit - the Eoan&el
irGlf.era 81 til. men III 1871.
On August %. 1911. = It'll" group
If officers assembled III an Office IN
the Arcade on Main Street in Coiuin-
:l;a. :. {. one was a general officer.
94aicratcd for the temporary con-
E! n,ard OF the unborn 6lat Division,
three others were new!yy. appointed III
vision staff offic, r. and four were
j officers destined later 20 command
rrsi11. nts The equipment on hand
consisted CT three rented typeTIlt"Ia
and some Il bles. Ont at Camp jack
a5r. ti.t miles AVA, several hundred
buildings we're going UP, like nush-
rooms. under The efforts Of n army
of carpenters. bu-, at the moment,
fe4 If any had roofs on them. These
officers were informed that Two days
later upsart!s Of fifteen hundred ne..T
officers "-err tn arrive and must be
cared t0r assigned TO duties, and the
framework OF on Organization made
and tia q "eek later 1ha first con
t;n@ent OF the Selective Service men
some Ten thousand strong. woult
r.acn camp. X is interesting anc
rather amusing no" 10 remembel
how one colonel was detailed as mes:
sergeaht and told 70 get enough meat
cans and tin cups or, lacking these, TO
purchase. sufficient agate ware plates
iamd cups IN Columbia. TO provide Tor
,;.e nced.; Of the incoming officers;
how another colonol was detailed a:
on-corlnissioncd officer in charge OF
quarters and cjvcn the tax Of pro
!;tline BEDS fer tdenl-- a blanket OF
tvo apiece on barracll floor swept
tc!ein Of saWdlist and where some oi
them coald look UP at the stars
.threuch lack OF. a roof: how a thifG
colonel was detailed as baggage rus
el. to install :. s;ateln tiiat would ge,
Their bedding rolls and baggage t.
camp: ana a fourth colonel was in
stalled IS general HANDY man 70 he'll
olt as best ne could under the cir
cunstanees. These things happencd
fand in due course a fighting division
of soldiers was born. a division that
:,ft-r giving generously Of its good mrl
10 other organizations. itself went tt
France and attracted fine commcEt
wherever il went. in its training area
in IT'S holding Of a SEC or, ana fmaliH
in the ATTACK.
Months were required. however. K
overcome the Obstacles incurred
through lack Of previous plans, lack
OF previous: organiza ton, lack Of ,
trained Framework on which to build
and lack OF proper equipment Wha1
man in ,ie Division in those days
does net recall the review before ex-
President Taft. in which the artillery
brigade through inability to take
along is guns because they weTt
made Of sections of telegraph polt
mounted OH farm wagon wheels. and
because Of utter lack ii harness. pass
e.i in review rs Cavalry with rope tol
rcinS ard mounted BAREBACK, except foi
the captains and suidon serScants who
r..r- the possrssors of saddles.
flc IS much time was lost in the over
coming OF these obstacles?
How much confusion reiGn"d?
How mach shifting and experiment
ine with personnel had % hc done
with the 1tt"ni:Hl ana unnecessary '
hardship on the men who had re-
.ponCied 10 r!:eir country's call, before
he nlac hine. besan To ti,'ze ON the ap-
., s..ai.ce II an efficient 1nfll ;,ry' or
! can:..st:oi...
And The story ot he birth OF the
! Nv lidcat Di.ision" IS the story Of all
th. 81, at National Army divisions
/ which were raised 1T that tilne.
l'ha establishment OF the Citizens
! Military Training Camp At Camp
JACKSON t!iis ,-rar is the first OF a Sc
RES II steps looklnS TO the improve
/ l.leni of condi IONS attendant upon a
National ,.melse:,cI in The future. and
~ such it deserves She ;iSsi5tan. and
support OF everI mcmher Of the Old
! X Ildcat Division.
There are to he eventuaIl1- three
ccurSes al theS- camps:
The Ped course for beginners viii
.:.sG IL, etc NJ. nt:i .; mliif.t, r:flci-
,ney. s4t..ls cast' and qGada
,<,.:.t hll.iIS aad target practice: in
depen,leucc and manlillc.s and r:iti1o-