Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-10-26
STILL WAITING.
Marching Orders Looked for Today or
Thursday.
Camp Of 1st Regiment Deserted Sick Moved
to Wooden Hospital.

why the battalion did not move to the
South. But / will tell you what It is
though" he added. This is the most
wearisome wait we have had vet. We
had our mouths all made up for a
journey, and hustle at that, and now
we are held in expectancy, thinking
every time the mail carrier comes, he
will have telegram for the major to
break camp, and depart. We have
been here four months. but the long
est days Of all have been since last
Saturday night"
Many things would have had to
have been neglected though If they
had gone. Monday afternoon, as they
intended, for ever since Saturday, the
officers and their assistants have been
as busy as possible condemning old
equipments, issuing whatever the men
need. and getting all their accounts
into shape for move.
The orders to move were not ex-
pected to arrive Tuesday, as all the
reports go to show that they will not
leave Augusta before Thursday at
the earliest, unless the war depart
ment decides to send the men right
through to New York on the steam
cars. This is thought fairly probable,
II there is any hurry about getting
them to the New York transport. It
would be but very little more expense
to the government. They have the
transport though and 1t Is to 20 to
New York after the 9Th Massachusetts,
is disembarked.
An order received today. would not
surprise any of them in the least, for
they half expect to be ordered to
move either, Thursday or Friday.
Surgeon Martin said Tuesday that
the patients under his care were i'm
proving. All but seven have been
moved to the wooden building, and
hospital. The men show that they
are improving, by their actions, as
they show much more interest in get
ting better than they did before the
orders to be in readiness to move ar
rived.
1t is understood that seven Of the
hospital corps will be detailed to re-
main with the sick men in the hos
pital, and will join the battalion when
their services are no longer needed
here.
There is a spirit of goodness pervai-
ing the men of the battalion for not
a man was in the guard house, Tues
day, and Lieutenant Whitney is not
getting the practice in court work
that they gave him at one time.
Quartermaster Dutton went to his
home in Waterville, Tuesday morn
ing, to rest as long as possible before
starting South. He is still very weak
though improving. He has his de-
partment now, so that he can be
ready to ship all at a moments notice
so he can well afford to take this rest.
Though they are to be here but a
few days at the most the same scru-
pulous care is taken with the policing
the camp that it may appear clean. If
the men remain here a day or two
longer they will have the pleasure of
policing the quarters formerly occu-
pied by the 1st Regiment.
Quartermaster Sergeant Murch of
the 1st Regiment, is fast getting the
property of the regiment to the store
house at the city, and the tent floors
are being taken up and piled. AS soon
as these floors are up, if the battalion
is here it will make the field more
presentable.
GERS which have been left standing for
those who remained here, will be all
down today, and only few Of the
men who are left to care for the prop
erty will be here. Quartermaster
Sergeant Murch and his crew will
have to remain in the city for time,
but the others will go this week. Clerk
Burden who has been constantly on
duty with the exception of "a hours
in September will go to his home in
Biddeford today.
The 1st Regiment surgeons are at
work on their report which is a hard
one to make out.
The officers who sent a petition to
President Mckinley asking that they
be retained in the service as a battal-
ion. now have lost hope, as the Presi-
dent was away at the time it was
sent.
This list so it is said is made up of
Major Peterson, Captains Baker, Con-
ley and Barney. 1st Lieutenants
Blackington, Hubbard and Welch, and
Second Lieutenants Lang, Nash and
Philbrook.
Lieutenant Stanley P. bennett, who
was offered commission in the regu-
rv,,xy hos aoo;do1 x1A