The Ross County Historical Society

45 WEST FIFTH STREET CHILLICOTHE, OHIO 45601 (740) 772-1936 E-Mail: info@rosscountyhistorical.org Web Site: www.rosscountyhistorical.org

Summer 2017 ISSUE

“Doughboys of Camp Sherman” Upcoming Events & Programs

2017 Museum Hours January—March: by appointment only

April—December: Tuesday—Saturday 1 to 5 p.m.

2017 McKell Library Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, 1 to 5 p.m., year ‘round (The museum & library are closed on major holidays.)

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I and Chillicothe’s Camp Sherman military cantonment, the Ross County Historical Society is hosting a temporary exhibit titled, “Doughboys of Camp Sherman” featuring uniforms, equipment and images largely from the private collection of Larry Strayer. The exhibit will be in place through the end of 2017.

Summer Junior Member Program “Making Doughboys”

Saturday, July 8, 9:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. at the Camp Sherman Joint Training Center

Pre-registration is required, and space is limited. Register by calling (740) 772-1936, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Please see page 3 for further details.)

Arc of Appalachia Receives Historical Award

At our annual meeting on April 24, we presented our 2017 First Capital Historical Award to the Arc of Appala-chia in recognition of that organization’s outstanding achievements in saving and preserving prehistoric sites in Ross County and south-central Ohio, including their pur-chase of the Junction Earthworks in Chillicothe in 2014. The organization is currently working to acquire the nearby Steel Earthworks site and an abandoned railroad right-of-way that will become a walking trail connecting both sites. The Society takes great pride in recognizing individ-uals and organizations for taking on and completing projects large and small that preserve our local and regional history. The examples set by the award recipients serve as an inspi-ration to others who value historic preservation in Chillicothe and Ross County.

(Above, Bob Nelson presents award to Andrea Jaeger of the Arc of Appalachia.)

*****

2017 Enderlin Scholarships Awarded

The recipi-ents of the Society’s 2017 Colonel Richard Enderlin Scholarship are Ethan Smith (left), a graduating senior at Southeastern High School, and Sylvia Miller (right), a gradu-ating senior at Adena High School. Smith, the son of Kelly and Donald Smith, plans to attend Ohio North-ern University where he will major in biolo-gy with the goal of a career in medicine. Miller, the daugh-ter of Sarah and Monte Miller, plans to attend The Ohio State University where she will study education or busi-ness with the goal of a career in linguistics. Each scholar-ship is for $2,500 and is paid directly to each recipient’s university. The historical society awards Enderlin Scholar-ships during odd numbered years (2017) and its William H. and Elizabeth Lynch Nolan Scholarships during even numbered years (2018). Scholarship information and ap-plications are available through Chillicothe and Ross County high school guidance counselors.

*****

Director’s Report, by Tom Kuhn

We congratulate this year’s new members of the Society’s board of trustees—Greg Creech and Henry Herrnstein. For Greg, it is his first stint on our board, while Henry returns after a year off due to pervious term limits. At its May 2 meeting, the board reelected Ron Bowen president, Robin McKell 1st vice president, Tom Lovensheimer 2nd vice-president, and Barb Cleary secre-tary. Pat Medert was elected treasurer. Finally, we thank Erc Picciano for his many years of service as a board member, officer, and as a volunteer. Erc has completed his final term on the board, but we know that won’t end his continued support for our mission. Thank you all for your commitment to the Society. We are a better organization because of your service.

*****

THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER

President’s Report, by Ron Bowen

A few weeks ago, Memorial Day ceremonies were held at several local cemeteries, and we were moved by the haunting sounds of Taps being played. A week later, on June 6

th, the 73rd anniversary of the D-Day landings at

Normandy in World War ll occurred. For some of us, these ceremonies and anniversaries evoked personal memories of family and friends, but for everyone they remind us of the sacrifices and actions of those who have gone before us. We learn respect and understanding when we are reminded of these and other historical events. The Ross County Historical Society plays an important role in contrib-uting to our understanding of the historical journey of our area, state, and country. When you visit our museum and stand before the Conestoga wagon in our transportation exhibit, you understand more fully how important the west-ern expansion into Ohio was in populating our state. When you look at the Ohio Constitution table in our early state-hood exhibit, you gain an appreciation for Thomas Worthington and his colleagues who promoted Ohio state-hood. When you see our Civil War and World War l exhibit areas, you come to more fully appreciate the sacrifices these soldiers made and ponder how they influenced the course of history. I invite you to visit us this summer and gain a renewed appreciation for and understanding of our history.

