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Camp Grant - World War 1 Cantonment - A.E.F. Training Center - Illinois

Camp Grant, Illinois - World War I Cantonment

Camp Grant Publications and Historical Documents

Overview of Grant, Camp, Ill.

History: Named in honor of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, U. S. A., Commander-in-Chief, U. S. A., 1864-69, and President of the United States, 1869-77. Established, July 18, 1917, to serve as training camp for 86th Division (National Army), which occupied the cantonment, August 1917 to August 1918. Construction started June 24, 1917 and continued through 1918.

The first inducted men reported September 1-15, 1917; the last, December 1-15, 1918.

Approximate numbers received from States and other sources : Idaho, 1,010; Ill., 56,115; Indiana, 1,000; Louisiana, 4,318; Mississippi, 3,650; Nebraska, 1,000; North Carolina, 2,000; North Dakota, 2,010; South Dakota, 500; Wisconsin, 27,184; other States, 981; other camps, 26,548.

Designated as infantry replacement and training camp, April 1918 and as demobilization center, December 3, 1918. Retained as permanent reservation.

Description: Reservation located 4 miles south of Rockford, in Winnebago County.

Facilities—Camp Base Hospital: Pending completion of base hospital a small camp hospital was opened, August 1917. To this were added a complete field hospital and 6 barracks to serve as hospital buildings. The base hospital was ready for occupancy, October 14, 1917.

Infantry Replacement and Training Camp:

Number of replacements sent overseas-30 officers, 3,446 enlisted men.

Officers' Training Schools: Third Series In operation, January 5-April 19, 1918.

Fourth Series-In operation, May 15-September 1, 1918.

Infantry Central Officers' Training School-In operation September 1918 - February 1919.

Demobilization Center: Number processed About 211,300.

Other Facilities:

Cantonment of 1,515 buildings. Troop capacity-42,819. Construction costs to June 30, 1919-About $14,000,000. Area-Cantonment site proper, 1600 acres; entire reservation, 5,665 acres.

Command Status: Commanding officer reported direct to War Department; also exercised jurisdiction of general courts-martial till Sept. 24, 1919.

Camp Commanders: 1917-August 25, Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Barry; November 26, Brig. Gen. Lyman W. V. Kennon (ad interim).

1918-Feb. 15, Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Barry; Mar. 21, Brig. Gen. Lyman W. V. Kennon; Apr. 18, Brig. Gen. Charles H. Martin (ad interim); May 1, Maj. Gen. Charles H. Martin; August 20, Brig. Gen. Lincoln C. Andrews (ad interim); August 23, Col. Milton L. McGrew (ad interim); Sept. 7, Col. Charles B. Hagadorn (ad interim); Oct. 8, Col. Charles W. Castle (ad interim); Oct. 18, Brig. Gen. Edward H. Plummer; Dec. 2, Brig. Gen. Charles H. Barth.

1919-Feb. 27, Maj. Gen. Willard A. Holbrook; May 28, Maj. Gen. George Bell, Jr. through June 20.

Average Strength 1917-18
Month Officers Enlisted men Aggregate
White Colored Total
           
1917
           
September  1,256 12,170   12,170 13,426
October  1,222 27,424   27,424 28,646
November  1,368 22,354 951 23,305 24,673
December  1,428 19,722 1,048 20,770 22,196
           
1918
           
January  1,909 22,792 1,041 23,833 25,742
February  1,987 20,606 1,159 21,765 23,752
March  1,918 23,564 3,081 26,645 28,563
April  1,833 17,555 7,865 25,420 27,253
May  1,654 24,994 3,543 28,537 30,191
June  1,456 22,500 3,285 25,785 27,241
July  1,416 35,437 5,769 41,206 42,622
August  1,090 27,832 6,026 33,858 34,948
September  1,153 36,978 10,124 47,100 48,253
October  1,053 41,287 13,898 55,185 56,238
November  1,567 25,341 12,851 38,192 39,759
December  1,017 17,711 6,595 24,308 25,323

Troops

STATION COMPLEMENT

Aux. Rmt. Dep. 321; Bkrs. & Cks. Sch.; Base Hospital; Cp. Hq.; 161st Dep. Brig.; Devlpt. Bn.; Engr. Dep. Det. 415; F. Trk. & H. Co. 311; M. Sh. Trk. U. 344; Med. Sup. Dep.; M. T. Co. 345; Ord. Dep. Co. 111; Provost Gd. Co.; Res. Labor Bn. 416; Sig. Sup. Det.; Util. Det.

DIVISIONAL UNITS

6th Division: Div. (less 6th T. M. Btry., 318th Engr. Tn.), garrison duty. 19th Division: 14th Infantry, garrison duty. 32d Division: Div. (less DHQ., 63d Infantry Brig., Hq. 57th F. A. Brig., 119th F. A., 107th Engrs., Hq. Tr., 107th Engr. Tn.), demobilizing. 33d Division: Div., demobilizing. 34th Division: DHQ., 67th Infantry Brig., 68th Infantry Brig., 125th M. G. Bn., 109th Tn. Hq. & M. P., 109th Sn. Tn., demobilizing. 40th Division: 143d M. G. Bn., 144th M. G. Bn., demobilizing. 42d Division: 150th M. G. Bn., Hq. 67th F. A. Brig., 149th F. A., demobilizing. 84th Division: 327th F. A., 309th F. Sig. Bn., demobilizing. 85th Division: 340th Infantry, demobilizing. 86 Division': Div., mobilizing for overseas; Div. (less 311th T. M. Btry.), demobilizing. 87th Division: 312th Sup. Tn., demobilizing. 92d Division: Hq. 183d Infantry Brig., 365th Infantry, 350th M. G. Bn., mobilizing for overseas. 93d Division: 370th Infantry, demobilizing.

NONDIVISIONAL UNITS

Artillery: Arty. Park V Corps. Coast Artillery: 39th, 40th, 48th, 49th, 72d, 75th Rests. Engineers: 13th, 20th, 21st, 27th, 32d, 35th, 602d, 603d, 604th Regts.; 36th, 132d, 503d Bns. Infantry: 54th, 803d, 812th Pion. Medical Department: Base Hospitals 11, 12, 13, 14, 22, 26, 54, 58, 69; Camp Hospitals 40, 45, 65; Evac. Hospitals 20, 37; M. Amb. Co. 62. Motor Transport Corps: 15th M. Comd.; 413th, 422d, 423d M. Sup. Tns.; M. T. Co. 55. Quartermaster Corps: Bkry. Cos. 315, 320, 323, 326, 376, 383; 308th, 346th F. Rmt. Sqs.; Serv. Bns. 323, 329; Water Tk. Tn. 302. Signal Corps: 409th, 410th, 415th, 418th Tg. Bns. Transportation Corps: 10th, 12th, 33d, 34th, 38th, 47th, 51st, 52d, 54th, 56th, 89th, 96th, 137th, 141st, 163d, 843d Cos. U. S. Guards: 18th, 29th, 36th Bns. Veterinary Corps: Veterans Hospitals 9, 10, 12, 14.

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