Volume 15 , Issue 13

Native Americans & Camp Travis, Texas

Known as the "Alamo Division." Insignia, red monogram of letters "T" and "O", symbolizing Texas and Oklahoma, the native states of the first members of the division. Organized Aug. 25, 1917, at Camp Travis, Texas, under the command of Maj. Gen. Henry T. Allen. MORE INFO. This Link will take you to the PDF file of The Indian Leader (1918).

The Indian Leader (searched the online ebook for "George Baker" using the quotes), May 10, 1918, Vol. XXI, No. 36, Lawrence, Kansas, was a weekly publication devoted to the Indian and Indian education. Published every friday during the school year at Haskell Institute. Haskell was a Junior College.

In the 358th Infantry, which received the heaviest quota of Indians, there is not a company without Indian noncommissioned officers. It was the Indian's rapid acquisition of discipline, that almost iron brand kind which was absolutely necessary for successful troops in the European war medley. This is where the Native Americans troops from Camp Travis had been given a high rating. They were brought into prominence soon after the 19th Division was formed in the Fall of 1917.

It was Cato Sells, Commissioner of Indian Affairs back then, who visited Camp Ravis and said, "As proof that the Indian is being taken for his work in Camp Ravis, one can point to a few of the appointments of noncommissioned officers from the Indian ranks in the Three hundred and Fifty-eighth (358) Infantry. Some of them follow: Sgt. Silas M. Battist, Sgt. Eastman Meashintuby, Sgt. George Baker, Sgt. Charles Wesley, Sgt John Hummingbird, Sgt. Charles Kaneubbe, and dozens of Indian corporals, to say nothing of many other noncommissioned leaders of half and quarter blood."

It also mentioned the only soldiers' football team in the SAn Antonio district to play as many as five games and be undefeated in the fall of 1917 was that of the 358th Infantry. Fourteen members of this squad were Indians. Many of them were from Haskell and other Indian schools. It was in the 179th Brigade, that athletics at Camp Travis would be found. Some of those listed in the 1918 article were: Corpl. Sandy Timothy, Seminole (the undefeated mile distance runner of the camp); and Sgt. George Baker, Euchee, was a valued member of the Camp Travis baseball team.

We also found out that Otis Russell, Silas Battist, Eastman Meashintuby, George Baker, and Sandy Timothy were ex-students of Haskell Junior College.

On this page of The Indian Leader, it mentions more stars for Haskell's Flag. In the issue of The Indian Leader of January 25 Haskell's Service Flag was published for the first time, it then contained 150 stars. The list are new names making a total of 200 Haskellites known to be in the military service during World War I. It lists the Name, Tribe, Branch, Rank and whether they enlisted or were drafted. (Sarah Kristine Baker's great-grandfather, George Baker, is listed as a Creek, with the Hospital Corps, drafted.)   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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