National Guard of West Virginia, 1917 This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm National Guard of West Virginia, 1917 Source: West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1917, Compiled and Edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate, The Tribune Printing Co., Charleston, West Va. pgs. 792 - 797 NATIONAL GUARD OF WEST VIRGINIA. Since 1889 and until the time of draft into United States Service August 5, 1917, the National Guard of the State consisted of two regiments of infantry and the prescribed Staff Corps and Departments. The years 1916-1917 have been busy ones for the National Guard and the Adjutant General's Department. Pursuant to the President's proclamation of June 18, 1916, the Second Infantry Regiment was called into United States service for duty on the Mexican border and after remaining in the State mobilization camp at Kanawha City, Charles- ton, W. Va., until the middle of October, was sent to Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, where the regiment remained until it was returned to the State- and mustered out March 24, 1917. At the time the Second Regiment was called, the members of the First Infantry Regiment volunteered their services but the regiment was not called. Both regiments were extended Federal recognition under the Act of Congress- approved June 3, 1916. The First Regiment was called into United States service March 28, 1917, to- protect property believed to be in danger because of the break between the Government of the United States and the Imperial German Government. On April 2, 1917, the Second Regiment was called into Federal Service for the same purpose, and on July 15, 1917, the enlisted National Guard Reserve was also called. Both regiments remained on this duty within the State until August 1, 1917, the First Regiment having its headquarters at Fairmont and the Second at Kanawha City. The two regiments, all the enlisted men and part of the officers of the Quarter- master corps were drafted into United States service August 5, 1917, thereby being; discharged from the militia and under the present law will not be returned to the NATIONAL GUARD pg. 793 State as organizations at the end of the war. Both regiments and the enlisted men of the Quartermaster corps are now in a training camp at Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Those officers of the Staff corps and departments not now in Federal service have been extended recognition by the War Department and are subject to call or draft at any time. The action of the President in drafting the National Guard leaves but nine officers and no enlisted men in the National Guard of the State. At the time this article was compiled (September 1, 1917), no steps had been taken to organize additional National Guard units. Following is a roster of the National Guard officers and organizations of the State at the time of the draft into United States Service, August 5, 1917: ROSTER OF OFFICERS AND ORGANIZATIONS OF NATIONAL GUARD OF WEST VIRGINIA. EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. Hon. John J. Cornwell, Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Charleston. Brigadier General John C. Bond, The Adjutant General, Charleston. STAFF CORPS AND DEPARTMENTS. Adjutant General's Department. Major John C. Bond, Adjutant General, Charleston. Inspector General's Department. Major Cuthbert A. Osborn, Clarksburg. Judge Advocate General's Department. Major Rollo J. Conley, Fairmont. Quartermaster Corps. Major Charles R. Morgan, Property and Disbursing Officer, Charleston. *Major Benjamin F. Cole, Kingwood. *Captain Elwood C. Chamock, Wellsburg. *Captain John W. Mason, Fairmont. Ordinance Department. Major Charles A. Wood, Charleston. Medical Department. Major Cassius C. Hogg, Huntington. National Guard Reserve. Captain Robert T. Colebank, Sutton. First Lieutenant Nathan G. Matthew, Wolthington. Unassigned. Captain Gustavus H. Wilson, Kingwood. *In United States service. P. 0. Address, Montgomery, Alabama. pg. 794 NATIONAL GUARD FIRST INFANTRY (Called into United States Service to protect property March 28,1917. Drafted into United States Service August 5, 1917 Present P. O. address, Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.) Field Officers and Chaplain. Colonel Robert L. Osbom, Clarksburg. Lieutenant Colonel Jackson Arnold, Weston. Major John W. L. Stewart, Littleton. Major Edward B. Carskadon, Fairmont. Major George L. Wever, Martinsburg. First Lieutenant Richard E. Carskadon, Headsville. First Lieutenant Daniel G. Simmons, Sutton. First Lieutenant Howard O. Chamock, Wellsburg. First Lieutenant Frank F. Wittkamp, Chaplain, Buckhannon. Headquarters Company (Fairmont). Captain Claude H. Layman. Supply Company (Morgantown). Captain Leonard H. Jones (Sabraton). Second Lieutenant Clyde Heater (Sutton). Machine Gun Company (Clarksburg). Captain Glenn F. Williams. First Lieutenant Clarence W. Vannort. Second