Page:History of the Sixth Regiment, United States Marines.djvu/7

2 a keeness to reach France to fight; these qualities more than compensated for any short-comings in the matter of experience.

Toward the latter part of August, 1917, after the 95th, 96th and 97th Companies, composed largely of recruits from the recruit depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, had arrived, the regiment attained war strength, both in men and officers. Colonel Albertus W. Catlin, who commanded the post until the arrival of Brigadier General Lejeune, was in command of the regiment, with Lieut. Colonel Harry Lee second in command and Major Frank E. Evans as Regimental Adjutant. Captain Henry L. Manney, soon to be made Major, was Regimental Quartermaster. Major (Surgeon) Wrey C. Farwell, U. S. N., was Regimental Surgeon. Chaplain James D. MacNair was Regimental Chaplain. Major John A. Hughes commanded the 1st Battalion; Major Thomas Holcomb the 2nd; and Major Berton W. Sibley the 3rd. The regiment was composed of the following units: 1st Battalion—74th, 75th, 76th and 95th Companies; 2nd Battalion—78th, 79th, 60th and 96th Companies; 3rd Battalion—82nd, 83rd, 84th and 97th Companies; Headquarters Detachment—Headquarters, Supply and Regimental Machine Gun (73rd) Companies. The company commanders were tor the most part captains who had served ten years, slightly more or less, in the Marine Corps, and whose experience counted greatly in developing confidence and initiative in the younger and newer company officers under them. They had come to Quantico from the island stations, from China, from sea duty, and from various Navy yards and posts in the United States. So, also, had come a small nucleus of non-commissioned officers and men, who were distributed judiciously throughout the regiment to form the backbone of the companies, around which was to be developed the body and spirit of the fighting outfit made famous later by its exploits in the battles near Chateau Thierry, Soissons, St. Mihiel and the Champagne and Argonne—Meuse sectors. Among the non-commissioned officers of proved ability were John H. Quick, Regimental Sergeant Major, Daniel O'Brien, 1st Sergeant of the Headquarters Company, and Daniel Daly, 1st Sergeant of the 73rd Regimental Machine Gun Company, each of whom had served in the Marine Corps for over fifteen years and had participated in almost every campaign upon which the Corps had embarked in that time. A large part of the rank and file consisted of new recruits who had enlisted after the United State entered the war; a young, eager, virile lot of men anxious to fit themselves to fight and go to France as soon as possible. No small percentage of these recruits was college men, a fair proportion was made up of young business men who had left lucrative positions to enlist, and there was also a sprinkling throughout the regiment of men who had already put in one or two years service prior to the entry of the United States in the world war. The whole presented a most remarkable personnel, which needed only