*****

Summer 2017— PAGE 2

Welcome New Members The Society welcomes the following new members since the last issue of the Recorder (names are in alphabetical order):

These memberships were received on or before June 16. Those

received after will appear in the next Recorder.

Bill, Sue & Tom Anderson Blaine Beekman Wendy Clayton

Greg & Liz Corzine Joseph Dalrymple

Jeanne Flesher Robert & Donna Hawkins

David & Linda Jones Tim & Deb Koehl

Cheryl Mahon Lynn Moody Geoffrey Sea

Zack & Ashley Thompson

Memberships Make Nice Gifts Memberships to the Ross County Historical Society make thoughtful and inexpensive gifts. Buy them for the history buffs you know by returning the form on page 7. Benefits include free admission to each of our museums and the McKell Library plus discounts at the museum store.

The Society’s Wish List Donations of everyday items such as tools and other types of equipment help our staff and volunteers complete a multitude of projects. Since the last issue of the Recorder, we received a nice donation from Nancy Bleil for the purchase of a set of light weight, long-distance, two-way radios. Thank you very much! If you, or anyone you know, has the following item to donate, please call 740-772-1936. (We would be happy to arrange to pick up your donation.) 1. A 32 foot aluminum or fiberglass extension ladder

Gift Ideas from the Museum Store

New! Chillicothe, Ohio and The Great War 1914-1918, the never before told story of the massive changes World War I brought to Chillicothe and its people, and how it left a permanent mark on the community that lasts to this day. Illustrated, 264 pages, heavily indexed and footnoted, by Patricia Medert, $39.95. Back In Print! The Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad, and Its Successor—The Baltimore & Ohio: A Study of this Once Great Route Across Ohio, 1851-1988, $25.00 — an outstanding compilation of photos, short stories and newspaper clippings on Chillicothe’s railroad history, by John R. Grabb. Church & High Streets, Chillicothe, Ohio: The Buildings & the People & Other Miscellaneous Structures, $39.95 — the sixth in a series of publications on the structural history of Chillicothe’s historic district, by Patricia Medert.

Chillicothe, Ohio: Frontier Settlement to State Capital, $14.95 — An illustrated history of Chillicothe’s founding and role as Ohio’s first capital, by Patricia Medert & Andrew Verhoff.

Society members receive a 10% discount on all purchases.

Annual Giving Campaign Contributors We thank the following members who have contributed to the Ross County Historical Society’s 2017 Annual Giving Campaign since the last issue of the Recorder in early April. (To date, a total of $3,140 has been raised since the beginning of the year.

Herrnstein Auto Group Fund (Bill & Bart Herrnstein) Ann Hoyt

Judy Vetter Mr. & Mrs. John Gaston

Elizabeth Swartz Jean C. Romero

Gary Wilson John & Teresa Venneman

Julia Oliver Pierson Mr. & Mrs. Charles Ware

Ellen Hilsheimer Marcia Hoey

Walter & Leona Smith Pat Medert

A Friendly Reminder

The use of articles, photographs, and other items in the Recorder is prohibited without the express written consent of the Board of Trustees of the Ross County Historical Society, 45 W. 5th St. Chillicothe, OH 45601.

THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER Summer 2017 - PAGE 3

Ross County Historical Society

Invites children ages 6-12 to join us for our 2017 Summer Junior Member Program

“ MAKING DOUGHBOYS ”

Come explore what it was like to be a soldier at Camp Sherman

during World War I, 1917-18

at the

Camp Sherman Joint Training Center 2154 Narrows Road, Chillicothe

Saturday, July 8th 9:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m.

