Vandalia Deopt with C.M.A. Black Horse Troop Escort

The arrival of Gen. John "Blackjack" Pershing to Culver Military Academy December 7, 1922

Thanks to Brad Lindvall, a former Culver resident and graduate of Culver Community High School for the photos.

They provide an interesting close up view of the original depot and what was to be the baggage/storage shed to the east of the 2nd depot that burned it is said to been located in the area of what was the grain elevator now Culver Cove on East Jefferson Street and was removed to the 2nd depot in the park. A Nov. 21 1923 article confirms this Hand Car Shed being remodeled DUG UP OLD PAPERS Herman Morris Finds Some Interesting Things in Former Depot. Some thirty-eight year old papers were brought from darkness to the light last week by Herman Morris, carpenter foreman of the South Bend division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, when the old hand-car shed just east of the depot was being remodeled. The old shed which was remodeled was formerly the depot building in Culver. When the present station was built, it was moved to its present location and used for a store house and for a hand car... Citizen

the photo also shows the make shift depot from the "waiting shed" which upon closer observation of the photo one can see that it is indeed the converted waiting shed at the east end depot that burned and are now utilized in the park today as a "pavillion" that servd as the depot during the intervening years between the 1920 fire and the 1925 brick depot, A make shift depot was made quickly and found is - 1920 - Jan 21 - The depot burned down Monday morning. By Wednesday night the east waiting shed had been converted into a depot with agent's office, waiting room and baggage room, heated, electri lighted, wired for telegraph instruments and the signal tower in operation...

Also note the flags on each side of the sign on the depot and on one of the vechiles indicating a special event. Jeff Kenney emailed me "We know that Pershing was escorted down Academy Road in lots of formality, with a special, US military-approved flag created at Culver flown for him (we have it on display in the museum ( NOTE: Culver Academy Muesum at 102 S. Main).

'

The Pershing flag.

Pershing arrived at Culver from Chicago in the private car of Gen. Rogers, vice president of the Pennsylvania railway, the tailend of owhich is senn at the right

From the South bend Tribune of Dec 7, 1922

Pershing will arrive at Culver this morning at 7:20 o'Clock from Chicago... Gen. Pershing, accompanied by his nephew, J. J. Pershing, Jr. and Major Denfield, president of the National Defense league, will arrive at the academy from Chicago aboard the private car of Gen. Rogers, vice-president of the railroad. The A.E.F. commander's party will be escorted from the station to the academy by the Black Horse troop. Breakfast will be served at the residence of Gen. Gignilliat and then the party will return to the academy to review the cadets... As the last feature of th program Gen. Pershing will plant a number of trees in the memory of the cadets killed in the late war. When this ceremony is completed, the general and his party will take their leave and will be escorted down a double line of caets reaching from the academy to the railroad tracks, a distance of a half mile.

The officers will board Gen. Rogers' car for Plymouth where, shortly after noon, they change to the Manhatten limited for Washington. Gen. Atterbury, vice-president of the Pennsylvania lines east of Pittsbug, will place his private coach at their disposal...

From the The Indianapolis News Thu, Dec 7, 1922

GEN. PERSHING IS GUEST OF MILITARY ACADEMY

Awards Medal to Gignilliat and Cross to Chambers.>br>
SCHOLARSHIP IS CREATED



Special to The Indianapolis Newel CULVER, Ind.. December 1. Gen John J. Pershing, chief of staff and commanding: general of the United States army, was the guest of Indiana and the Culver Military Academy today.



He came to award Distinguished Service medal to Gen. L R. Gignilliat, superintendent of the academy, for his work in organizing the intelligence sections of the 84th and 17th divisions in the world war, and for his work in feeding the civilian population of occupied territory, and to award a Distinguished Service cross to Colonel Charles. C. Chambers. now stationed at Culver, for his bravery and leadership in action near Montfacon, France, September 26, 1918.

General Pershing's visit was being made a notable occasion in Marshall county. At the review of the Culver regiment, at which the citations were read and the awards made by the general, the public school: children of the township had a place near him in the reviewing stand.

