The Wyoming Tribune for April 9, 1917. And now Austria. And youth training camp cancelled.

It looked like the United States would be at war with Austria, as well as Germany, soon.  And the news hit about Cuba being at war with Germany.

A training camp for boys at Ft. Russell had been cancelled. . . training for new recruits for the Army was the reason.

The Sunday State Leader for April 8, 1917: Join the Guard, but not the Navy?

The shape of a national Army was beginning to take place in the first days of the wary.  The US would conscript, although there was opposition to it, and the Army was going to be huge.

Americans were joining the National Guard, lining up, as they had in prior wars, to go with their state units rather than the Federal Army.  With conscription that would soon change, but here we see the evolution of the Army.  Joining state units had long been the wartime norm.  It still was, but that was going to change in short order, although conscription had been a feature of the Civil War as well.

Men (and of course now women as well) weren't joining the Navy in the same numbers.  But, as it'd turn out, the role of the U.S. Navy would not be as vast as some had thought.

And Ft. D. A. Russell was going to be busy.

The Cheyenne State Leader for March 30, 1917: Guardsmen mobilzing at Ft. D. A. Russell.

Ft. D. A. Russell was being used for Guard mobilization this time.  It hadn't been a year prior for the Punitive Expedition.

The Laramie Daily Boomerang for March 29, 1917. Laramie's Guardsmen ordered to Ft. D. A. Russell as, maybe, the Kaiser makes a peace move?

The Medical Company of the Wyoming National Guard, based in Laramie, was ordered to Ft. D. A. Russell outside of Cheyenne. At the same time, the Laramie paper was hoping against hope that entry into the war might not be necessary.  Who could blame them?

The Connor Hotel, by the way, still stands in Laramie, although I don't think it's a hotel anymore.

The Laramie Daily Boomerang for March 27, 1917. Laramie's troops not yet ordered to Ft. Russell.

The Medical detachment of the Wyoming National Guard was expecting orders to return to Ft. D. A. Russell, where they'd been only a couple of weeks ago, but they hadn't yet received them.

In other news, a big air force was being planned and the new Russian government was being reported as "very popular".

The Wyoming Tribune for March 20, 1917. Colorado Cavalry at Ft. Russell. Lack of coat lethal?

Wyoming was contemplating adding cavalry to its National Guard, but Colorado had it. 

Colorado cavalrymen were disembarking at Ft. D. A. Russell.  They were demobilizing late in comparison to the Wyoming National Guard.

And one Wyoming National Guardsmen wouldn't be called back up for World War One.  He'd died of pneumonia. 

Pvt. Charles Schmidt of Company B, Lander Wyoming, had become ill after having to turn in his overcoat at Ft. D. A. Russell.  Apparently a lot of men were sick, and that likely explains the delay we recently read about in discharging from active service the men from Laramie, who made up the medical company.

March in Wyoming is cold and these papers have had stories of a cold spell being in the works in this time frame.  It seems a lot of men were sick and frankly viruses going through troops is a pretty common thing in military units.  Overcoats were an item of equipment, not a uniform item, which may sound odd to readers who have no military experience, but that's exactly how field jackets were viewed when my father served in the Air Force during the Korean War and how they were viewed when I was in the National Guard in the 1980s.  The National Guard had denied that it was taking the coats from the men when the story broke, but obviously there was some truth to the story for some units.

Would an overcoat have kept Pvt. Schmidt alive?  It sure couldn't have hurt.

The Cheyenne State Leader for March 11, 1917: Laramie planning welcome for its Guardsmen

Laramie's troops were still delayed in Cheyenne, but Laramie was planning a big welcome for them when they returned.  Otherwise, Ft. D. A. Russell's contingent of Guardsmen were leaving for all points.

The Laramie Boomerang for March 10, 1917: Laramie's troops retained in Cheyenne

The Laramie Boomerang was reporting that Laramie's Guardsmen had been unexpectedly detained in Cheyenne. 

