Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-27
Muster nj Cut the First Maine.

pushed to completion as fast as pos
sible. Instead Of having the regiment
assemble again in Augusta for TINS
purpose, the men are being mustereu
ont at the home stations of the various
companies. beginning with the -four
| Portland companies. This arrange
ment was brought about through the
efforts of Adjutant General Richards
and he deserves much praise for it. 1t
saves the hardships, the large amount
| of sickness and the probable loss of life
be encamped at Camp Powers at this
season for several weeks, and is dis
tinct financial gain to the men. More
over it will doubtless save number
who would be unable to come to Au-
gusta to be mustered out. from the
unjust stigma of "deserter."
The regiment has had almost six
months of service. 1t was formed
early in May at Camp Powers, with
llC Isl 1ACE lIiICliI VI tiiC NAoAhS >>NeAOAAS~A
Guard as nucleus. Not for over
generation has Maine seen such pa
triotic enthusiasm and such grand
ovations as on May 2, when the two
regiments of the Guard came to Au-
gusta. The field and staff and line Off
GERS of the 1st Regiment, with the
men who could pass the rigid examina-
ton, and recruits taken at large, made
up the LIST Regiment of Maine Volun-
into the United States service. 1t left
Augusta for Chickamauga, May q, and
the heavy rain could not dampen the
enthusiasm of the great crowds which
babe it Godspeed. Its perfect equip
ment, the superb physique of its men,
and the perfection of it's drill work and
discipline won it compliments from all
sides, and in camp it was commonly
spoken of as 1.-The regulars
There at Camp Thomas it remained
for three months, eating out it's heart
with eagerness to get to the front, and
alternately buoyed up with hopes and
depressed by the revocation of march,
ing orders. Recruiting officers We're
sent back to Maine and the regiment
was recruited to the limit, about 1906
men. Meantime it met an enemy more
deadly than Mauser bullets, and one
by one the best of the boys began to
give up to the awful typho- malarial
fever that cursed the great camp.
When the protocol was signed and it
was plain that the government did not
need all the volunteers, the regiment
was included in the first 100000 men to
be mustered out, and soon after it was
ordered back to Augusta, reaching here
in the early morning of August q. In
advance of it had come two hospital
trains bearing scores of CHASTITY, ema-
ciated forms, shadows of the stalwart
soldiers of May, dying or with lives
wrecked by the fever germs. The peo-
pie of Maine can never efface the
memory of those trains as they pulled
undone by the authorities or the pub
lie that could help or save the suffer-
ers, and hospitals and homes were at
their disposal. After few weeks in
camp here. the regiment was given d
80 days furlough with muster out or
ders when that period had expired.
The men have spent the furlough at
their homes, and are now resumirg
the vocations they left when they re-
sponded to the country's call.
The death list of the regiment 1T
Chickamauga and Augusta has a total
of ~ names. including a major and a
captain. 1t is published in full in an
other column. and tells an eloquent
story of the great sacrifice Maine has
made in the war for humanity and
freedom. Every company has names
on this roll of honor, and every section
| of the State has heard, the sad sound of
the bugle's taps and the three VOL
|
| leys over the new made grave of a
| soldier. They died for their country
and their memories will be kept green
by loving and grateful people. They
have been mustered out before, but the
| discharge is no less honorable which
now comes to their surviving COM
rades.
In week or two all the members of
the 1st Maine will. again be private
citizens of the State, no longer in the
service of their country as soldiers. In
accepting this honorable discharge
from the volunteer army they have the
| proud consciousness of a high duty
well done. and they know that they
have the gratitude and respect of the
people of Maine. 1t was not their good