War Diary
When I returned to my home, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, on the night of May 17th, 1917, I found an order there directing me to proceed at
once to Washington and report to the Adjutant General of the Army. I had been absent from home for four days with a Board inspecting
camp sites for the conscript army. My order had been received on the 15th. I spent the 18th day of May turning over the hospital to
Metcalf, disposed of “Betsy” and “Jack”, packed my belongings and left Ft. Sam Houston for Washington on the morning of May 19th. The
journey to Washington was without incident and we arrived there Monday, May 21st at 11:00 o’clock. Birmingham, Kean, and Williamson
met me at the station and took me to the club for lunch where I saw a great number of old friends. Birmingham had telegraphed me at
San Antonio that I was to come prepared for field sericce abroad, so with the information that I had previously had, I had a very good
idea as to where I was to go. I was greatly surprised to find at the club that everybody knew my assignment.
In Washington
I reported at once to General Pershing’s headquarters. There was already a memorandum for me to get together the personnel and
material to go with the Headquarters Expedition. It was supposed that we would get away very soon indeed, in fact they thought we
would get away on the 24th. The few days we remained in Washington were very busy ones, in fact altogether too busy to accomplish good
work. I selected the medical officers for the base hospital and for the regiment that are to come with the first division. The Medical
Department had prepared for a supply depot. I selected five civil service clerks, one of whom failed to get on the boat with us. I got
Sergeant Dickson and Aylor ordered to come with the Headquarters, also six non-commissioned officers and twelve privates, but it was
agreed that they should not come wiht the headquarters but report later with the first convoy. Peed and Beeuwkes had already been
assigned as assistants and Mount was ordered to accompany us as supply officer. During the time I was in Washington I stopped with the
Birminghams and was royally treated. I attempted to do business with Major Palmer in regard to the number of ambulance companies and
field hospitals to come with the first division and also the evacuation and base hospital facilities which should be provided. I never
got further than the ambulance companies and field hospitals for he told me the whole proposition had been thrashed out and had been
approved and was in print, and that he thought it would be most unfortunate to open the question. As a result we came with three
ambulance companies and three field hospitals with the first division, and no evacuation or base hospitals, officially assigned. The
Surgeon [unreadable], however, has prepared to send four evacuation hospitals and five base hospitals with the Expedition. It was
unfortunate, however, that they were not included in the official