Children 6-12 years old are welcome

(Advanced Registration is Required)

Admission is free for Junior Members, of the Ross County Historical Society

$10.00 for Non-Members

Space is limited — please call — 740-772-1936

Experience what it was like to go to Camp Sherman in Chillicothe 100 years ago and be trained to be a skilled soldier ready to be sent to France during 1917 and 1918. Meet liv-ing history soldiers of the World War I time period. See and touch their uniforms and equipment. Also see displays of current military equipment used by the Ohio National Guard and meet the real soldiers who use them. Try out your skills at the supervised vir-tual indoor target range. Make a craft to take home with you. Refreshments will be served.

THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER Summer 2017— PAGE 4

From the Archives, by Pat Medert

In the last issue of the Re-corder, photo ar-chivist Lisa Uhrig featured pictures from the large collection of im-ages of the 324

th

Field Artillery that trained at Camp Sherman. For this edition, she and I are combin-ing our efforts in the continuance of commemorat-ing the centennial of America’s in-volvement in World War I—she with more photo-

graphs, and I with information about the regiment taken from books and manuscripts in the archives. These include a history of the 324

th and of two of its batteries, D and F.

The regiment was organized as part of the 158th

Field Artillery Brigade, 83rd

Division in Aug. 1917, prior to the arrival of the first draftees at Camp Sherman in Sep-tember. The 158

th Brigade had three artillery regiments,

two of which were horse drawn, and the third—the 324th—

as a motorized unit. For four and a half months, the men received instruction on improvised guns and instruments because they did not receive artillery pieces until late De-cember and had no range on which to fire them until mid-January. They then began training on an assortment of old weapons that they would not use in combat. After nine months of learning military drill and maneuvers, spending long days at the artillery and rifle ranges, and experiencing forced marches and day and night hikes, the 324

th left

Camp Sherman for Camp Mills on Long Island on June 3, 1918. On June 11, the men boarded the S.S. Leicester-shire in New York Harbor. It was part of a convoy of 13

ships and one U. S. warship bound for Liverpool, England. The soldiers were on deck to get a last look at their coun-try’s diminishing shoreline. LaRue Cober, editor of The

Trail of Battery D,” expressed their thoughts when he wrote the following: The regiment disembarked at Liverpool on June 24 and traveled by train to Southampton. Three days later, they crossed the English Channel for France where they

were destined to receive three more months of training. On June 30, they reached Bain-le-Bretagne in northwestern France, where they remained until Aug. 13. About half the men were billeted in houses and barns and the other half slept in pup tents. Cleanliness was a problem, and it was at Bain-le-Bretagne they experienced their first cooties. Twice a week, the men hiked three miles to the river to bathe and wash their clothes. The days followed a routine similar to that at Camp Sherman—rifle drills, gas mask drills, battery maneuvers, inspections, and hikes. On July 19, the men received their first weapons—four 155 mm howitzers, guns they had nev-er fired before. Because there was no range at their loca-tion to fire them, training was limited to learning how to ma-neuver the pieces. On Aug. 13, the 324

th moved 25 miles to Camp

Coetquidan, a French artillery training camp. There it be-came fully equipped and learned it would be a horse unit, not the motorized for which it had trained. The drivers had to learn to care for and handle the horses, and cannoneers had to learn to lay and fire the guns. New drills and duties were added to their days. These included horse and cais-son drills, daily cleaning of the new weapons, and firing on the range. Finally, after all this training, the 324

th was being

sent into combat as a participant in the offensive against the Germans in the Argonne planned to begin on Sept. 26. It began without the regiment, which was late in leaving Camp Coetquidan because it had to wait to be supplied with the necessary horses and delays by the railroad. It entrained on Sept. 24 and did not reach the Argonne until the evening of the 29

th, the men having hiked the last three

days of the journey. They continued to advance forward until they reached the Meuse River early in the morning of Oct. 6. They spent the day getting the guns in position and that evening fired their weapons for the first time in battle. On the 8

th, a succession of day long barrages began as the

Allies’ artillery fired upon the enemy’s position. The guns of the 324

th sent forth as many as 900 to 1400 rounds a day,

The German’s responding fire fell in front and beyond their position, doing little damage, and the gas attacks caused only sneezing and watery eyes.

