Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-15
Lieut.. McPheters Wins Company
Inspectors Match.
Attendance Holds Up, Being ll60
Men In Camp, Wednesday.
Marked Improvement Shown by the Men Since
Going Into Camp.
Camp Cleaves, Aug. Il.

Camp Cleaves, Aug. IA.
Wednesday has been a day of profit to
the National Guard and to the State and
when charged up with the loss from Mon,
days rain will leave a balance on the right
side.
And who shall say that the wet feet,
damp quarters and general impression of
the sober side of campaigning was not
beneficial on the whole?
Camp Cleaves presented an attractive
sight to those who visited 1t this morning,
and quite a number took advantage of
| the pleasant weather to do so. The rain
had bleached the tents and their "snowy
wilderness" was if possible, a shade more
snowy. They fairly glistened in the
brilliant sunshine. Here and there an
overcoat or some other piece of wearing
apparel was spread out to dry and lent "a
rather business like appearance to the
company streets.
There was a p%erceptible kink in the
atmosphere this morning. 1t impaired
itself to the folds of Old Glory at head
quarters and tautened the halliards 1T was
responsible for visible elasticity In the
measured step of the guard it restored
lied crimps of the young lady admirers
among the visitors. The air was in.
MIGRATING despite the heat, clear as to lend
rich and penetrative quality to the notes
Of the bugle, and carried the unmusical
and irregular "plunk-whack' from the
rifle range to long distances.
The men entered upon their duties as II
work were a relaxation, as in a sense it
was. The heat and threatening showers
later In the day didn't prove depressing
The first duty after breakfast is guard
mounting, each regiment posting it's own
guard. This is under the charge Of the
adiutant of the regiment and is one of
the pretticst ceremonies of the day, and
the men are supposed to be in ''spic and
span" condition. After guard mounting
the men are marched to the guard tents.
The ola guard is relieved and excused
from battalion drill in the forenoon.
There are three times as many men ON
guard duty as there are posts so as to pro-
vide three reliefs. Each remains on two
hours and lies off four hours.
Inspector General Choate flnds his time
we'll occupied. A good many details
come under his general supervision and
none of them are neglected whether per
tanning to policing camp, mess houses,
kitchens, inspecting drill, guardmounting
or parades. The field officer OF the day
acts directly under the camp commander
and is supposed to look out for the general
order and the policing of camp. The
regimental officer of the day has general
charge of his camp and is held responsible
for the condition thereof. Each company
is supposed to police its own company
street. The policing of the company is
in charge of the sergeants and corporals,
each day a man l. detailed from each COM
pany to report to the quartermaster ser
geant, who is in charge of the general
policing except in the company streets.
This may not be Of much interest to the
average reader but will afford an idea of
the routine which goes along without at
tracing public attention but is as neces-
s,ry to the real success of the encampment