Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-15
CAMP POWERS.
The wig Ways" Soon to Return
to Be Mustered Out.
They Will Be- the Veterans : Practice Marches
Taken BY Batteries.

to Augusta from Montauk Point. the
forces at Camp Powers will be reinforced
by another body of men who have won
distinction in the campaign in Cuba, from
their good work as a signal corns These
men are not in the best of health so ii
is learned, though not many are really
ILL., Several have had the yellow fever.
among whom is Captain George w. But
Ter. They have but within day or more
arrived at the camp on Momtauk Point,
and now the order arrives from them to
report back to their home station, and be
mustered out
These men, numbering about 40, are the
only ones who were sent out by Maine,
who can really claim the title of veter-
ans. as they are the only ones who were
at any time under fire of the Spanish
guns These men served with great helm
the officers in the campaign about San
tiago. 1t was the Maine Signal Corps
that signalled the attack upon Santiago
from General Shafter to Admiral Samp-
son, and it was the same corps that fur
nished the man who telegrap hed the news
of the surrender of Santiago, as well as
the capture of Cervera's fleet to Wash
| ington. In the case of the surrender OF
Santiago it was an Augusta man who
sent the dispatch to Washington. That
| man was Herman Hobbs who was for
| merry the manager of the Postal Tele-
graph office previous to his enlistment
Thus 1t is that the company of men who
We're once ordered home from Augusta
when the End Regiment was sent home
| in May. return laden with experience In
| the real warfare. 1t will be remembered
the corps was ordered home, and had all
their equipment ready when General
Richards who had worked hard to have
them accepted in the service of the Uni
ted States. received orders to hold them
He sent the orders to Captain Butler just
| in time to prevent their going home as
had been arranged.
| 1t was not until late in June that the
corps was fully recruited and received
orders to report to the officer in command
at Washington. They were the first mer
| in the signal service to arrive there. who
were organized and equipped, as well as
well drilled. Several men were there who
were unequipped and not drilled in the
least. The Maine corps was sent within
few days to Tampa, where they were
not allowed to stay but a few more days
| before they were ordered to go to Santi.
ago.
| Ut was at that time Captain Butter sent
word to friends in. this city to tell tht
1st Regiment and Battery A, that the ole
proverb, 1.-THE last shall be first" was il
their case fulfilled.
| Several of Captain Buffers men are
already in the State recovering from the
effect of sickness that they contracted
while in the vicinity of Santiago.
The corps will doubtless poke nnocen
fun at the LIST Regiment. calling them til
| soldiers and themselves veterans III tht
same manner that the regiment poket
| fun at the batteries upon their return
from the South. But some of the storie:
| that the members of the corps will bt
able to tell both from facts and from i'm
agination. will be worth listening to.
The only hope of the people here is tina
they will leave all yellow jack germ:
behind them as they are not needed here
| We have troubles of our own here in th'
| North, and few can boast of being i'm
munes so the disease is not needed.
the weather continues the same as it ha!
been during the past week there Will d.
little to fear as it is understood there
are none ill with the disease.
| 1t cannot be stated when the corps vii
arrive, but if they are ready to move a
once, they should be here by Sunday
least.
With the wig wags in camp all that re
mains to be summoned to have a reunion
of the Maine National Guard forces, il
the hospital corps in, command of Lieut.
Riker of Lewiston, and the few I'd Regi
ment officers.