Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-10
MssAs
Maine's Signal Corps.

at Chickamauga and our four heavy
batteries are still within the borders of
the State, but. nevertheless, Maine has
been represented, and well repre-
scented, at. the front during the war.
The volunteers of less than half
dozen states have been under fire in
the war, thus far, and among these
have been the 40 men composing the
Maine Signal Corps who have been
with the army in Cuba since the CAM
paign was opened there. We must not
lose sight of this organization whose
work has been so necessary and SO
well done in spite of numberless dan
gers and difficulties. They have been
seldom mentioned in the dispatches.
Their courage has not been lauded to
the skies like that of the Rough
Riders. No poems have been written
about their services for the flag. But
they have been there all the time.
often at the extreme front and always
on the danger line, working grimly
away through jungles and over noun
tains, facing the odds of Spanish
sharpshooters, fever and hunger.
stringing wires and waving their little
flags from tree to tree and hill to hill
ton between command and command,
between the front and the rear, be-
tween the army and the fleet, they
have made our forces a united body
working with concerted action. Their
part in winning the victory at Santiago
must not be overlooked or forgotten.
They were special marks for the
sharpshooters, and We're daily and
hourly exposed to danger of instant
death. They could not have the salts
faction of charging the Spanish block
houses or trenches, and winning the
death or the glory so dear to brave
men, but their work was as necessary
and their duty as hard or harder to do.
The Maine Signal Corps was the only
one with General Shafter at Santiago,
and our State may well be proud of it's
representation in that campaign. The
boys all came through it alive, though
one or two We're slightly wounded.
Many have been sick. One of them
writes home: Il get good treatment
e hi,
man. Some of them have to rough it,
| can tell you. There are but 40 of us
try their best to keep us alive because
they want to use u.s.
Captain Butler and his command. all
picked young Maine men of intelli-
gence and training, deserve a glorious
welcome when they come home. IT
has not been announced whether or
not they will come North with Shat
ter's army, but it would seem tina.
they have done their share in the hard
Cuban campaign as we'll as the troops
who are being shipped to Montauk
Point to recover their health and
strength. This organization has been
a part of Names National Guard
which the general public has too little
appreciated. But when the time of
need came the government quickly
saw its value, and its noble service n
Cuba has been grand yindication Of
its existence. Names quota for the
war, an infantry regiment and four
heavy batteries, all With full ranks and
superbly equipped and drilled for ser
vice. have seen no active service, AMI
the assurance of peace makes it look
as though there would be no need of
them at the front; but the signal corps,
which was furnished outside the re-
CURED quota has been where the work
was hardest and the fight the hottest,
and the laurels it has won may we'll
be a source of pride and qualification
to the State which sent it forth.