The Portland daily press., 1898-03-07
READY TO FIGHT.
Uncle Sam is Assured of the Support OF
the Eastport Troops.

Eastport is ready for war should wal
come and in response to call from Ad-
iutant General Richards the company OF
the National Guard located in that
frontier town has volunteered almost to a
man. AS the Eastport militiamen are
famous sharpshooters it behooves the
Dons to go slow in declaring war or max
ing many hostile demonstrations when
the lads from Eastport are around. The
Eastport sons of Mars went about the
Grafton and sang froid of veterans. First
they enjoyed square meal Then they
smoked numerous cigars, just like Gener-
al Grant Then they heard some eloquent
speeches of the kind that appeal to the
patriotic heart. Then they expressed them
selves as willing and ready to enlist. This
is the way the Eastport Sentinel describes
the firing of the Eastport heart:
The meeting of Co. I, at the Armory
last Monday evening, was one of unusual
interest, and probably involved the set.
tling OF question that the larger portion
of the men who composed ths company
will never be called to face again. The
meeting called that evening was the Sc
ouepce to correspondence that has been
going on between the Adjutant Genera
and the commanding officers In the
National Guard and as has already beer
done In nearly every command in the
| state, was to ascertain how many OF the
men were willing to join the army OF the
United States in case the impending In
Al 1f no ~
Maine resulted in declaration of wal
between the United States and Spain,
The company with few invited guests
among whom were Gen. Newcomb, Lieut.
Jonah of the Colonel's staff, and Il. ID
Newcomb ESQ.,, ex-lnspector OF R1H'
Practice met at o'clock and after par
taking of supper which had beer
provided by the members and enjoying
cigars, the company was given the ordel
to "Fall in" Capt Hume read some
orders from headquarters, and briefly
stated the special object that would b
brought before them for their decision, a.
the same time stating that the law undel
which they had enlisted did not compe
them to answer in the affirmat1ve.a as thel
duty was confined to service within tn
borders of the state, and that II any maj
had any reason, why he could not re
spond to a call for troops in the nation I
defence, this was the time to decline, and
| not be compelled to withdraw his declara
ltion at later time After short drill
the company was again brought to
ssrest," and was addressed by Gen. New
comb, who in glowing and patrioti
speech counselled the men to use thei
best Judgment in the important matte
that was about to be submitted to them
stating that he with the officers of Co.
had already expressed to the Adjutan
General their Willingness to respond to l
call, and had formally rendered thei
services. L. H. Newcomb followed in
ten minute speech in which he briefly
reviewed the war record Of the men o1
Eastport through the early '60s, and sai'
he was satisfied that in time Of need tn
Younger generation could be relied on t.
add to the laurels won by their elders
| Lieut.. Wade now called the roll and a
esch mans name was called, in ever.
| instance hearty "yes" reverberatet
through the hall. save two, who 70
sufficient physical reasons felt oblige'
to say s'no.'' Thirty seven and the thre
officers had thus signified their willing
ness to enter the army if needed, aud o
the close two men made application t
enlist. The papers for them were mad
out to which they quickly placed thei
signatures. saia