Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-22

The following letter was received from
Captain c. w. Butler, commander oi
Names Signal Corps. Tuesday, ana II
shows that the corps is up to the stand
ard that its Maine friends fully expected
of it.
Washington Barracks.
Washington, ID. q,
June IS, 1898.
Special to Daily Kennebec Journal: =,
The Maine detachment Slgndl corps, I d.
6 Volunteers is now comfortably settled
in Washington barracks. Washington ~
c. 49,.
This organization left Augusta at ten
O'Clock June 18th. travelling through
Brunswick Westbrook Junction, RocneS-
ter. Worcester. Albany, Jersey city, Phii-
adelphia and Baltimore, arriving IN
Washington about five O'Clock on the
evening of the nth 1t is fact worthy
of mention that the boys were given a
grand reception from Augusta TO West
brook Junction. where maly OF the
friends of the corps were ohgresateu
also enough eatableS drl}kables ana
smokeables were passed in through car
windows to last the corps a week; even
the appetite of Honey Johnson was
satisfied.
hoys marched across the city in front OF
the capital to Washington barracks.
which is a beautiful place. three SIDES
being surrounded by bend of the 20
one mile long and nearly one half mile
wide. with beautifully laid out. grounds
and substantial brick and stone puiii-
ings. -
Shortly after their arrival the men We're
given comfortable quarters in room on
the second floor of one of the artlllerN
barracks. Each man was given an IRON
cot with mattress and pillow also clos
ets for their equipments. Besides this
room they have mess, reading ana pain
rooms There is also an office connected
for the use of officers and clerk. CAPE.
Butler and Lieutenant Walker were as
signed to quarters in officers row. about
30 wards east Of . the barracks. There Is
one thing that the State OF Name can pf
proud of-and that is that she has sent
the first Signal Corps that has arrive"
here from any state in the Union.
When we arrived here there were thirty
eight men that had been recruited a.
large for the signal service from all over
the country Second place has been Sc
cllred bv cant. Giadens of Connecticut,
who arrived with twenty-four men twelve
hours later.
The Maine men are the only ones w an3
have arrived. far uniformed ana
eonippad All others came in citizen :
clothes and without any equipment what
ever. .
The men were so surprised at what is
expected of them here that they are Just
beginning to recover their mental equi-
lihrium They expected to go INTO camp
and rough it, but now many OF them are
threatened with spinal trouble, cauSei ny
trying to keep up proper dignity, ana
also with paralysis of the arm. caused by
saluting from morning to night. Nelther
is this all Of their troubles; the men viii
be mounted here; fifty horses having al
ready arrived At 6.4l in the morning.
when STABLES" is called. the men g to
the stables. take care of the horses,
groom them and examine their feet, wa
ter and exercise them.
They have not began to ride yet IN
IapIlinp the horses il not an unuSud
sight to see green man and horse ;
leg flying back and forth through space
like the piston rod of Il high speed engine
and many We're the groans ana grows
heard after the first experience
G. w. BUTLER
Capt. Signal Corps, |. S. v