The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-08-08
How Colonel Davis Miniature
Show Grew Up Told by
Major CornweiI.

WdlOI Cui tlWCti.
Circus day for another companyl
OF the army of occupation-Am eri-
can dough-boys who hadn't seen
show,for months and months,
looking right straight at one just
like Hagenback and Wallace used
to make! Round-faced. chubby,
German children, released from the
fear and strain Of war, clapping
their hands in delight at the wild
animals, the soldier equestrians
the female impersonators and the
daring acrobats!
A circus, real circus, the big
gest circus in the world, and the
admission price only about five
, m arks! (That's about IL IL cents
more or less, in American money!
Such was the picture that Maj.
H. B. Cornwell. a member Of the
headquarters battalion, Camp Reel
Barrackville, painted of the circus
which toured occupied Germany
following thezsigning of the arms
tice. and which was under the dir.
ection OF Col. T. C. Davis, now in
Colonel Davis and Major Corn
well are two. of the five members
of the headquarters battalion who
were commissionedNo officers over
seas during the World War. Both
are Charleston men and both serv.
ed in the 15Oth Infantry, the. old
Second West Virginia, National
Guards
The other three OF the five were
Capt. Arthur w. Jenkins of Beck
Hey and Lieutenants John K. Ashby
and Valentine Meyer, both OF Char
feston. They also were members
OF the 150th Infantry.
! 1t Was Some Circus
sit was quite circus said Ma
jor Cornwell this morning telling
of Co.onel Davis triumps overseas.
Colonel Davis was serving with
the first ammunition train, First
] Division" continued the major
"There he met with a peculiar set
Of circumstances. He had two OBJ
stacIes to overcome. In the first
place, he was National Guard Of
ficer serving with a regular div
sion. In the second place. he had
never had any experience with
mounted troops until he went to
the first ammunition train The
success he met with prov how
well he overcame these obstacles.
cat first, he started the Girl
simply for.the ammemens OF the
| men in his company. l. wasn't the
biggest circus in the world then
for Colonel Davis had only ahcut
| five or six men and as mary ami
mails, all horses. 1t is almost tn-
! tirely an equestrian performance.
1.-THE idea of performance for
the men of company, of course
did not originate with Colonel Dal-
Wis Lots Of the companies were do.
ing it and the officers approved Of
! it. Minstrel troupes and vaudeville
! performances were the favorite en-
I Treatments. Whenever an .eSpec-
tally good show was discovered. the
| performers would be invited to put
| it on for the benefit OF other COM
/ par:es.
Entertainment Scarce
"Iou can understand this situa-
tioE more clearly if you realize how
J hard il was for the soldiers to get
4 any decent kind Of entertainment.
There were practically no shows
for then. to go to, nothing to take
their minds from the routine work.
/ 1.-THE commanding officer saw
Colonel sDavis's circus and it made
! a big hit with him. That was what
/ started the little circus toward be-
ing a big circus-the biggest circus.
The commanding officer asked Col
onel Davis to put on his show for
the whole ammunition train.
while these performances were
being given, the circus was grow
ing gradually, until 1t had about
/, fifteen or twenty. performers and
about as many horses.
Then the idea began to spread.
Talent was being discovered. There
were a number of old time circus
men In the ammunition; train and
1 these were pleased with the idea
of helping entertain their fellow sol
] diers. There were also a number Of
| mounted veterans who were expert
horsemen and they offered their
| services. "A number of cowboys
honest-to-goodness cowboys from
the West-joined the circus.
1.-THE division officer came to one
OF the performances given for an
ammunition train company. He like
the show and asked Colonel Davis
to organize division circus.
Division Circus Grows
i Colonel Davis was enthusiastic
over the idea and started to work
!; on its at once. When the division
circus was finally organized there
was practically everything in It
that Is seen In regular circus.
Carl Hagenbacki has an agency in
i German and he lent Colonel Davis
number Of the wild animals from
the Hagenback and wallace show.
When the circus began touring
Germany it carried with it about
1000 men and about several hun.
4 dred wild but trained antmals:c
II F35..TtSwa a reRlIlaricircuS as good