News
Christmas during war
Scott Wagar
12/18/2012
Editor’s Note: Christmas is this upcoming Tuesday, and with the holiday the Bottineau Courant has decided to look at Christmas during one of the most difficulty times in the history of Bottineau County, World War I.
In July of 1914, World War I started in Europe. Across the ocean in the United States, President Woodrow Wilson made ever attempted to stay out of European war, but after Germany began sinking America’s commercial ships heading toward England, Wilson had no choice but to declare war on Germany and its central powers, which was passed in Congress on April 6, 1917.
By the fall of that year the Bottineau Courant was filled with stories of local county men leaving for Camp Dodge; pleas for county residents to buy war saving stamps were seen in its pages and request for local folks to join the American Red Cross also had a heavily appearance in the paper.
In one week in September, during one of many call ups in Bottineau County, 71 Bottineau County men were listed in the Bottineau Courant announcing they had been allocated for the service.
“Bottineau County’s quota in the new national army will entrain at Bottineau next Wednesday morning for Camp Dodge,” stated the Courant.
Within the article, some of the names included were Henry Hahn, Gardena; Carl Carlson, Antler; James McDonald, Souris; Albert Dravland, Carbury; William Schillinger, Russell; Alf Hovind, Bottineau; Irwin Olson, Roth; George Hanson, Willow City; Fred Baker, Lansford; William Coliton, Westhope; Harry Thompson, Landa; Lewis Mills, Mohall; Jon Brandt, Kramer; Gustav Momb, Dunseith and Archie Trotter, Maxbass.
As men were being called up, town halls were holding dances for the men who were to leave.
“A dance complimentary to the soldier boys of Bottineau County will be given in Amity Town Hall tomorrow (Friday) night,” stated the Bottineau Courant. “An invitation to the public generally has been extended and it is likely that many will attend. Tickets, including supper, will be sold for one dollar per couple to civilians who attend.”
As the soldiers’ call up dates came they would meet at the Bottineau Courthouse and marched down Fifth Street to the local train depot with a band accompanying the men and the local grade school children waving flags on the boulevard as the men passed by them. As the train pulled in, the soldiers would say good-bye to their loved ones amongst tears, the band playing, and people from the county cheering them on.
As the Christmas Season rolled around, the Bottineau Courant was filled with Christmas specials. Sigurdson’s Pharmacy was selling fountain pens, cigars, ivory goods and perfumes; Northwest Jewelry advertised rings, scarf pins, cuff links, neck chains and patriotic books for children; while the local Ford dealership was offering good prices on their vehicles.
However, the talk of the holiday season were the men leaving the country to serve their country.
At Camp Dodge, a basic training camp constructed to hold 50,280 men that covered 7,600 acres, with an additional 4,000 acres used as a live artillery training range, all at a total cost of $6 million, numerous Bottineau County men were training for war in France, including the 338th Field Artillery National Army, which was made up entirely of North Dakota soldiers from a variety of counties, including Bottineau County.
On November 11, 1918, at the 11th hour, 11th minute and 11th second, WWI came to an end. As Bottineau County soldiers began preparing for coming home that fall and Christmas holiday, the newspaper gave news on the local soldiers and was once again filled with Christmas ads.
“False rumors have been circulating in Bottineau and vicinity that Monte Woods was crippled for life from being gassed, shell shock, wounded, etc…,” stated the Courant. “But, we are glad to state that Mr. T. F. Woods and several of Monte’s friends have received letters saying that he was out of hospital and feeling fine.”
As for the soldiers listed in the Courant that month of September in 1917, Albert Dravland survived the war and became friends with one of the most decorated soldiers of WWI, Sergeant Alvin York, who during the war earned the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German gun nest where he captured 32 machine guns, killed 28 German soldiers and captured 132 other German soldiers.
While departing one another, York gave Dravland his gas mask, which today is on exhibit in the Bottineau County Museum. Albert and his wife also named a son Alvin.
Alf (Alfred) Hovind, who was an alumnus of Dakota College at Bottineau, didn’t return from the war. He died of pneumonia while fighting in France. With his sacrifice to his country, county and city, the local college named its first dormitory after him. Hovind Hall was a woman dormitory from 1919-32. In 1932, Hovind Hall became a men’s dormitory. The building was torn down in 1963.
Christmas during war years are never easy for soldiers or their families, but the men called to war, along with their families, stayed strong and did their duty for their country, even when they should have been celebrating ‘Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward Men’.