Col. Oliver Dockery Jr., Commanding 74th Infantry, Feb. 13, 1919

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Thursday, Feb. 13, 1919. Oliver Dockery died Nov. 4, 1958 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. For more information, see https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79566942/oliver-hart-dockery.

Colonel Oliver H. Dockery Jr., commanding 74^th Infantry. . . Synopsis of the Life of This Splendid Richmond County Soldier-Citizen

Born Oct. 25^th, 1872, at Mangum; the son of Oliver Hart and Francis Settle Dockery, Prepared for College under the well known Prof. W.G. Quackenbush at Laurinburg. Graduated as A.B. Wake Forest College 1892. Spent a year with father in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when Col. Dockery was Consul to Brazil. Graduated in Law at the University of North Carolina and took a course in Business Law at Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1895. Secured license to practice and settled in Rockingham in 1896. Cashier for Internal Revenue Department for Eastern North Carolina 1898. 

Resigned to enter the Spanish War as 2^nd Lieutenant of Co. K. (The Raleigh Company) in the first N.C. Volunteers. Served in Cuba in 1898 and ’99 and then appointed a Lieutenant in the Regular Army, and was sent to the Phillippine Islands, where he served for three years, winning his Captaincy by distinguished services against Aginaldo. Then served in Alaska, exploring the Yukon and Arctic Circle section beyond the Klondyke. Returned to United States and was stationed in Washington, Arizona, Minnesota, Ohio, Kentucky and California. Then transferred in succession to Panama, Hawaii and China. Was in China when the war broke out in 1914. Returned to U.S. as a Major, helped to organize the regular Army Camp at Gettysburg, Penn. Then promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and sent to Camp Custer, Battle Creek, Mich., as one of the Mustering Officers of that large Camp of 40,000 drafted men in the 85^th Division, until that went to France, when he was promoted Colonel, and Chief of staff of the 12^th Division, (General McCoins’ famous Plymouth Division) of New England troops at Camp Devens, Mass.

After the 12^th Division was organized, Colonel Dockery was given command of the 74^th U.S. Infantry, composed of 3,900 men from Main, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts, which under his guidance and training became known as “The Champion Regiment of the 12^th Division;” it was trained to the minute and all ready to embark for France within four days, when the Germans laid down and asked for the Armistice. The 74^th Infantry, under Colonel Dockery, was the first due to go, and stood under orders to sail, with its Advanced Detachment already in England.

Colonel Dockery is the best known and has attained the highest rank and military distinction of any soldier produced by this County or section, in this war or in this generation. He would gave made a name for himself and his native State had the war lasted longer, because, with 20 years of active service in the Regular Army, he was well equipped in the highest arts of leadership in the military profession.

Colonel Dockery, known in his boyhood as “Ollie,” is still very fond of and loyal to his home section, and has many relatives and good friends here, who always look forward with much pleasure to his visits home, on leaves and furloughs.

Richmond County takes a becoming pride in her most worthy soldier son of the present generation.