(continued on page 5...)

Col. T. Q. Ashburn commanded the 324th Field Artillery and was the author of the regimental history.

Artillery Range at Stony Creek

As the whole convoy slowly moved down the harbor, we took our last look at old New York….We finally came to the Statue of Liberty. There it was showing faintly through the briny mist. All eyes strained to get a look at the wonderful Statue. What a thrill came over us when we beheld “Miss Liberty,” realizing that we were off on a perilous journey to the assistance of the Republic, then in dire need of help, which gave to our own great nation, this wonderful Statue.

Summer 2017 — PAGE 5 THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER

The men were concerned not only with what was happening on the ground, but in the air as well. The skies were frequently filled with American aircraft on their way to bomb the enemy and with German planes intent on stop-ping them, as well as firing on ground positions. The regiment was on the move again on Oct. 29 and reached Cierges on Nov. 3. Sgt. Fred Karch, of Bat-tery F, wrote of what he saw there in his narrative of the unit’s experiences: On Nov. 11, the 324

th was with the 32

nd Division (to

which it had been attached during the offensive) at Bois d’Ecurey. They spent the morning returning the fire of the retreating Germans, and fired their final round at 10:25 a.m.* after receiving orders to cease fire as an armistice was about to be signed. That night, wrote Karch, the men “celebrated mainly by building fires to keep warm by—a most welcome privilege. Also ignited large quantities of German powder and illuminated the sky with rockets and flares.” In his history of the 324th, Col. Ashburn praised the action of the regiment during the offensive, writing: Home was not in sight for the members of the regi-ment. It was ordered to remain with the 32

nd Division as

part of the army of occupation. On Nov. 16, they began the march eastward with a shortage of rations, warm clothing and forage for the horses. The march was not an easy one as the men hiked the hilly terrain in the November cold and on days of rain and snow. Most of the time they slept on the ground at night, but occasionally people would allow them to shelter in their barns and homes. One incident that occurred during the trek was described by Col. Ashburn. On Dec. 14, the regiment crossed the Rhine River at Engers, Germany. The next day they were assigned to billets in several small towns a half day’s march beyond the

river. There they stayed for the remainder of their time in Europe. During the month of January, the 324

th received

its motorized equipment, which amounted to 11 trucks, 2 white touring cars, 10 caterpillar tractors, 1 motorcycle, and 2 bicycles. The horses and wagons were turned in. The soldiers returned to days of army routine with its drills, in-spections, instructions on using the new equipment, and frequent examinations for cooties and venereal disease. The YMCA was there to provide them with entertainment On April 22, 1919, the 2

nd Division took over the

duties of occupation from the 32nd

, and the next day, the 324

th began the long journey home. They traveled primarily

by rail to the port of Brest, where, on May 10, they boarded the USS Seattle for New York, arriving there on the 22

nd.

They ended their army careers at Camp Sherman where for most of the men they had begun. The men received their discharges on May 30 and boarded trains at Chillico-the’s Union Depot for home. *The primer from the last shell fired by the 32nd Division’s artillery is on exhibit in the museum’s Camp Sherman Room. **The number of casualties suffered by the 324th during the Meuse/Argonne offensive was 3 killed and 14 wounded.

*****

Battery A, 324th Field Artillery, Meuse-Argonne Offensive (photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)

On this and neighboring barren hillsides was the most striking evidence we had yet seen of the spirit that car-ried the victorious doughboys thru the German lines. It was the thousands of small holes only a few feet apart, each one dug by a doughboy as his only protection against the German fire, and barely large enough for him to fit himself into it. And there were many wooden crosses scattered over these hillsides to attest the price paid for victory.

...from the time this regiment started, September 23rd, 1918, to the cessation of war, November 11th, 1918, it was either actually on the firing line, marching to change positions, or in reserve under shell fire; that it never actually had 24 hours of that time even in com-parative safety...Although the casualties were compara-tively small**, considering the task accomplished, the difficulties met and overcome, that was due, I firmly be-lieve, largely to the preponderance and skill of our artil-lery; a large share of luck, and Divine protection.

