120th Landed in Charleston; Will Parade in Charlotte Tomorrow, April 1919

From the Monroe Journal, Tuesday, April 15, 1919

120^th Demobilized. . . Landed in Charleston Friday and will Parade in Charlotte Tomorrow. . . Colonel Minor Praises His Men. . . Says “No Task Too Difficult for Them, No Honor Can Be Too Great”

The transport Powhatan landed a bunch of happy North Carolinians Friday morning in Charleston and from there the men of the 120^th Infantry were sent to Camp Jackson and today the process of demobilization was almost complete. 

Mayor McNinch of Charlotte delivered to Colonels Scott and Minor, both North Carolinians, an invitation to be the guests of the Tar Heel State and Charlotte during a tremendous celebration in Charlotte. This invitation was accepted for Wednesday and on that day the Queen City is expecting the largest crowd in her history.

A correspondent of the Charlotte Observer describes as follows the scene enacted as the boys marched by their commanders on their way to Camp Jackson:

“There go the North Carolinians, God Bless them.”

“Men, men, every one of them, for whom no task was too difficult and for whom no honor can be too great,” was the fervid ejaculation of Colonel Minor, as he broke the spell that held that party of army officers and civilians silent and still.

Those soldiers still have the faces of the boys they are; in years they are youths and among the flower of young American manhood. But it is their eyes, calm, modest, penetrating, speaking volumes as of misery of misery none but buoyant youths could endure, that caused those who had only heard and read of war to stand in awe.

That was no occasion to cheer, for a cheer would have been common and would have failed of proper expression. In the presence of those who really have earned the description of heroes all the party stood uncovered, silent, watching men great in heart and act.

All the while a steady rain beat down upon the column of grim faces set resolutely forward, with thoughts turned to home.

“The men of my regiment have no heart to cheer,” said Colonel Scott. “When we left Camp Sevier a year ago they cheered, for they left light hearted. They returned now, a year later less than three weeks, sobered men of a fuller understanding of life. Not since our transport sailed away from France have those men cheered. Arriving yesterday at port, they only smiled their happiness. Silently they marched this morning on to American soil and silently they entrained. As silently they arrived at Camp Jackson.