The First World War in Bulloch County, GA
Bulloch County and the Road to War
In 1914, Bulloch County's population sat at around 26,000 people, with a majority living in rural areas. Bulloch already had a growing county seat in Statesboro and other small communities like Brooklet, established in 1906, and Portal, just being incorporated by the Georgia General Assembly in 1914. By the start of the war, Bulloch had national and local banks, a thriving Sea Island Cotton Industry, and connections to other major cities via the Savannah, Augusta and Northern Railway, which began operations in 1908. The Bulloch Times, published by B.D. Turner, was the main source of news, gossip, and advertisement in the county. News of the outbreak of the First World War arrived in Bulloch County via the local press. On July 30, 1914, amidst articles on tax increases, highway creation and a Kitchenette advertisement was an article, "WAR THREATENS BALKAN POWERS." There was no sense of urgency, however, as the news was not even printed on the front page.
With only half a page of news on the outbreak of War in Europe at this time, any idea of a great world war was not incredibly present in the paper, so it can be assumed it was not present in the minds of your average Bulloch citizen. By January 1915, the war was a fixture in the paper. City Grocery Co. on North Main Street put out an add about sales on grocery items, referencing it as “not a letter on the European war conditions but instead economy”. Averitt Lumber Co. converted to “wartime” lumber prices, with $20 established as the going rate for better grade lumber and lesser quality options as low as $13.00. Bulloch's Cotton industry grew from $40,000 to $45,000 from 1913 to 1915. Though on June 7th, 1917, only two days after the county's young men registered for the U.S. Military draft, it was reported that the cotton crop had not yielded success.
Local Reactions to Calls for Conscription
Americans had reservations about entering the First World War, and Bulloch County was no exception. Shortly after the declaration of war,
Bulloch County residents gathered to vote on whether to instruct Congressman James W. Overstreet to support President Woodrow Wilson's plans for conscription. At a mass meeting, J.A. Brannen spoke out against conscription and received support from S.L. Moore and B.C. McElveen. A.M Deal led the charge in favor of conscription and received considerable support despite fears that the conscription of Bulloch County's youth might be overseen by "Yankee soldiers." The final vote proved to be a show of support for conscription, with 53 votes in favor of the measure and "a dozen or so" against.
In Bulloch County, 2,242 men registered for military service by the deadline on June 5th, which was only 7 less than the expected quota. A large number of African Americans migrating north caused labor shortages. 1,000 men of the First Georgia Regiment from the Mexican front had recently returned to Savannah. Bulloch’s army would soon grow as 140 people were examined on August 9th, 1917 to determine if they were fit to serve. Bulloch had quotas overseen by a board including Chairman W. H. Deloach , Secretary W. B. Johnson, and J. H. Whiteside, M.D. According to records, only 1 out of 4 were fit for service. On September 6th, 1917, the first “quota” of ten “Bulloch Boys” was given a send off before heading to Camp Gordon under the direction of Chas. Olin Smith. On October 7th, Bulloch sent its first “quota” of black soldiers, 29 strong. Bulloch would continue to send men up until the last month of the war, with a group of men leaving in October 1918. Most were sent to Camp Gordon, GA or Camp Dix, NJ.
Local Support for Soldiers and the War Effort
Plans to show soldiers appreciation for their service began quickly after mobilization. When the second group of Bulloch County soldiers departed, they were sent off with great fanfare. On sept. 20, 1917, the Bulloch times and Statesboro News reported that the all-white group of 28 men was treated to a "barbecue spread the like of which has never been excelled." Soldiers gathered with community members on the courthouse square as a brass band from Savannah played and more than 500 school children marched to the send off. Judge Brannen humorously offered a reward of $25,000 to any soldier who returned with the head of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Memory of the Civil War was still fresh in Bulloch County, and a Civil War veteran ended the ceremony by dancing a jig as the band played "Dixie."
Regular Bulloch citizens who were not called into military service did what they could to be patriotic and support the war. Local Sunday schools purchased 210 copies of the New Testament specially designed to fit ion the pocket of a military uniform and customized them with greetings for soldiers headed to the front. "Mrs. America," Olliff Blitch, and Mrs. Lula R. Groover were in charge of the Red Cross sewing room, which made and prepared garments and fabric products to send to men on the front lines. Bulloch as a whole would go on to bring in over 1.2 million in government securities, $770,00 in wartime Liberty Bonds, and over $300,000 in Red Cross donations.
Bulloch ladies held regular bazaars to sell items to benefit the Statesboro Chapter of the Red Cross. On November, 7th 1918 shortly before the Armistice, an article by Bruce Burton was published containing letters of appreciation from soldiers to the Bulloch YMCA for their support from home. The significance of poppy sales in Bulloch began with the founding of The American Legion’s Unit No. 90, known as the Dexter Allen Unit, serving the city of Statesboro and Bulloch County. The poppy movement had started in Athens, GA under the leadership of Moina Belle Michael, a professor at the University of Georgia. Poppies represented something beautiful that survived the horror and destruction of the war, as they sprang up in the fields of France. Poppies represented the soldiers who fought and died for their country.
Our short time involved in the Great War saw Bulloch come together and find individual ways to support the war effort, including signing up for service, volunteering for the Red Cross, and business owners helping control the rising cost of goods in the area.
Works Cited
Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections, "American Legion Auxiliary. Dexter Allen Unit No. 90 records" (2020). Finding Aids. 143. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/finding-aids/143
"Each Soldier Boy to have a Testament," Bulloch Times and Statesboro News, 30 August 1917, pg. 5.
"Statesboro Votes Stand by President," Bulloch Times and Statesboro News, 19 April 1917, pg. 1
"Soldiers are Given a Royal Send-Off," Bulloch Times and Statesboro News , Sept. 20, 1917, pg. 1.
"War Threatens Balkan Powers, Bulloch Times, 30 July 1914, Bulloch County Newspapers (Single Issues). 635.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/bulloch-news-issues/635
Bulloch Times (1914). Bulloch County Newspapers (Single Issues). 634.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/bulloch-news-issues/634
Bulloch Times (1915). Bulloch County Newspapers (Single Issues). 666.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/bulloch-news-issues/66
Bulloch Times and Statesboro News (1917). Bulloch County Newspapers (Single Issues). 772. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/bulloch-news-issues/772
Bulloch Times and Statesboro News (1917). Bulloch County Newspapers (Single Issues). 780.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/bulloch-news-issues/780