Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-17
MILITARY MEN TIRED.
The Week in Camp Kept Them Busle,
Than If They Were at Home

LIE week IN camp Kept Them Busiea
Than If They Were at Home
Somewhat tired ana rather want;ns
IN sleep and rest, with sunburnad
arms and tanned faces, the MEMBER
OF the local military companies, q and
A, arrived home Saturday afternoon
at o:5O from the annual encampmen1
or the Connecticut National Guard
Notwithstanding a week of hard wors
ana or little sleep, the boys were in
good spirits and as they marched
along Hank street and through Elk.
change place to the armory they pre-
sented a fine appearance and many
We're the words of commentator
Wnlch they received from the specta
Iors. With steady tread they
marched IN perfect order They wore
due shirts, the sleeves rolled up So
lnelr arms Were barred to the elbows
KHAKI HOusers and campaign hats
ana carried their knapsacks and havs
ersacks on their backs.
with the departure of the Second
regiment from the camp grounds all
l:5O Saturday afternoon the 1903 ems
canlpnent was ended. AS successful
IN every way and more successful in
some was this years encampment id
comparison with some others. Looks
ing from a military point of view, ii
was one OF the most successful en4
campments ever held. The drills
We're well performed and the cornpan4
les turned out for them in large nums
Ders. There was little Sinking OF
work by the soldiers. especially by
those in the local companies In adj
dition to the drills, the men received
thoOugh practice In the pitching and
breaking OF camp with the shelter
tents. This work was well done. The
men were also instructed how to did
trenches. The boys handled the pick
and shovel In fine style and it is needs
less to say il occasion ever requires
the handling of these very useful i'm.
PIGMENTS the local boys will not have
forgotten how to do 1t.
As TO the discipline of the camp, ii
was rather strict as whole In
some parts, however, 1t was noticeable
for its absence. Only two passes fos
entering and leaving the camp ground
were allowed daily to each company.
Consequently persons who desired ia
leave the grounds had to run thG
guards. With soldiers uniform on
this was very hard to do And ones
out OF the grounds it was very hard
to go around without being captured
by the provost guard or to get back I'd
quarters without being caught by tha
regular guard. As evidence of this
a case may be cited of the arrest OF
"a members, including several mons
commissioned officers, Of Co G.. Dans
bury, at dance at the Spiritualists
camp early in the week. They had
no passes It was a disgrace to tha
Danbury company for such a thing I'd
have happened. But there were some
guards and what they didn't know
about guard duty would fill great
big book. IT some guards were lit
tie more strict and knew their manual
of guard duty better the annual ems
cnmpment would have more resems
blance to military affair.
As to the matter of drinking al
camp, old soldiers state that it is many
years since so little excessive drinking
took place in camp and they never
saw so few drunks. The bringing in
of liquors was not restricted nor Inns
tied and plenty of it was brought in
Yet it was one of the surprises OF tho
camp that there were so few intoxk
Gated soldiers seen during the week
City Sheriff J. w. Mcdonald las been
to every encampmenf for the past 80
years and he has stated that during
that period of time he never saw 50
little drinking. why" said he, Il
have seen the time when beer and Hqs
uors had to be struggled into camp In
barrels OF potatoes and then every man
in the company would get drunk But
now the boys can bring in as much
liquor as they wish and yet there u
less excessive drinking"
1T was a very quiet camp. There
was very little rowdyism or rough.
housing Few tents were knocked
down and there were few blanket
rides The boys instead had then
fun in placing rockies" on bum
guard and guarding the pump, etc.
Not one tent in Co G street was knock
ed down.
From q political standpoint it was
a rather rich affair. Nearly every
politician of note throughout the stata
was present on and Off throughout
the week. This has given rise to stor-
les of an unfayorable nature thai
the annual encampment is just an
opening for a gathering Of politicians,
that the state is paying for the vacaS
tons of the politicians and theD
friends.
viewed from every standpoint the
encampment was a fine success. But
II was common report at the camn
that il would be the last brigade efh
component ever held and next yeas
each regiment would encamp separ
ately. Furthermore it is reported
that one or two regiments will be dis
banded and the number of companies
in the others increased.
1t will he news TO Waterbury peos
pie to know that Captain Jeremiah
Donovan of Co G. Sarsfeid Guards
has resigned. He was very populaI
with his men and his fellow officers
The encampment of 1903 is a thing
of the past. Pleasant memories of u
will linger.