THE JAMES C. DOWD HOUSE
World War I began in Europe in 1914. When America joined the fight on April 6, 1917, there was a need to mobilize troops quickly. Charlotte, after much deliberation, was chosen to get a camp on July 13, 1917. The military selected the southwest part of the county as the most suitable location, and work to build a camp began almost immediately. Since most of the area chosen was very rural, there were very few existing buildings for the government to use.
When the armistice was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the world was reeling from the effects of a long war as well as a major flu epidemic. Charlotte celebrated the end of the war with a large, downtown parade, which included cars, trucks, trolleys and thousands of people waving flags and making noise.
November 21, 1918
We leave La Houssoye at 12:45 noon and hike to Corble, where we load on a box-car train and start for the American area. There is 33 men in our car. Before leaving Corbie we succeed in getting some straw to go into our car, so that makes traveling more comfortable. Mid-night finds us still going. Though the engine looked like a joke it makes fast time.
November 22, 1918
November 8, 1918
October 21, 1918
The company rolls full pack and leaves camp at 8:30 a. m. on the march. We pass through Bohain and Brancourt, stopping for the night at Montebrain. Here a Y. M. C. A. canteen is open, but only writing paper, magazines, and a few old papers can be secured from it, as they have sold out all the smokes and eats. We are billeted in some old buildings that have missed total destruction from the German shells. We are tired out from the long march and we go to bed immediately after supper.
October 22, 1918
Chapters 17 and 18 were not published.
September 30, 1918
September 29, 1918