The Somerset reporter., 1902-02-27
Veterans and Guards.


shape.
There has always been friendly
spirit manifest between the veterans Of
1861 and the military organizations IN
our town, whether known as State Mil
tia or later as National Guards. These
military organizations have been effect
i've ones and credit to our town since
the formation of the first company with
Capt. Isaac Dyer in command, during
the years Immediately following the
war, and later under the successive com
pany formations and commanding eff
GERS from Dyer in 1867, to Dunlap in
1902.
1t is by no means an easy task to keep
up military organization in town the
| size of Skowhegan, and the officers and
men are entitled to much credit, all the
way through, for the excellence in drill
and discipline that has always characte, =
lied Skowhegan's company. Members
of the company are active young men
who have their work TO do, have not
the leisure to devote to company affairs
that they would like to have and cannot
attain the dress parade features of mil
/ itary organization that men with more
time to devote to the work could, but
they are well up in the essentials, and
take high rank among the companies
making up the State forces.
The gathering on Friday evening was
ON invitation of Co. + to members OF
Russell Post and good number res
ponded to the cordial invitation. An ex.
hibition drill was given by 20 members
of the company in company movement.
the manual of arms and bayonet exer-
cises. The veterans of 1861 were much
pleased with the accuracy of the move
ments and proficiency manifest through
out. The company is made up of sturdy
young men of our town who make a
splendid appearance in their neat and
sensible uniforms in fine order and with
/ their arms and equipments in perfect
condition. The veterans note many
changes in the movements and words OF
command, from those used when they
were in active service at the front in the
most gigantic struggle of modern times
They also note the great Improvement il
the arms, equipments and uniforms a;
compared with those of 40 years ago
The exhibition drill was certainly ex
eellent and very creditable to Capt. Dur.
lap and his compact and soldierly little
company.
One of the amusing features of the
event was the drilling OF a squad of vol
unteer veterans, under the Casey tactic,
in vogue during the later years of the
war, by Gen. Isaac Dyer. The genera
had some experience in the State Militis
in which other tactics than Casey's were
in use and he could not always remem
/ Der what the order should be to cause
his command to make the desired move.
ment, and it would not be strange il
some of the men themselves should for
get some of the details OF lesson they
had learned in the early sixties. In anv
eVert Gen. Dyer's squad of veterans
with modern guns in their hands, created
amusement among those who witnessed
the evolutions.
At the close of the drill the Guards
spread their tables and loaded them
with sandwiches, cake and coffee. The
veterans and the soldiers of today united
cordially in their attack upon these re-
tions. They required no second com
mand from Captain Dunlap to make the
advance movement. Then the pipe:
aud cigars were brought around and briei
remarks were made in response to the
call Of Capt Dunlap. First Lieut.. Col
York, SO years soldier in the State
service, spoke about the Maine Military
organization, and Co. f, past and pres
ent Lieut.. Nay Varney entertained the
company with a few remarks and a CON.
ic song, and, after repeated calls with s
Jig solo. Among II e veterans who hon
ored the call of the commanding oiiicel
were, Comrades Dyer, Stafford, Smith
Jones and Merrill, and the pleasant gath
ering OF soldiers of 1861 and 1902 "brok,
ranks" we'll pleased with the evening,
exercises and soeiability.