hich was essential to the necessary training they were to
receive. Anything else could only have the effect of distracting
attention from the real nature of the experiment, diverting
consideration to issues which excite controversy, antagonism and
ill-feeling, and thereby impairing, if not destroying, what otherwise
would have been so effective.' General Wood replied, as follows: 'Your
telegram received, and the policy laid down will be rigidly adhered
to.'" [Footnote: _The Independent_.]

{223}

THE GREAT WAR

{224}

{225}

IX

THE GREAT WAR

On April 6, 1917, war having been that week declared by the United
States against Germany, Major-General Leonard Wood, ranking officer in
the United States Army--that is to say, the man occupying the senior
position in our army--being then in sound health of mind and body and
fifty-six years of age, wrote and personally delivered two identical
letters, one to the Adjutant-General of the Army and the other to the
Chief of Staff, requesting assignment for military service abroad.

No acknowledgment or reply was ever received from either source.

Early in April he received notice that the Department of the East of
which he was then commander was abolished and in its place three new
and smaller departments created, in spite of vigorous protests by
several Governors of Atlantic States. He was offered any one of the
following {226} three military positions that he might select--the
Philippines, Hawaii or the "less important post" at Charleston, South
Carolina.

He at once selected the post at Charleston.

On May 12th he proceeded to Charleston and began the organization of
the Southeastern Department. In the months immediately following he
had selected and laid out eleven large training camps and had taken
charge of the supervision of three officers' training camps, one at
Oglethorpe, one at Atlanta and one at Little Rock.

On August 26th he received orders to proceed to Camp Funston in Kansas
to command the cantonment there and train for service a division of
national troops designated as the 89th Division.

Towards the end of the year he was ordered to proceed to Europe to
observe the military operations of the war. Leaving Camp Funston the
day before Thanksgiving, he landed in Liverpool on Christmas Day,
1917. In London he called by invitation upon General Robertson, the
British Chief of Staff, and upon his old friend, Sir John French. He
then proceeded