The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-11-30
A TRAINING.
"Reminiscences re OF the Old Days when
Every Man vscs Soldier.
The Good Old Fashioned Muster Of
olcien Times.

4
There are comparatively few living who
remember the good cid fashioned regimenta-
muster of the olden times. Some f0rty-fye
years ago our law makers saw fit to dIsband
the militia Of Maine. If the boys Of that
| time could have voted, not one Of that legis-
lature who voted yea on that question
would have seen the inside Of the statehouse
| again. For were not the militia trainings and
musters their only pastime for the year2
Little do the boys Of this day. who have pie
nics, excursions, baseball games, circuses,
and scores Of diversions, realize the poverty
| Of pastimes for the boys Of those days.
| Every able bodied male inhabitant be-
tween the age Of sixteen and forty-hye years
was enrolled in the militia. Their names
were recorded In the town records, as Delnk
| liable TO military duty and twice each year
were armed to appear for parade % arns1 .ss
reefs lI'he law directed that each enrolled
man should produce gun, Dayones'
The town was divided into two companies
one usually called the toe-nallers, the other
| the string-beaners, each having for officers a
1 captain, lieutenant, and ensign, the latter
/ being what Is known as second
| lieutenant There were four ser
/ geants, four coporals, one bass drummer. ono
Il
| quired that they should meet for Inspection
| and drill during the month Of May IN their
own locality. In September they were
obliged 10 muster with the regiment at the
call of the brigadier-general, who made an
inspection OF the arms and equipments and
woe to the soldier whose flint should drop
out or the lock refuse to snap. Twenty-Five
cents fine and loss Of powder rations, and In
default Of fine one hour OF arrest As there
was no guard house, they were put In charge
0f "A Q0n0r4I anil gQnf In the WnQFn the
prisoner spent the amount OF tine In new rum
for his guard.
The. parade ground, or as II was then cali
ed, 1.-THE muster field" was selected with due
regard to its level and smooth surface ID
might be In the most remote district OF the
ten towns comprising the regiment but II
must be a level plain OF twenty acres or more
in extent In order to give room for the ey0-
lutions of the companies. Besides the militia
companies In each town there was what was
called independent companies. such as rifle,
artillery, cavalry, limited 70 two Of each for
regiment, all Of which were dressed In the
most snowy uniforms that could be devised.
The rifles" wore light blue cut-away coat
trimmed with silyered braid, the front Of
which was padded with cotton TO that
extent that they resembled com
pany Of New York aldermen with
pants with Dlue trimmings and blue
CATERS reaching nearly 10 the knees. Their
caps were o. black velvet Ornamented with
silver spangles and bearing three large os-
Lrlc0 LlppeU Will ftu. Inc hItiucfy
was not less elaborate, but Of black with red
trimmings. Their two six-p0und brass can
mons were polished to the brightest. The
trapplngs OF the horses and ammunition car
Tlages were Of the gayest style Of Art thsn
known. But the cavalry, OF We called them
the troopers" on their pranclng steeds with
the gayest Of uniforms and housings, was
the envy of the boys. But the most gorgeous
display was the brigadler general and regi-
mental colonel and their staff. making cav
alcade Of about twenty officers, mounted on
the gayest chargers and caparis0nec without
stint OF expense, pIofuse In gilt and furbe-
lows and all the paraphernalla that could
be devised TO excite the admlIing gaze Of the
multitude Of women and chi - that should
gather 10 see the brilliant displ
The writer lived some five miles from this
enchanted ground and had yearly heard the
boom OF the cannon, but until his twelfth
year had never viewed the lively scene. But
one bright, sunny September morning he
was taken by his pater familias 10 see the
grand parade Of the militia muster. Al
though nifty years have since rolled over his
head still he has never had his senses so
completely rayished as when ne reached an
eminence overlooking the field and 50 near
that the bugle call, the scream OF the shrill
fife, the reyeille drum, the voice Of command
and even the hum of the voices Of the vast
concourse Of spectators, with an indlstinct-
ness that was fascinating, fell on his ear.
How well does he remember the long line Of
forty companies with their gay uniforms,
stretching far across the field, the thrOng OF
people barred from the ample parade ground
by line Of guards with fixed bayonets; the
companies Of cavalry gaii0ping here and
there, performing their evOiutiOns at the
sound Of the bugle note, and the still gayer
squad Of field officers and staff as they stood
grouped In the distance s*~t And then
/ became 50 much absorbed In the cries OF
the auetiOueers as they hawked their wares
and the baker, as he sold his gingerbread,
Here you have II, three cents Sheet.
another crying, New rum, fOurpence a
glass" that l almost forgot the gay scene Of
the parade ground.