The Portland daily press., 1897-09-24
PORTLAND SIGNAL CORPS.
Lieut.. Buffers Report of the August Tour
of Duty.


public the following report of the duty
performed by the sSignal Corps at the
recent encampment of the National
Cards. The report is accompanied by
typographical sketch. The military off
GERS are very much pleased and satisfied
with both the report and chart and COM
pliment the Corps upon its good work.
Headquarters Signal Corps, N. G. S. NJ,
Portland, Me-, Aug. 10th, 1897.
Maj. Gen. John Il. Richards,
Adjutant General.
Sir-I have the honor to report in de-
tail, the tour of duty performed by the
Signal Corps under my command, Aug.
9th to 14th inclusive.
The larger part of the command left the
Armory in Portland 230 p. M. Friday,
Aug. 9th, fifteen mounted upon bicycles
and one sergeant and myself mounted
upon horses. Three privates and cook.
in charge of a sergeant, started for Camp
Powers via M. g. r. r., Saturday. Aug.
7th at 100 am
The Corps after leaving Portland via
Tukey's bridge commenced taking notes
from which to make map Of the road
from Portland to Augusta, which L for
ward to you under separate cover.
The command was divided in two de-
tachments of about equal strength, one
marching about one mile in advance OF
the other. At every change of direction,
cross road, railroad, or river of any con-
sequence, halt was made, compass set,
distance taken by cyclometer, and re-
corded.
The command arrived at Topsham at
S.45 p. m. and went into camp fors the
night. 1t was here that occurred the on
ly instance of vandalism that came to my
notice. Two men foraging for fire wood
marched proudly into camp with load
Of old fence palings. One of the culprits
was ordered to return the plumber, and
the other to 60 to Brunswick for nails
After two hours labor at repairing fences,
upon an empty stomach, the humorous
side of the picture was turned against the
wall as far as they were concerned, and
I have had no trouble of the kind since.
After supper of hardbread, deviled
ham and coffee, a guard was posted and
the men turned in, using the blankets
doubled to lie upon, and the overcoat for
cover We turned out at 3.45 A. M,
Saturday, and after making a good break
fast of coffee, deyiled ham and hardbread
for change, struck tents, packed, and
were upon the road again for Camp
Powers before $50 arriving there between
500 and 600 P M
AS soon as the men were settled in
their quarters, the sergeants in charge of
from notes taken en- route Sergeant
WEIGH produced very good one for the
first trial, but Sergeant Bailey's notes
were found to be SO faulty that they
were discarded altogether.
Sunday, Aug. 8th, received an order
from COL Kendall, commanding Camp,
to make Typographical sketch of the
country west of Camp Powers from Win
throp road to Western Avenue, locating all
planted fields, and to ascertain the names
of their owners. Taking detail with
me, consisting of sergeant and four pri-
Yates, left camp Monday, at 500 q. M,
covered the ground and delivered the
sketch before 1900 IN.
| Monday evening, the camp commander
having received information that there
| was to be q dance in Hallowell that night,
ordered me to ascertain approximately
| the number of men there, and how they
were conducting themselves. Going
| there at once, / found only a few men in
| the town, and they were quiet and gen
tleman1y in their behavior. A police
man to whom l applied for information
| told me that if the citizens behaved as
we'll as the soldiers there would be little
or no work for the police. Finding that
Col. Kendall had been misinformed in
regard to the dance, l reported to him
| the facts by means of signals, and was
ordered into camp in the same manner.
| Tuesday was devoted to establishing
| signal stations in tree tops upon the hill
covered with woods south of the camp.
| Wednesday on account of the storm lit
tie work was done until II 80 p. M, when
l sent out two stations and worked them
until 2.15 a. M, Thursday
| Thursday Col Kendall ordered me to
establish four stations for the purpose of
signaling the approach of the Governor
and escort FROM the State House; the
first at the State House, second, at the
| foot of the hill, third, at the top Of the
| hill, and the flourish at my headquarters.
Leaving Sergeant Herrick in charge OF
the home I went with the men detailed
| for this work. The message announcing
the, departure OF his excellency from tn g
State House did not reach Col. Kendall
for which blunder could not hold Ser
geant Herrick responsible, for l realized.
| when too late, that my orders to him
were not plain enough to be properly TN
derstood, therefore, alone, am to blame
for this blunder. This blunder came
near having consequences, for Col. Ken
dali had no knowledge that the escort
had left the State House until Sergeant
! Herrick delivered message announcing
the fact that they were at the foot of the
hill. A part of the troops were drilling
upon the parade grounds and 1t Is safe to
say, thanks to the energy Of Col Kendall
and staff, that the First Regiment never
changed to dress uniform and formed
lines SO quickly in the history of its ex-
| istence.
Friday, having received permission
from the camp commander, we broke
camp as soon as the baggage was packed
and returned to Portland, via Lewiston,
arriving in Portland at 7.30 p. M, Sat
urday, Aug. 14th except four stragglers,
of which number I was one, who were
detained twenty hours, caring for man
sick with cramps.
Aside from the duties detailed above,
the Corps took part in ten evening pa
rades, the review, and much practice
work in signalling besides the regular
routine of camp duty, without regard to
| regular drill hours day or night.
In conclusion allow me to give an opin-
ion of the cycle as means Of transport.
alton OF troops. After all. that has been
written in favor of it for this purpose
I shall no doubt go ON recordas an unpro-
gressive hand behind the times when l say
that in my honest opinion the cycle Is
entirely unfit for the purpose except in
country where roads are good and even,
then onlya in daylight, for it is al
most tJnposSihIa To travel in the darl.