I doubt if any heavy artillery had quite as strenuous a march, under such unfavorable conditions, as that made by this regiment. The march into Kirchburg was exceedingly trying, and at the end of it there was a tremendous steep hill to climb, and a very long one. The regiment did not negotiate it until early in the morning and the men bivouacked in the open, to a large extent. It was bitter cold, and horses and men suffered greatly. Going out of Hostert the road was almost straight down hill and covered with ice. It was necessary to take all horses, except one team, off each vehicle, to block the wheels with chains, and take as many men as could work on the guns and pro-longes to hold them back. Dozens of horses slipped and fell, and several very serious accidents were nar-rowly averted.

Summer 2017 — PAGE 6 THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER

From the Photo Archives, by Lisa Uhrig

*****

More Photos from Sgt. Fred A. Karch, 324th Field Artillery

Homeward Bound on the U.S.S. Seattle, May 15, 1919

Artillery Drill

Troops were sometimes transported in boxcars.

The 324th was photographed for the Saturday Evening Post

before boarding the ship for overseas.

Chunks of hell

Bain-le-Bretagne, France

Camp de Coetquidan, France

The 324th motorized

Bound for the front

THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER Summer 2017 — PAGE 7

The Ross County Historical Society Welcomes

__ New Member __ Renewal

Name________________________ Address______________________ City, State, Zip_________________ _____________________________ Phone________________________ Email________________________ Date_________________________

Are you interested in volunteer work? Yes__ No__

I have enclosed a check made out to the Ross County Historical Society for $___________________.

( ) My employer will match this gift. Employer’s name:_______________ _____________________________

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP

Junior (12 & under) ......... $10.( ) Teacher ........................... 15.( ) Individual ......................... 20.( ) Family ............................. 30.( ) Contributing..................... 75.( ) Group/Club or Business ......................... 100.( ) ($5 discount on all annual memberships for active duty military personnel and veterans with copy of military ID)

CONTINUING MEMBERSHIP

Life (per person) .............. 500.( ) Patron ............................. 750.( ) Benefactor ...................... 1,000.( )

Your benefits as a member of the Ross County Historical Society include:

Quarterly newsletter

10% discount in museum store

Free admission for museum visits by member and out-of-town guests

Free admission to many Society programs

Reduced fees for workshops and special programs

The Ross County Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)(3) institution. Your gift may be tax deductible

Please make checks payable to: THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL

SOCIETY 45 West Fifth Street

Chillicothe, Ohio 45601-3227 (740) 772-1936

Recent Acquisitions of the Museum and Library

(Listed in order received since the last issue of the Recorder)

21. Photograph (Copy) —Scanned image of Thomas A Ware in US Army uniform, donated by Nancy Heath. 22. Book — The Adams Chronicles: Volume I, by Louis E. Adams, 2016, donated by Louis E. Adams. 23. Bottles — Pharmacy bottles (3) c. 1860; Medicine bottles (3), late 19

th century,

donated by Jane Hilty. 24. Telegraph equipment component — Morse Code key and transmitter used on B&O Railroad, early 20

th century, donated by Patricia Stanton Charles.

25. Model — Wood stagecoach model, handmade by donor’s grandfather, 1931, donated by Robert A. Nelson. 26. Buckles — Shoe buckles (3), silver-plated, 1740-1830; Fid — rope-making fid, ivory, 19

th century; Hair comb — tortoise-shell and silver, c. 1920, donated by Dar-

win Drake. 27. Certificates (2) — Camp Sherman WWI Veterans charters, 1959, donated by Robert Leach. 28. Book — Latin Lessons by M.L. Smith, 1913, donated by Joey Rinehart. 29. Collection of CHS Class of 1950 reunion materials and class photos, donated by Laversa Motes 30. Paintings (2) — Still lifes by Richard Erdmann, c. 1935; Portrait — Oil painting of Henry Sulzbacher, c. 1850; Plate — Hand-painted china, painted by Myrtle Erd-mann; Ice cream mold — Used in Erdmann pharmacy, early 20

