Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-08-29
MUSTER AT AN END.
Tents Struck and National Guards
men Return to Their Homes.
A Week of Work with Favorable Re-
sults-The Question OF Rations-
Good Showing Of Company
Nj o. This City

After seven days of camp life the First
Regiment, Vermont National Guard,
struck tents Friday morning and the
several companies left FOR their respective
armorics. The camp has been the most
successful in the history OF the state mill
tia and Col. Estey and his officers are to
be congratulated upon the effectiveness
of their work All the old time festivities
have been omitted and every minute oil
the days has been spent in company, bat
TALON or regimental work The improve
ment in the regiment during the week was
so marked that the success of the new
regime was easily established.
No drills were held ut the camp Fri
day. Shortly after o'clock the tents II
the regiment were struck and the camp
was cleaned. The regimental band with
Companies r, +, n and | left at about 10
in the morning. Companies II and l. left
soon after and Companies c and Is left in
the afternoon. followed by Companies -
and O. They left Fort Ethan Allen In
special trains. Company NJ was the last
to leave the grounds and arrived in Bur
lngton on an electric car shortly after
2 o clock.
The question OF rations has been the one
most discussed by the men during the
present year. Considerable fault has been
found and guardsman said yoster-
day: Under the present law the state
furnishes the rations at cost not
company has to furnish its own cook. Last
year one company furnished its own mess
and hired a cook. There was greater
variety of food than was furnished this
year and there WAS plenty of it. The
entire cost was li cents per day per man.
This year the food was good but there
was not enough Of it and not variety
enough to satisfy the men. Some COM
panies paid more per man and had better
subsistence.
Several of the companies in the regi-
mcnt bought additional food with money
from the company treasury. When it is
taken into consideration that the state
lots the contract for food for Il compani's
instead of one and furnishes no cooks it
would seem that a larger variety of food
could be secured This is the first year Of
the system, however. and the men hope
that by another year the faults Will be
rcmeded"
The discipline Of the camp was excellent
and although there were some breaches
OF orders few of them were serious ScV-
eral severe punishmcnts have been in
fiCtcd on those men who were more flag
rant in their misdcmcanors and the SEN
tcnces were fully deserved. Several of
the companies received an advance Of
money fror Paymaster Capt. c. NJ. Brow
nell and the remainder will be paid us soon
as the rolls have been returned.
Company NJ has sustained Its rcputa-
tion of being the best company in the reSi-
mont and it is safe to say that it is the
best drilled company that has ever left the
burlington armory in the state militia.
Although the ranks were filled with new
recruits they took hold of the work with
will and Capt. Proutv and Lieuts Wood
bury and Taggart deserve credit for tn"
manner in which they have handled the
men. The company has been at tho head
in ever! sanitary inspection and has re-
ceived honors in other ways.