PREFACE As the title page indicates, this book is intended as a record of the achievements of the people in Wayne county in the task of bringing the World War to a victorious conclusion. To every thinking mind, the need for such a work has been obvious. Wayne county, in view of her conspicuous prominence among the counties of the state and nation in war work, demanded that her efforts be chronicled and preserved for posterity; that the people of future generations shall have the privilege of knowing what we of 1917-19 accomplished, both on the battlefields of France and in the important tasks performed here at home. The toil of collecting and adjusting the material for this volume has occupied considerable time, but the author is sanguine enough to believe that he has produced a work such as, under the circumstances, will commend itself with favor to the reader. The author makes no pretense of having written a history of the great World War. One chapter outlines briefly the most important campaigns, and gives a list of important dates for reference by those who may not possess one of the several excellent war histories already on the market. The remainder of the book is devoted to exploiting the achievements of our people here at home in the struggle between autocracy and democracy; except for those chapters which allude to the part Wayne county played in the wars of the past. The chapters dealing with the early organization of the county, the struggles of the early settlers, the part Wayne county took in the Mexican and the Civil Wars are taken almost bodily from the most excellent History of Wayne County compiled by the late Ben Douglas. Much of the data for the chapter on Wayne county's part in the Spanish-American War was written with the aid of a scrap-book which is the property of Mrs. William E. Barnard, of Wooster, a most valuable collection of newspaper clippings gathered during the progress of that conflict. The material for the chapters dealing with the county's participation in the present war was gathered principally by the author himself, except in instances where writers of special chapters are specifically designated. The publication of the work was attempted only after the author had been appointed as Official War Historian for the county by the Hon. Lyman R. Critchfield, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, which appointment was endorsed by The Wayne County Branch, Council of National Defense. The co-operation given by Wayne county military officers overseas, particularly Col. F. C. Gerlach, Capt. F. C. Redick and Capt. G. G. McCoy, has been very greatly appreciated. To all of these persons and organizations as well as many others who assisted in the task of gathering material and preparing data for the book, the author is truly thankful. He indulges not the hope that he has prepared a perfect history of the county's part in the war, but trusts he has presented the leading features of this patriotic work in such a way as to obtain the approval and considerate appreciation of a generous public. When Wayne countians thought of the ideal army officer during and following the period of the war, they thought of Colonel Gerlach, generally recognized as "Wooster's First Soldier." He left Wayne County in command of the Eighth Ohio Infantry, and overseas, as Colonel, commanded, first the 145th and then the 146th Regiments of Infantry. He was decorated by the King of Belgium, who awarded him the Belgium War Cross, while the Marshal of France presented him with the French Croix de Guerre. His Regiment (the 145th) was the first to force a crossing of the Escaut River, in Belgium. Judge Weiser served as Chairman of the Wayne County Branch, Council of National Defense, which co-ordinated all of the War Activities at home. Judge Weiser was an ardent patriot, full of enthusiasm, and one of the men who devoted much time and energy to the task of organizing the home folks for the various tasks that the war presented. He made numerous patriotic addresses during the war period. See page 205. |