th century, donated

by Jane Hilty. 31. Book — Buckwalter/Buchwalter: A Pennsylvania Dutch Family by Ross McBride Buckwalter, 2017, donated by Ross Buckwalter. 32. Rocking Horse — “Wonder Horse” c. 1940, donated by Howard Foor. 33. Sweat shirt — George H. W. Bush inauguration souvenir, 1989. 34. Checks — Cancelled checks from local banks, 1855-1859, donated by Sarah Holt. .35 Artillery Shell (component) — Timing fuse from a WWI 75mm shell found on the Camp Sherman Artillery Range, donated by Wendell D. Schaller. 36. Postcard — “Ready For Morning Drill,” Camp Sherman, WWI, donated by Ste-phen J. Hollands. 37. Invitation — Camp Sherman Officers’ Club reception and dance, Sept. 1917, donated by Jerry Hornyak. 38. Bayonet — British Pattern 1907 Enfield Bayonet, 1918, donated by Philip E. Diehl. 39. Booklet — Souvenir photo booklet from Camp Sherman, c. 1917, donated by Dearborn Historical Museum. 40. Letter — From James M. Thomas to John Bayer, Sept. 4, 1896; Book — Laws of Ohio, 1889, donated by LaRue County (Kentucky) Public Library. 41. Sign, Political— Campaign sign for Republican candidate Elmer Barrett for County Engineer, 1945, donated by Ercolo Picciano. 42. Camera— Brownie-style box camera, c. 1925, donated by Bob Casari. 43. Documents — Collection of letters and documents related to Dr. G. S. Franklin, donated by Donald G. Tritt. 44. Booklet — Postcard booklet of Camp Sherman images, 1917, donated by Bar-bara and Steve Steele. 45. Pen — Mother-of-pearl handle with gold nib, in original case; Eyeglasses — "S.C.Barr, Optometrist," late 19th century; Photographs (2) of Dan DeLong on bicy-cles, 1930s, donated by Cheryl M. Mahon. 46. Print, Photographic — (15) Photographs of the A&P Grocery and its employ-ees, 1964, donated by Jean Foor. 47. Book — "Life and Work of James A. Garfield" by John Clark Ripath, 1882; Book — "The Fatal Bullet" by Rick Geary, 1999, donated by Brenda Lee Halasz. 48. Photograph — Panoramic photo of "1st Isolation Camp" at Camp Sherman, Jan 31. 1918, donated by Harry Tabor (via Connie Aquila.)

*****

THE ROSS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECORDER Summer 2017 — PAGE 8

Officers and Trustees of the Ross County Historical Society

Ron Bowen ............................... President Robin McKell ............... 1st Vice President Tom Lovensheimer .... 2nd Vice President Barbara Cleary .......................... Secretary Pat Medert ................................ Treasurer Tom Kuhn ................... Executive Director Tim Barada .................................. Trustee Judy Benson ................................ Trustee Don Carnes .................................. Trustee Bob Casari ................................... Trustee Neil Coleman ............................... Trustee Greg Creech ................................ Trustee Richard Enderlin .......................... Trustee Henry Herrnstein .......................... Trustee Dana Martinko .............................. Trustee Bob Nelson .................................. Trustee

Junior Membership Application (for children, ages six through twelve)

Name_____________________________Telephone # ____________ Address __________________________________________________ City________________________State______Zip Code ____________ Birthdate_______________________Grade in School _____________ Parent/Guardian’s Name _____________________________________ Parent/Guardian’s Signature __________________________________ What are your hobbies? _____________________________________ Are your parents members of the Historical Society? - Yes - No Is this a gift membership? - Yes - No From Whom? _____________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________

Please send $10 with this form to The Ross County Historical Society

45 W Fifth Street Chillicothe, OH 45601-3227

NEWSLETTER DATED MATERIAL • OPEN AT ONCE

Non-Profit Org., U.S. Postage

PAID Chillicothe, Oh 45601

Permit No. 230

Ross County Historical Society 45 West Fifth Street

Chillicothe, Ohio 45601-3227