The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-13

but he had not reached headquarters. The
Sd regiment formed like the first out in
the field nd the Governor and staff rode
+tHail TO the Chief - A bugle call had
brought the men of the 1st to their feet
and as the Governor reached their part of
the ground one band stopped in the
middle of the tune and the other began
PLAYING HAIL to the Chief" The
Governor resumed his hat as hepassed the
oolors of the two regiments. Then he
moved over to headquarters and dis
mounted and the troops were dismissed.
That is the way the commander in chief
went into camp. This is what he did
afterward:
First the battalions of the LIST regiment
were massed in front of the Governor s
quarters and he went out and made a
little speech to the men eomplimenting
the winners in the rifle contests after
which General Harrington presented the
prizes which were as usual, pictures of
military scenes, A little later the prize
winners of the second regiment, headed
by their band. marched over and the
ceremony was repeated.
It is in the afternoon that the chief
event of Governors day at camp occurs.
Then the grand review i'll which all the
troops take part and are inspected by the
commander-in is the attraction
which draws crowds to the encaInpment.
1T is at 2 o'clock that the musical notes
of the bugles are heard down in the COM
&pany streets calling the men to fall in.
The LIST regiment band appears and then
with the usual ceremony, company after
company marches out onto the field until
all are in place and the adJutant in his
gorgeous uniform has made that fact
known to the colonel. Then the list
marches down the field and the other
regiment goes through the same
manoeuvres. In the mea ntime the
Governors staff have exchanged their
fatigue uniform for full dress and
mounted their horses. The Governor in
his black coat and tall silk hat is in
striking contrast to the men who sur
round him, for staff officer in the full
army is thing of beauty and joy to
the behelders for several musters, after
which some other fellow takes his place
and looks about the same. The staff wears
ehapeau of black. beaver with a curing
feather. If he is called general, and most
of them are, on his shoulders are great
epaulets terminating in heavy gold
%r;,ra Aponpd bic r;rtt I'm, org, eavaraT
yards Of gold braid or cord the military
name of which is unknown to the writer.
His blue coat is literally adorned with
gold buttons and his belt and sash and
sword shine in the sunlight. All the
members of the staff reported for duty
this morning SO the Governors entire
military family is with him. A soldierly
Richards, who is officiating at his first
encampment in that capacity. The adju-
tant general rides spirited bay and rides
him well.a Gen. Glidden is the large man
of the staff and sits his horse in a
dignifed manner. Inspector General
Newcomb is kept busy with various duties
and dashes about in turns with Capt.
the West Point style, and that is as good
as any in the world. Altog ether the
staff is an attractive sight and the
spectators watch them with evident in
terest while the troops are moving into
position for the inspection. When at last
all is ready the Governor and staff move
across the field to where Col Kendall, the
commander of the camp, joins them with
his staff, and then the whole body of
mounted men ride in front of the long
lines of motionless blue coated figures
while the bands again take turns in play
ing that somewhat familiar tune, "Hail
to the Chief The party make a com
plete circuit of the two regiments and
then ride across the field to position in
front of the flagstaff. The bugles say
something which the soldiers understand
and the two regiments swing into column,
company front and to the inspiring
strains of the band march around the
field and before the Governor in review.
The signal corps with their black plumes
waving above their helmets lead the way
and then follow the companies of the two
regiments marching with the precision
of veterans. In fact it can be truthfully
said that never has the troops of the
national guard of the state looked better
OF gone through with their evolutions in
more soldierly style than they have this
year, and this Is the more worthy of
praise from the fact that in each regiment
are companies which are attending their
first encampment.
The march past ends the event of the
afternoon and the Governor does nothing
of an official character until the dress
parade this evening and that concludes
the ceremonies of the day SO far as the
chief executive is concerned. A soldier
could describe all these things in technical
language, but to the civilian spectator the
day gave the impressions recorded here.