Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-20
SICK BOYS ARRIVE.
Half a Dozen Members Of Co.
Reach Home.
The Story Of The Long Journey IL The Special
Traie from chickamausa.

day afternoon at 2.2a Those from Co.
F are as follows: Theodore Hayes. 50
Bridge street, Augusta. aged 70; Wal
taG r. Hall. Augusta, aged %: Seth J.
Morrow. Readfield. aged IS; Elmer M.
Hewett. China. aged %: Frank L.
Shattuck, Washington. aged 20.
The members of the other companies
that came to this city to recuperate at
the homes of relatives and friends are:
George Benson, Belfast, Co. X, aged "a:
Manford Frost. Portland. Co. E. aged
10; and Arthur G. WEIGH. one OF the re-
cruits recently sent South by Lieut.
Hubbard. Others are expected later.
They left Chickamauga. Tuesday ev-
ening. and have been on the road ever
since. AS far as Portland they were
provided with sleeping cars but even
then the journey was tiresome one
and the boys as they alighted from the
train looked as though they had seen
some hard service. All were worn,
thin and haggard. and several were
very weak.
George Benson was apparently the
most i'll of the number. He had
to be helped from the train and could
scarcely stand alone after being led
across the platform.
At the station quite a crowd had
gathered. anticipating the arrival of
the boys. The Battery boys with their
red stripes were there in numbers and
gave the heartiest kind of welcome
to their brother soldiers with the white
stripes.
Friends and relatives were gathered
on the platform and how eagerly they
scanned the train as it pulled into the
station to get a view of their loved
ones. Mothers with tears in their eyes
embraced their brave sons and breath
ed prayer of thanks that they had
been spared to return to cheer their
home.
y dim DHdlluCh VI H. WtlOSc
home is in Washington, was seen by a
Journal reporter at Hotel North and
spoke freely of the condition of affairs
at Chickamauga. AS he mounted the
stairway he remarked that the effort
was great contrast to what it was
! before he went South. when I left
Augusta" he said. Il weighed 1876
pounds: today l stepped on the scales
at Portland and only weighed 157. All
those who came home. above 40 in
number. were either victims of malar-
Tia or typhoid fever.
The heat at Chickamauga is some
thing fearful. The day we left the
thermometer registered 100 in the
shade The water is very bad. 1t has
been so muddy that if pail of it was
left to stand over night in the morn
ing the bottom would be covered with
clay. For the last few days we have
been getting water from a spring ten
miles distant. Uncle Sam furnishes
ice twice day. Then it was that it
seemed something like getting good
State Of Maine water.
I'VE could not complain of the food.
| 1t was as good as We expected when
we enlisted. At first, you know, we
had the canteen. Later it was taken
ITO fvn, nd 7 Of hn int nv,
that the boys were a great deal better
off when they were drinking beer. At
least most of the sickness seemed to
commence after the new order was
passed.
1.-THE officers are all good men. We
could not ask for better. They also
have had their siege of sickness but
when we left were apparently on the
road to recovery. Capt. Lovejoy was a
| great deal better, so was Lieut.. Saw
age. Lieut.. Blackington has been for
| tunate. He hasn't been sick a day.
He took great deal of interest in the
| sick ones. however He was at the
train when we started homeward and
shook each one of us by the hand
most cordially. l tell you we have ev-
cry reason to feel proud of our Off
| GERS.
Rev. Mr.. Cummings Of Auburn also
did much for us and in company with
! Col Kendall saw that we were we'll
provided for. l think that if it was
not for these two men that we would
not have had sleeping cars to come
home in. Col. Kendall said IT was a
shame to have the boys go North in
day coaches and that they were not go
ing to do it. Mr. Cummings was Of the
same opinion and together they set
about to accomplish the work.
Our furloughs are made out for 30
days. but I understand nat If We are
not able TO so back then that on Ger
tificate from a surgeon we can have
them extended.
There isn't sick boy down there
but what wants to comekNorth. They