Private (PVT) First Class Rumsey Edward Dodson was born on June 7, 1894, in Sperryville (Rappahannock County), Virginia, to farmer Joseph Henry Dodson and Elizabeth “Bettie” Burke, one of eight children.  He worked on the farm with his father and in January 1916 enlisted in Company B (Culpeper Minute Men) of the 2nd Regiment of Infantry, Virginia National Guard.  The Culpeper Minute Men, a local militia unit, had first been organized in 1775 during the Revolutionary War.  After the March 9, 1916, raid by Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa on Columbus, New Mexico, the National Guard, including the Culpeper Minute Men, were mobilized to patrol the Mexican border.  For medical reasons Rumsey was unable to deploy to Brownsville, Texas, with the Culpeper Minute Men.  With America’s entry into World War I in April 1917 the Culpeper Minute Men became Company I of the 116th Infantry Regiment.  Rumsey and Company I moved to Camp McClellan in Alabama for training and were assigned to the 29th (“Blue and Grey”) Division.  In June 1918 the 29th shipped to France to join the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF).  Beginning in September 1918 the 29th fought in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign, the largest American offensive of World War I with over 1.2 million soldiers participating.  Following the armistice of November 11, 1918, the 29th served with the occupation forces before returning to the United States in May 1919.  Rumsey had contracted tuberculosis and remained behind in a French hospital.  He died on June 13, 1919, and was buried at an American cemetery in France.  In 1922 his remains were returned to the United States at the request of his family and Rumsey was re-interred at Culpeper National Cemetery on February 4, 1922.   

Private First Class Rumsey Edward Dodson rests in Section A1, Site 1376, at Culpeper National Cemetery. 

Note:  Information on Private First Class Rumsey Edward Dodson courtesy of the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) program.

American soldiers during the Meuse-Argonne Campaign in 1918.

This is a picture of American soldiers during the Meuse-Argonne  Campaign in 1918.

RUMSEY DODSON

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