The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-29

the average throughout the regiment.
He said that the heat as factor IN this
tremendous anti-fat movement. Day
after day the thermometer would regis
fer from Sc degrees to 1o5 degrees in the
shade, and the drills in the broiiing sun
would affect the most robust specimen.
The Portland Battalion was in com
Inand of Capt. Baker, and his first words
a question as to the condition of Major
Collins, who had been home seriously i'll
for some time. Capt. Baker was riding
q wicked looking brown horse which
cavorted and lodged all over the street at
the slightest proyocation. 1.-THE horse is
to blame to large extent for Collins
Sickness" Capt. Baker said, she will run
q block whenever draw my sword -
Lieut.. jerks was in command of Co. d,
and looking very i'll, having been taken
with n,alarlal Immediately on his return
from the recruiting service in Portland.
| Capt Hogan of Co. e, was at his post,
and when asked about the regiment as
| being the best drilled ct the Park, said
"Well, we were when we first got there,
but for the last month. there has been
SO much sickness that we could do moth
ing. Many of the companies are reduced
from l05 to 80 men who can walk up that
hill.''
| Capt. Conley, who has received so
much praise for his soldierly conduct and
increasing care for his men, was the one
man in the whole regiment who did not
show the wear and tear of a rough camp.
He was as pleasant and polite as of old,
and was glad enough to be back In old
Maine again. Co. A was in command
of Lieut.. WEIGH, as Captain Dow had
gone to Portland to attend the funeral
of Phil Higgins, member OF his conn.,
Deny. WEIGH has not been sick day
since leaving home, and lost very little
in weight.
Co. of Lewiston had the honor of es-
oorting the rsgimental mascot, Barney
the goat who, unlike the boys, is becom.
ing very fat.
1t was while the regiment was enjoying
the good things prepared by the ladies
of Augusta that the writer talked with
the officers. At about nine thirty Col
onel Kendall gave the command to march
to camp, and The luggage covered ranks
shook themselves together in way which
proved they were far from dead as yet,
and the long up hill tramp was begun.
First came the band, as poorly uni
formed as the rest but playing very good
music just the same. This band was
picked out of the regiment, after the old
band refused to go south, and mainly
through the efforts of Band Master
Howe, superseded the Third Missouri
band. as champions of Chickamauga.
The escort came next in command OF
Major Newoomb, of the First Maine bat
terry stationed at Augusta Companies
B, C and d were in line, and the neat
blue uniforms and rugged look of the
men, spoke volumes in comparison to the
lank figures trudging along behind. A
boys company came afterithe battery and
then Colonel Kendall and his staff, con-
sisting of Adjutant Davis, DR.. O'Neil
and Sergeant Doten, led the heroes of the
day.
The regiment moved in three battal-
ions, and made good time up the steep
hills to the old muster ground. Here
they made an Impressive scene as the
long line crawled slowly up the hill with
the band at the head playing Marching
Through Georgia" and the dense throngs
which lined the way cheering and ap.
plauding. At Lost the regiment reached
the level ground on the top of the hill
and swept onto the field of the camp
ground, breaking into company front
with the precision of veterans.
There was little formality about the
entrance into camp The companies had
all been assigned to their places and theil
captnins led the weary men straight to
the streets on which their tents were tc
be erected Arms were stacked and the
men Immediately threw themselves on
the grass, tired but happy to see again
the hills and green fields of the state
which is about the best in tho Union for
home While the men were resting Gov.
ernor Powers arrived at the camp. The
Governors visit was unofficial and the
tired soldiers were not disturbed. The
Governor with Adjutant General Rich
! GTQS OCCupl0o OaAlAes5o WAAAo AAANNAooN
members of his staff rode behind him.
Col. Kendall welcomed the party. The
Governor remained at the camp long
enough to walk around the tents and
speak to some of the officers and men. II
was at noon that the work of pitching
the tents was begun and the camp was
a scene of activity until towards shutdown
when the wooden floors were all in place
and the canvas walls erected. All day
long the camp was surrounded by car
riages and thousands of men, women and
children thronged the grounds, greeting
friends and relatives among the troops.
Sentinels were pacing their posts but nc
orders were given which in any way in
terfered with the coming and going Of
| the mothers, wives, sisters and sweet.
hearts and the male relatives and friends
of the heroes of the hour. COL Kendall
was the busiest man on the grounds.
| xxyho II.