Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-05
The First Maine Tor Porto Rico.

The people of Maine have received
with conflicting feelings the report,
apparently official and authentic, that
the LIST Maine Is to be one OF the regi-
ments in General Wades provisional
division for immediate service in Porto
Rico. 1t means that our boys, after
| over three months of the dreary rOu-
tine of camp life, are to see active ser
vice at the front. 1t does not of nee
| essity mean that they will see any
| fighting, for General Miles and his
present army seem to be having every
thing their own way in Porto Rico.
But if the war continues, there may yet
San Juan, and possibly the LIST Maine
will get taste of real war in the re-
duction of that city.
In the regiment itself the orders to
move are received with the most en-
thusiastic delight Like every organ
iZation that has been mustered in since
the first call for troops, our regiment
has longed for active service. Camp
life of month in Augusta, and two
months more at Chickamauga, with
nothing hut monotonous drilling in the
intense heat day after day, has been
hard to endure, more especially with
the sick rate running high and every
prospect of a speedy end to the war
1t has been the fortune of war, how
ever. and so the LIST Maine has patient
ly waited and worked in camp, ohedi-
ent as true soldiers should be. hoping
every day with intense eagerness for
the opportunity that has finally come
OF course our regiment has yearned for
an active part in the war 1t is mad"
of fighting stock, and in all the great
volunteer army there is not one of
better blood. Moreover it has been
from the first fully and perfectly
equipped, and not regiment in all the
camp has shown itself better drilled or
uHbt'l iloft tpIilllItlf ulStlDllilt- OHIS
the fact that it was in the wrong corps
and the manner in which unlocked for
events have shaped the course of the
war have kept the LIST Maine from be-
ing at the front long ago. 1t has
naturally fretted somewhat under the
inaction and delay. knowing that il
could render so good an account of it
self if given chance. it has been most
emphatically unwilling 10 return to
Maine to. be called an aggregation of
tin soldiers who passed the whole
Spanish war in peaceful Georgian
camp.
So the regiment is glad and this
State is proud that in detaching regi-
ments to make up a provisional divi-
sion to reinforce the Porto Rican army
of invasion. the LIST AfaSht'1s amon.,
those selected. 1t is understood that it
will so very soon, the point of en-
barkation being Newport News. Of
the other regiments III iht brigade, the
sd Iowa will go while the fst Missis-
sippi will remain at Chickamauga.
New brigades will be made up, how
ever, and it is announced that for the
Porto Rico expedition the 1st Maine
Will be joined in brigade formation
with the 81 Tennessee and the LIST
Mnr rI,,A a
brigade This is certainly an suspicious
combination of sections. The Is rcgi-
ments selected for General Wades
division are from IS states. The LIST
Vermont, the LIST New Hampshire. the
lst Connecticut and the LIST Rhode
Island are the New England regiments
equally fortunate in being detached for
Porto Rican service with the LIST
Maine.
OF late the health of the Maine boys
has caused increased uneasiness m
both Chckamauga and Maine At first
it was called the most healthy regiment
| in the whole camp and eases of sick
ness were very rare. but in the past
| few weeks three deaths have occurred
| from typhoid fever and a large num-
Der have been i'll, some seriously The
| regiment as a whole. however, is said
to he in excellent trim, ready for the
hardest work, and burning with eager
ness to get out of camp and into ac-
| tive service. 1t is magnificently
composed body of men. and in the
future, as in the past, wherever duty
may call it, it will surely reflect credit
upon the proud old State which sent it
forth. The regiment has been recruited
to the full limit of Jog men to the COM
| pany, and so numbers over 1900 men.
completely equipped and superbly
dfllled for all the emergencies of war
OF course there is the possibility that
plans may be changed or orders re-
Foked, but 1t now seems certain that
the LIST Maine will very soon be in
| Porto