Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-10
CAMPED OUT.
Augustus Soldier Boys Did It,
Saturday Night.
Had An Exciting Sham Battle During
the Day, Sunday.
PiPpo, Company's Mascot, Was In
Much Trouble.

In kahki uniforms, leggings and SER
wee sombreros Co. M, Augustus crack
military company, marched up Water
street, shortly before O'Clock, SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. They marched in fine order
ana many word of praise was said of
them, as they passed by. Among those
/ VINO saw them as they marched We're
many old soldiers and what they said
would not hurt the feelings of the boys,
for 1t was all decidedly complimentary.
The company was returning from its
first taste of camp life, and as it
! marched along in the rain, with blank
cts and tents slung over shoulders and
covered with ponchos, they looked for
all the world like the real thing in the
soldier line.
| The company left Augusta, Saturday
night, in two detachments and marched
out to Manchester Forks, where il
went into camp on field owned by
Nathaniel Weston and in whose honor
the camp was named. Tents were
pitched camp fires lighted and guards
established, just as though the COM
mand was on a march at a time when
war actually existed. 1t was nearly 1
o'clock when the camp was finally es-
| tablished and the men had gone to
sleep.
| 1t was a new experience to the men,
but they all enjoyed it and were glad
of the chance to get the hang of the
thing before being ordered down to
| Portland.
| To many of them, morning came too
soon, but they were out and busy at an
early hour. There was drilling of all
kinds, regular guard mount, as well
as lots of camp cherries" served hot
with brown bread. Not the least of
the trip was the sham battle which was
| had. The company was divided into
| two commands, one in charge of Capt
Drake, the other in charge of First
Serst. Hanscom.
| 1t was in this sham battle that Pippo,
! the company'S mascot, made himself
famous and, also, got into no small
amount of disgrace. Pippo is a dog
and he is owned by Corporal Harry
Mccain. He has an idea that he would
like soldering, so tried it, Sunday, with
the company. He came back to town,
not Disguised with the life of a militia
man, but firmly convinced that dogs
taking part in war maneuvres need
be careful where they squat.
That section of the company des-
ignated as the enemy" linked" itself
to the woods, there to await the COM
ing of the other side. Pippo's master
was with the enemy and so Pippo
went with them. 1t would have made
the finding of the "enemy" much more
difficult, no doubt, had the mascot not
gone. But he did, SO the matter can't
be remedied.
The skirmish line had just been
thrown out and the men begun to APP
proach the woods, using great care
less their advance be discovered, when
there was a commotion among the trees
and remarks in the gruff voices of SOL
diers ordering one Pippo to be quiet,
but Pippo had other ideas on the sub
ject, so he refused to be still.
Unquestionably, anyone would have
agreed with Pippo, had they been in
his predicament.
The mascot had, with that careless
abandon of dogs, thrown himself down
on the ground to await the approach
of the attacking party. In doing this
he neglected to observe that the spot
he was using as a couch was occupied
by a very active colony of wasps. He
found it out very soon and it was this
finding out which caused him to make
known the hiding place of his friends.
But, for all Pippo's troubles slightly
interfered, the battle was voted a
success by all and the boys enjoyed it
very much. When the company had
reached the armory, Sunday night,
Capt. Drake said few words, thank
ing the men for their careful attention
to the duties imposed upon them and
for the success of the drill.