Scholarship Announced. To commemorate the visit of Gen. Pershing, the trustees of the academy have announced the creation of scholarship to be known as four John J. Pershing scholarship. It will be given to the son of a world war veteran to be designated by General Pershing.

The general's first official welcome by the. cadet corps was from Frank Reed, senior captain, of Shelton, Wash. who greeted General Pershing in the gold star memorial room, where hang the pictures of the Culver men who died in the service.

As af further commemoration of Culver's gold star men, General Pershing planted three memorial trees in honor of the first three men to fall in action. These were
Arthur B. McCormick. of Welland, Canada, who was a captain in the Canadian expeditionary force and was reported missing April 10, 1911, after the assault. on Vimy Ridge:
A. Fleet, son of the former superintendent of the academy, who was a second lieutenant in the grenadier guards. and was kliled in action May 18, 1918. The third was
Donald F. Duncan, of St. Joseph, Mo., a captain in the United States marine corps, who fell In action June 6, 1918, at Chateau Thierry.




Gen. J. J. Pershing decorating Gen. Gignilliat — DSM, Col. C. C. Chambers at Gignilliat's left.

Pershing's Walk Dedicated.



At the close of the tree planting exercises, General Pershing officially dedicated a new walk on the academy grounds, which will be known as Pershing's walk.



The general devoted part of the forenoon to an inspection of the work of the reserve officers' training corps units. in the academy, the aviation, motor school and gallery work. He also witnessed swimming and boxing contests by cadets.

He left Culver at noon to board a train at Plymouth Washington

and Indianapolis Star Dec 08, 1922

Bestows Medals on 2 Occicerts of School and Plants Memorial Trees

(SPecial to The Indianapolis Star) - Culver, Ind., Dec. 7 - Gen. JOhn J. Pershing spent a busy day at Culver Military academy today where her had come to bestow awards on two officers of the academy for their work in the war.

He also inspected the cadet regiment, watched the work of the reserve officers' training corps unit, which included the picturesque artiller driving and the platoon leadership in the cavalry.

In addition to his welcome by the cadet captains in the academy gold star room, Gen. Pershing recalled his own cadet days and paid a tribute to the boys who fell. He also planted three memorial trees and varied his program by surrounding himself with the school children of Union township in telling the motion picture man to shoot.

Gen. Pershing bestowed the distinguished service medal on Gen. L. B. Gignilliat for his war services with the 84th and 37th divisions and for the organization of relief work of civillian population. He bestowes the distinguished service cross upon Col. C. C. Chambers, executive office of the academy, for extraordinary heroism in action near Montfaucon, Sept. 28, 1918.

Talks to Children

It was after this award and the watching of the exercises in the riding hall that Gen. Pershing gathered the school children before him for the only talk of the day.

He emphasized to them their interest in the sort of training which the cadetsbefore him were receiving, not only with the idea that they may be called upon to defend their country in an emerfncy, but first of all to become good citizens. He expressed the hope that the little boay and girls before him would all grtow up tp think very seriously upon ther responsibilities and be prepared to meet them.

Then to the motion picture men he said that he would get down among the children if they would turn the camera on them all. He joked with the children about getting into the movies with him.

The memorial trees were planted by Gen. Pershing in memory of the first three Culver men to fall in the great war.
The first was Arthur B . McCormick, '15 of Welland, Ontario, who was a captain in the Canadian expeditionary forces and fell at Vimy Ridge, April 10, 1917
The second was William A. Fleet, '99, son of an ex-superintendent of Culver, who was a lieutenant in the Grenndier Guards, and fell May 18, 1918.
The Third was Donald F. Duncan, '07, a captain in the marine corps, killed in action at Chateau-Thierry, June 6, 1918.


In honor of Gen Pershing's visit, the trustees of the academy presented him with a four-year scholarship in the academy to be given to a son of a soldier of the world war selected by the general himself.

Gen. Pershin left this afternoon for Washington.