THE FOREST ENGINEERS 



By LT.-COL. HENRY S. GRAVES 



THE Forest Engineers performed a very important 

 service in the war. For the first time in history, it 

 was necessary to organize mihtary forces specially 

 trained and equipped for work in the forest, and when 

 the call came the foresters and lumbermen responded 

 eagerly. There was developed an organization of splen- 

 did efficiency — a fine body of experienced men, well 

 officered. They adapted themselves quickly to the con- 

 ditions under which they had to work, and met the bur- 

 dens placed upon them with a fine spirit of self-sacrifice. 

 They had many difficult conditions to meet and many 

 obstacles to overcome, and they succeeded in their task. 

 They richly deserve the praise which has consistently 

 been bestowed upon them. 



The first call for foresters and lumbermen came 

 through a request made by General Bridges, of the 

 British Mission, soon after we entered the war, for a 

 thousand men to work in the woods behind the British 

 lines. To meet this request, the War Department decided 

 to organize an engineer regiment, and asked for assist- 

 ance from foresters and lumbermen in the recruiting of 

 the force. Col. J. A. Woodruff, of the Corps of En- 

 gineers, was given the command, and his work in orga- 

 nizing the 10th Engineers, and later in directing all the 

 forestry forces in France, was of exceptional merit. He 

 has already received well earned honors in France ; and 

 American foresters and lumbermen are unanimous in 

 their praise of his work and his leadership. 



The French government also made a request through 

 Marshal Joffre for a thousand men to help in the forests 

 behind the French lines. It became apparent, however, 

 very soon after the arrival of General Pershing and his 

 staff in France, that the requirements of our own army 

 would necessitate the use of the first forestry troops for 

 the American armies. It was necessary, therefore, to 

 defer giving direct assistance to the British and French. 

 Fortunately, it proved possible to fulfill our obligations 

 to our allies in this matter before the end of the war. 



The first division of the army reached France early 

 in the summer of 1917. There was immediate need for 

 lumber, not only for barracks but for a great variety of 

 miscellaneous purposes. The assistance given us by the 

 French and British before the Forest Engineers with 

 their equipment could arrive and begin the manufacture 

 of lumber was very substantial, and was given at a time 

 when both the British and French armies needed for 

 their own uses, while battles were going on, every bit of 

 wood and timber they could possibly secure. It was, 

 however, at best a lean time for the American armies 

 until the Forest Engineers could begin sawing opera- 

 tions. 



The first battalions of the Forest Engineers arrived in 

 France early in October, 1917. They had some of their 



woods equipment with them, but it was some months 

 before their sawmill material and all of their logging 

 and transport equipment arrived. Pending the arrival 

 of this equipment, they found themselves in a difficult 

 position. There was a great need for lumber for the 

 armies, and though the forestry troops were at first inadc. 

 quately equipped, were expected to produce it. It 

 was an inspiration to see the way the troops adapted 

 themselves to the conditions, put in their time efficiently, 

 produced timber which could be used for various en- 

 gineering purposes, and prepared the way for the quick 

 manufacture of lumber when the mills should arrive. 



When the equipment did arrive, all of the preliminary 

 work in the carefvd selection of officers and men and in 

 the preparatory work in France began immediately to 

 count. Every man swung into line and gave his utmost 

 strength to the task at hand, with the result that the 

 small portable saw^mills were made to produce quantities 

 unknown before. What seemed insuperable obstacles in 

 the matter of transportation were overcome, and the 

 lumber was actually gotten to the armies in time to ren- 

 der service at critical periods. 



An important part of undertaking was the acquisi- 

 tion of timber and the location of operations. The French 

 and British representatives co-operated admirably in this 

 matter, so that any possible competition between the 

 Allies in the procuring of material and in prices was 

 eliminated. The corps of men engaged in this work 

 deserve a great deal of credit. Those in charge of the 

 negotiations had a delicate task to perform in their rela- 

 tions with the Allied governments. The men in the field 

 were carefully selected from among the foresters and 

 logging engineers, and were successful in finding bodies 

 of timber suitable for the armies' needs. 



The high quality of the personnel of the Forest En- 

 gineers has been commented upon by every one familiar 

 with the organization. To this fact and to the able lead- 

 ership of the officers in charge is due the unqualified suc- 

 cess of the work. To set apart the names of those to 

 whom credit is due would be to take many a leaf from 

 the regimental muster roll, from Colonel Woodruff and 

 Lieutenant-Colonel Greeley, the two men who carried the 

 chief burden of the enterprise ; Colonel Mitchell, who 

 organized the 20th ; Lieutenant-Colonel Kelley and 

 Johnson, at headquarters, and Lieutenant-Colonel Wool- 

 sey and Major Moore, who negotiated the purchases with 

 the French, through a long list of officers and men. 

 Those who participated in the forestry work in France 

 may well be content with their record. The forestry and 

 lumber fraternity is very proud of what they accom- 

 plished. 



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