The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-09-14
BOYS HOME
HALF DEAD
Return of Company K Last
Evening,
OUT AND ALL SICK
Say Col. Estey Saved Their Lives
by Refusing to Let Them
March 10 the Review
OUT AND ALL SICK

company *, tired out and consider
ably disgusted with the portion of
army life which they had witnessed,
arrived home at 8 30 Tuesday evening.
At the station nearly 400 people we're
waiting for them.
The entire company with the excep-
tion of Charles Larin, who got lost in
Jersey City, marched from the station
TO the Armory. CaptGraves had come
on an earlier train but joined his com
pany at the depot. The regiment ar
rived in Brattleboro about noon and
Co K left Rutland at els.
Members of the company have much
to say about the life which they have
been living since their departure from
here.
One of the principal causes for fault
finding seems to be the issuing of army
shoes after their arrival in Brattle-
boro Being unaccustomed to this
footwear and no chance to break the
shoes in, the entire company suffered
badly from swollen and bistered feet.
After a long march they would re.
move their shoes aud bathe their feet.
Upon attempting to replace the shoes
it was nearly impossible owing to the
swollen condition Of the feet.
The sham sighting lasted four days
beginning Tuesday and was divided
into two battles. The Vermont regi-
mentmade a good appearance through
out and gained the reputation of being
the fastest walkers.
All OF Company X are indignant
about the reports published in the
state papers that the Vermonters re-
fused to march to the final inspection.
They were not in condition to appear
at inspection after the hard work of
the previous days but they did not re.
fuse
Col Estey, after inquiring as to the
condition of each company, command
ed them to remain where they were in
stead of marching the eight miles to
review
Most of the company had no idea of
what they would be compelled to go
through and consequently we're not
prepared. Ifanyone expected an easy
time or vacation at the expense Of
the government he was sorely disap-
pointed,
Tuesday evening when they arrived
no one was i'll but several had been
while in Virginia. The cause of some
of the illness was the water. 1t rained
little and the days were very hot while
the nights were cool. The ground over
which most of the marches were made |
was as hard as pavement and the |
of sore feet was prevalent in
all the regiments.
In an interview Capt Russell C. |
Graves stated that he was much pleas
ed with the work of the company and |
that they made one OF the best show
lngs OF any company In the maneuS-
ers. He said that the men had har-
der time than any of them expected
and that often they were on the march
when their feet were in so bad a condit-
ion that they should have kept off of
them entirely.
Charles Larin had not been heard
from Wednesday afternoon.
The men marched at all times of day
and night. One day they went to bed
at $50 and were awakened at IL for a
tramp. Several horses dropped dead
during the four days maneuvers and
it often seemed to the men as if they
we're compelled to march until horse
died that they might obtain a few min
ltes' rest,
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