Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-16
HOPING FOR TIME,
\ Which to Drill Before Going t.
the Front.
Other National Guard Matters Up to Date -
State House Chat.

any u Oh SkoN ncSan, was ne1ru from,
Friday. and has its full number of 90
enlisted men.
tell just how urgent will be the call for
the troops, nor how soon they will be
ordered away. but ali the military men
Of Main. from Adiutant General
Richards. down to the Grcenest private.
are hcpllS that the call will not hc So
Very urgt nj. after they have been
called tcSCther 50 That they can have
week in which to learn the duties of a
sold .er
The mon should have that time in
which to drin 50 that they may have
more confidence in org another, and in
their officers, who would also be great
~ benefited hy such an arrangement.
The camp would be put under III"
strictest military discipline. and thus
would the soldiers learn am Their great
lesson.
The military officials cf Ma ~ do not
apprehend that they will he sent 10
lae island of Cuba, as ii would be sui!
cidal on the part of the army depart
ment to send them there. owing to the
climate. Ii is supposed that the reGi-
ments of the warmer states Will he sent
10 the South. and the Northern soldiers
VIII be detailed to do garrison and
guard duty at some points in the
United States.
What would you do if You We're or
dered to Cuba. and knew it meant al
most certain death from yellow fever"
was asked of a Guard lieutenant Fri
day.
why, | would go. of course al
though | will freely admit that | would
dread the fever worse than | would A
campaign of battles with the enemy.
Yet. if We are ordered To Cuba. that's
where every man would go without
murmur, answered the officer
That is the kind of material Maine;
loyal boys are built of
The adjutant generals office now re-
sembles, in a measure. a commissary
department of regiment. He has a
sample of about all the equipments
used in the army Blankets. canteens.
haversacks. rifles. hats. puncheons.
meat cans. clippers. and other materials
can be found.
These haVersacks are some better
than those that we used to have in the
War of the Rebellion remarked Cen
eral Richards. holding out one for the
inspection of those in his private office.
Here, you see. is the patent meat can.
that is also a combined meat carrier.
frying pan and a plate. In this can is
tightly placed the meat. and all is put
into the compartment of the haversack.
clear of the rest. These other two
compartments can be utilized for the
place to put the coffee and the other
articles of food. Then here are the
sheathcs for the knife. fork and spoon.
that in turn are placed in sockets in the
| havcrSack.
How different from the old ones.
| Then we were forced to put bacon,
| sugar bareback, coffee and whatever
| else we We're fortunate enough to get.
| into one compartment, and the result
can he imagined The bags containing
the coffee and sugar would break. ami
we would have a mess in the haVersack
that would make anyone diScnura gel.
| 4 heavy pint dipper that is To j" seen
al the office is a sample of the kind OF
which 1900 have been ordered. Thcs"
| dippcra are to serve as coffee pots.
| The same number of the meat cans re
| ferred to have been ordered.
Unless the war comes very soon, the
| Guard Will have everything they need
on the spot, and then VIII
| have only to wait for the
| trouble. and they are today. in
IS good condition as the majority of the
states. At any rate. the Maine Guard
| is as n-arly prepared. as a hustling
adjutant ger AraI assisted by a cotnpe-
tent corps of advisers. can make it. in
| the same period Of time.
The puncEeon, as it is known. is per
/ haps unknoWa 10 many of those out
| side military, circles 1t is a Light rub
| Der blanket. with a place in the center
where ones head is put through when
| the puncne0n is worn. 1t IS great
| protection from the rain, and can be
used to lie upon at night. keeping the
dampne:s Of the ground from the body.
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