There could be several reasons that this decision came about. For one thing, Laramie's unit was a medical detachment, not too surprisingly as the location of the University of Wyoming in Laramie gave the unit an educated population to draw from.  So perhaps it was kept at Ft. Russell until the other troops had cleared in case medical needs popped up.

Additionally, these troops were only traveling 50 miles, as oppose to the long distances being traveled by other Wyoming troops.  There may not have been available transportation space, in which case retaining the troops going back to Laramie would have made sense.

And finally, as many of these men were students, they didn't have much to go back to.  It was too late in the semester for the many students to return to school, and a lot of them probably were leaving right from Laramie on to their actual homes, or were competing for what little work there was in Laramie.

At any rate, while the rest of the Guardsmen were leaving Cheyenne, they stayed an extra couple of days.

The Cheyenne State Leader for March 7, 1917: Mustering Out

Mustering out was going quickly.  This Wednesday paper was reporting that Wyoming National Guardsmen would be mustered out by Saturday. 

What that would have meant, in this context, is that they were spending all day cleaning equipment and inventorying it.  After that, they'd be released from full time duty and returned to their local units.  What occurred to the men who had never actually been in those units, and that was quite a few men, I don't know.

The Sunday State Leader for March 4, 1917: Wyoming Guard back in Wyoming.

The Wyoming National Guard was back in Cheyenne to demobilize just as the Leader was reporting that Ft. D. A. Russell could mobilize 50,000 men there in the event of war.  Something just doesn't quite add up with that.

Zimmerman admitted his note, in other news.  And the nation was set for the second inauguration of Woodrow Wilson, which was set for the following day.

The Cheyenne Leader for March 2, 1917: National Guardsmen having a good time at Ft. D. A. Russell.

After the early spat about it, Colorado Guardsmen, we learned were having a good time at Ft. D. A. Russell.  Wyoming Guardsmen were about to arrive there.

Keep in mind that Wyoming Guardsmen were not allowed to muster there when they were called into service, oddly enough.  The post is just outside of Cheyenne.  But they were being allowed to demuster there.

And, in other news, things were looking pretty grim following the release of the Zimmerman Note, which makes a person wonder why the Federal Government was demustering troops that logic dicated they'd be calling back into service shortly.

The Wyoming Tribune for March 1, 1917: Wilson asked to explain story.

Somebody should have explained the story about Japan anyhow, that's for sure.

And Ft. Russell was clearly gearing up for war.

The Cheyenne Leader for March 1, 1917: German-Jap-Mex Plot?

On March 1, 1917 the news all over the country was on the release of the Zimmerman Note and what it meant.  But, oddly, there was apparently a feeling that the Japanese were tied up in it, which wasn't the case.

And the Colorado National Guard arrived at Ft. D. A. Russell for demobilization.

The Cheyenne State Leader for February 22, 1917: Denver Guard Protest "Silly"

People were getting embarrassed about the snit over the location for the demobilization of the Colorado National Guard.

And the importation of booze from "wet" states to "dry" ones was getting Federal attention.

Pershing's rise continued, in the wake of the death of Gen. Funston.  And a terrible crime happened in Cheyenne.

The Cheyenne State Leader for February 20, 1917: The news about Gen. Funston hits the headlines and Colorado protests a Wyoming demobilization.

The news of Gen. Funston's death hit the front page of the paper the day after.

And Colorado was upset about Colorado National Guardsmen being sent to Ft. D. A. Russell for demobilization, rather than a location in their home state.

Dogs were barred entry into the state by Governor Kendrick due to concerns over rabies.

The Wyoming Tribune for November 6, 1916. The Nation's Hope, and Do You Want 5,000 Troops at Ft. Russell?

The Wyoming Tribune declared candidate Hughes the "nation's hope" the day prior to the General Election.  It also appealed to the business interest in Cheyenne, indicating that a vote for Hughes was a vote to put 5,000 troops at Ft. D. A. Russell, and their paychecks, of course, with them.

The Raid On Columbus: The Wyoming Tribune, March 10, 1916

Cheyenne's newspaper.  Probably an evening edition.