Lieutenant Harry N. Floyd. Second Lieutenant Elbert L. Kinkead (Fairmont). Company A {Clarksburg). Captain Alfred B. Powell. First Lieutenant John H. Rose (Grafton). Second Lieutenant Marston M. Alexander. Company B (Rowlesburg). Captain David W. McVicker. First Lieutenant Franklin R. Pierce. Second Lieutenant Joseph Watson (Fairmont). Company C (Buckhannon) Captain Joseph C. Berry. First Lieutenant James L. Harvey. Second Lieutenant Lawrence B. Harris. Company D (Littleton). Captain Hamilton Bogard. First Lieutenant Lawrence G. Thomas. Second Lieutenant Earl Null. pg. 795 Company E {Grafton). Captain Charles E. Burke. First Lieutenant Smith Ringer. Second Lieutenant (Vacant). Company F (Martinsburg). Captain George F. Whitmore. First Lieutenant Ambrose L. Anderson. Second Lieutenant William V. Fairall (Rowlesburg). Company G (Kingwood). Captain Kenneth F. Hanst. First Lieutenant Ercil F. Casseday (Terra Alta). Second Lieutenant Arnold J. McGinnis. Company H (Fairmont). Captain Francis Thralls. First Lieutenant Clemens J. Straight. Second Lieutenant William D. Driver (Martinsburg). Company I (Fairmont). Captain Alexander D. Bell. First Lieutenant Odar A. Watson. Second Lieutenant Quay Quenzel (Martinsburg). Company K (Clarksburg). Captain James C. McManaway. First Lieutenant Theodore W. Homer. Second Lieutenant Ashby H. Powell. Company L (Morgantown). Captain Charles C. Robison. First Lieutenant Francis G. Ash. Second Lieutenant Eugene E. Evans. Company M (Terra Alta). Captain Charles H. Freeland. First Lieutenant Carl J. Shetterly (U. S. A.). Second Lieutenant William L. Freeland. Sanitary Detachment (Piedmont). Major James A. Rusmisell (Buckhannon). First Lieutenant William E. Ford (Keyser). First Lieutenant Frank M. Keams (Littleton). First Lieutenant Andrew J. Harness (Fairmont). Dental Corps. First Lieutenant John L. Smeltzer (Charleston). pg. 796 NATIONAL GUARD SECOND INFANTRY. (Called into United States Service for duty on Mexican Border, June 18, 1916. Mustered out March 24, 1917. Called into United States Service to protect property April 2, 1917. Drafted into United States Service August 5, 1917. Present P. O. Address, Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.) Field Officers and Chaplain. Colonel Charles E. Morrison, Parkersburg. Lieutenant Colonel John H. Charnock, Wellsburg. Major Herbert C. McMillen, Huntington. Major Heber H. Rice, Huntington. Major Lester Ridenour, Ward. First Lieutenant Halleck M. Scott, Beckley. First Lieutenant Howard E. DeVaughn, Parkersburg. First Lieutenant August C. Reinwald, Huntington. First Lieutenant William T. Willis, Chaplain, Charleston. Headquarters Company (Parkersburg). Captain Austin M. Sikes (Huntington). Supply Company (Parkersburg). Captain Charles H. Bell. Second Lieutenant Harry C. Casper. Machine Gun Company (Huntington). Captain Roy H. Evans (Charleston). First Lieutenant Norman W. Curry (Williamson). Second Lieutenant Davis H. Estill (Charleston). Second Lieutenant Everett F. Brooks (Parkersburg). Company A (Parkersburg). Captain James A. Watson. First Lieutenant Charles R. Johnson. Second Lieutenant George P. Stacy (Charleston). Company B (Ravenswood). Captain William L. McCowan. First Lieutenant Wilmer Blackburn. Second Lieutenant Thomas E. Adams. Company C (Charleston). Captain Tom C. Davis. First Lieutenant Harold B. Cornwell. Second Lieutenant Charles C. Lewis, III. Company D (Spencer). Captain Harry Holswade. First Lieutenant Charles D. Riley. Second Lieutenant Wilbert J. Cunningham. NATIONAL GUARD pg. 797 Company E (Parkersburg). Captain Walter W. White. First Lieutenant Charles F. Templeton (Huntington). Second Lieutenant James O. Lakin (Charleston). Company F (Williamson). Captain Antoline A. Gaujot. First Lieutenant John R. Cannichael (Silverton). Second Lieutenant Ira R. Sims (Montgomery). Company G (Huntington). Captain Valkey W. Midkiff. First Lieutenant Fred M. Cochran (Parkersburg). Second Lieutenant John Esque. Company H (Huntington). Captain Alfred D. Roberts (Fayetteville). First Lieutenant Delbert Fisher. Second Lieutenant Clyde E. Braden (Parkersburg). Company I (Huntington). Captain Ira J. Barbour. First Lieutenant Bruce S. Cook (Charleston). Second Lieutenant Robert S. Thornburgh. Company K (Welch). Captain William E. Eubank. First Lieutenant George G. Bratt (Charleston). Second Lieutenant George A. Byrne (Charleston). Company L (Bluefield). Captain Clifton L. Bailey. First Lieutenant Douglas Bailey. Second Lieutenant William E. McCray. Company M (Charleston). Captain George M. Ford. First Lieutenant Augustus S. Guthrie (Fayetteville). Second Lieutenant (Vacant). Sanitary Detachment (Bluefield). Major Walter W. Point (Charleston). First Lieutenant Joseph W. Lyons (Huntington). First Lieutenant William M. Dickerson (Huntington). First Lieutenant Harry W. Keatley (Huntington). Dental Corps. First Lieutenant Thomas E. Wright (Buffalo). First Lieutenant Herbert E. Guthrie (Huntington).