Scott County Historical Society
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Pvt. James Gibson; 57th Pioneer Infantry DOD
James Gibson was born March 16, 1894 in Bell County, Kentucky and was the son of Rev. Wiley and Elizabeth Gibson. James was drafted in the U.S. Army in June 1918, as a private. Pvt. Gibson was attached to the 57th Pioneer Infantry and sent to Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina where the entire 57th was assembled. They were camped there until September 24th 1918, leaving there the next day for Camp Merritt, New Jersey. They stayed there just long enough to get their overseas equipment, but had received no training what so ever. They stayed 3 days at Camp Merritt and boarded the largest and fastest ship on the water in those days, the Leviathan, the German ship that the U.S. captured on our Atlantic Coast when the United States declared War on Germany. The Leviathan sailed on September 29th and arrived at Brest, France on October 8th, 1918. There the 57th Pioneer remained at Brest for 3 days and nights and were stationed at Cremay for 2 weeks and from there went to Le Mans. Arriving there on October 30th, stayed one day, and were then transferred by motor truck to Cerans-Foulletourte, France, and designated as “Casuals.” This is where the Unit separated from the 57th Pioneer Infantry to Company K, 329th Infantry, 83rd Division. That was the first rifle practice, and from there went to St. Ouen the site of the Rifle Range.
Pvt. James Gibson died on November 2, 1918 near Adrennas, France of Pneumonia. The 57th Pioneer Infantry arrived in France just before the Armistice was signed and never saw action. But, they had the highest mortality rate of any Infantry unit during the war, due to outbreaks of Tuberculosis and Pneumonia.
Pvt. James Gibson’s body was brought back home and is interred in the Antioch Church Cemetery in Norma, Scott County, Tennessee.
Pvt Billy Brown; KIA, Argonne Forest
William Brown was born in the Smokey Creek area in Scott County about October, 1899. He enlisted November 14, 1917 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was assigned to Company A, 26th Infantry. Billy Brown arrived in France on January 12, 1918 in a relatively quiet region of the lines along the Chemin des Dames for several months before it relieved the 1st Division near St. Mihiel on 3 April. The line here taken over extended from the vicinity of Apremont, on the west, in front of Xivray-Marvoisin, Seicheprey, and Bois de Remieres, as far as the Bois de Jury, on the right, where the French line joined the American line. On July 20, 1918 Pvt. Brown, during the Battle of Aisne-Marne at Bellau Wood, was wounded and was treated for his wounds and was immobilized for a few short weeks. He soon went back to the front lines and participated in the Battle of Cantigny, Soisissons and the Battle of St. Mihiel. Then the 26th Infantry saw fierce fighting in the last offensive of the war at the Battle of Meuse-Argonne. On October 5, 1918 Private Billy Brown was killed in action in the Argonne Forest. According to records of the Tennessee State Library and Archives the person notified of his death was his grandfather, John Low of Smokey, Tennessee. Private, Billy Brown’s body was brought back home and interred in the Smokey Creek Church Cemetery, Scott County, Tennessee.
Major, W. Mortiga Dobbs
William Mortiga Dobbs was born in Scott County on December 7, 1893 and was the son of Mack and Sarah (West) Dobbs. He enlisted on November 19, 1912 at Columbus Barracks, Ohio and served as a Corporal in the 17th Infantry during the Mexican Punitive Expedition until his promotion to Sergeant with the 71st Infantry Regiment on September 17, 1917. He was called to duty for WWI and was commissioned to Second Lieutenant, the unit was sent to England in October and with the Armistice agreed upon they were sent back to the United States and the unit was disbanded. Mortiga Dobbs continued to serve and during WWII, was commissioned as a Captain of the 1327 LBS Co., 7483d Italian Trucking Co. Major, Dobbs saw engagements in WWII in the Belgium Frontier, Southern France, Germany and Northern France. He was discharged at Bordon General Hospital, Chickisha, Oklahoma on August 31, 1946.
W. Mortiga Dobbs was married November 1, 1918 to Elie (Sexton) and their children were; Marye (Wiebeck), Cecilia (Hobgood), William “Bill”, Mack C. and Elie Marie (Waltersdorf). William Mortiga Dobbs died May 29, 1975 and was interred in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas.
Robert M. Hughett; Co. E. 16th Infantry, US Army KIA;
July 18, 1918
Robert M. Hughett was born February, 1898 in Scott County, Tennessee. He was one of the eight children of Alexander and Martha (Phillips) Hughett. His siblings were E.M., Annie, Roddie, Ralph, Lula, Willard and Semer Hughett. At the age of 19 he was drafted into the United States Army and was enlisted at Ft. Thomas Kentucky on April 17, 1917. And was assigned to Company E. 16th, Infantry, US Army, as a private. The 16th Infantry had just been recalled from active duty after their deployment of the Pancho ViIla Expedition President Wilson recalled the 16th Infantry in February, 1917 and the soon the 16th Infantry would become known as the “Big Robert M. Hughett* Red One,”.
As part of the new 1st Expeditionary Division, the 16th Infantry sailed from Hoboken, New Jersey, and landed at St. Nazaire, France, near the end of June 1917. As such, it was among the first four American regiments to arrive on French soil in World War I. Soon after the regiment’s arrival, the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry was selected to show the flag and parade through Paris on the 4th of July 1917. The battalion conducted a five-mile march through the streets of the city to Picpus Cemetery where General John J. Pershing and the other Americans in attendance paid homage at the tomb of the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution, and declare, “Lafayette, we are here!” Prior to being committed to battle, the 16th Infantry Regiment, began training in July 1917 in the Gondrecourt area with the French 47th Division, Chasseaurs d’Alpines, nick named the “Blue Devils.”
Throughout the summer and fall the training went apace and soon it was time for exposure to actual combat. On November 3 1917, while occupying a section of trenches near Bathlemont, the 16th Infantry became the first U.S. regiment to fight and suffer casualties in the trenches during World War I when it repelled a German night raid. In the months that followed, the 16th Infantry would sustain even more casualties in defensive battles at Ansauville, Cantigny, and Coullemelle. The regiment’s first major attack was launched on July 18, 1918 during the bloody Battle of Soissons. Waged from July 18-22, 1918, between the French (with American assistance) and German armies. The Allies suffered 107,000 casualties (95,000 French and 12,000 American), while the Germans suffered 168,000 casualties. On July 18, 1918 during the
Initial attack Pvt. Robert M. Hughett was killed in action.
Pvt Robert M. Hughett was initially buried at the American Cemetery, Ploisy, Aisne, France. But was later brought to Knoxville and buried at the Knoxville National Cemetery. In addition to both Memorial Walls in Scott County (Oneida and Huntsville) Pvt. Hughett is also memorialized at the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville; Pilar V, Top Panel.
Article by David Jeffers