Saturday, September 28, 1901. Battle of Balangiga.

Today In Wyoming's History: September 28: 1901   At Balangiga on Samar Island, Philippine villagers surprised a the US military Company C, 9th Infantry Regiment, killing 48 out of a command of 74 with edged weapons.  Philippine casualties were estimated at 50-250.  

The city would subsequently be retakane and Church bells, allegedly used to signal the attack from the city's Catholic Churches, were taken by the Americans as prizes.  The bells were installed at Ft. D. A. Russell Wyoming upon the 9th Infantry's return, where they remained until 2018 on the now F. E. Warren AFB.  A member of the Wyoming Veterans Commission lost his seat by stating that he supported their return.  The Filipino representatives maintained that the bells in some cases reflect that they were taken from churches other than those near the battle.

They were, as noted, returned.

King Gillette incorporated the American Safety Razor Company.

Famous television personality Ed Sullivan was born.

Last edition:

Thursday, September 26, 1901. Czolgosz speaks.

Labels: 1900s, 1901, Anglo Ashanti Wars, Boer War, British Empire, Concentration camps, Crime, Orange Free State, South Africa, Transvaal Colony

Saturday, February 2, 1901. Army matters.

Queen Victoria's funeral took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The Kings of the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal and Greece, and the future kings of Denmark and Sweden were in attendance.

The post Spanish American War United States Army Reorganization Bill was signed into law by President William McKinley. As part of it:

• The United States Army Nurse Corps was established as a permanent part of the United States Army's Medical Department. Women could enlist in the Army for three year terms, but t hey could not be commissioned.
• The Dental Corps was established.

The Army needed modernization, as di the state militia system, and it was receiving it.

Benjamin O. Davis Sr., the first African-American general in the United States Army, was  commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. 9th Cavalry. 

Davis had enlisted as a private less than two years earlier and been mentored by Major Charles Young, who, at the time, was the only other black officer in the United States Army. He'd be a pivotal figure in the ultimate integration of the U.S. military, as in fact was Young.

It should be noted that this date is somewhat confusing in regard to Davis' career, as he'd been an officer in the Washington D.C. National Guard in 1898.  He'd been commissioned again during the Spanish American War in the 8th  U.S. Volunteer Infantry.  After being mustered out he'd rejoined the Army as a private, showing a remarkable drive for service in the segregated Army of the time.

Davis in 1945.

He was old for an officer during World War Two, but such a seminal figure that he was retained in service.  He lived until 1970, dying at age 93, outliving both of his wives who predeceased him.  His son by the same name became a general in the U.S. Air Force.  The senior Davis was serving at Ft. D. A. Russell at the time of the younger Davis' birth.

Last edition:

Tuesday, January 29, 1901. Farewell speech of Congressman George Henry White.

Labels: 1900s, 1901, 57th Congress, North Carolina, Personalities, Racism

Tuesday, June 13, 1899. The Battle of Zapote River

The hard fought Battle of Zapote River occured this day seeing the U.S. Army prevail against much larger numbers from the First Philippine Republic, due to superior arms and training, and Naval support.

The loss in the second-biggest engagement of the Philippine Insurrection caused the Philippine forces to resort to guerilla war thereafter.

Cpt. William H. Sage won the Congressional Medal of Honor for his role in the battle.

With 9 men volunteered to hold an advanced position and held it against a terrific fire of the enemy estimated at 1,000 strong. Taking a rifle from a wounded man, and cartridges from the belts of others, Capt. Sage himself killed 5 of the enemy.

Sage would go on to serve in the Border War in Mexico and rose to the rank of major general during World War One. After the war, he commanded Ft. D. A. Russell in Wyoming, where he became fatally ill.  He died in 1922 at age 63, just one month away from retirement. 

Douglas MacArthur entered the U.S. Military Academy.

Last prior edition:

Friday, June 11, 1899. Pope Leo XIII concecrates the entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Labels: 1890s, 1899, Catholic, Christianity, religion