Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-09-16
OUR BOYS AT MANASSAS
THEIR PART IN THE NATIONAL
ARMY MANOEUvRES.

Y VHni Nv
ARMY MANOEUVRES.
Col. Estey's Report to the Adjutant
General Covering Entire Trip-Ver.
mont Regiment did not Refuse to
Take Part in Review at Wellington.
Footsore and weary from its week of
hard work in the national military
manoeuvres at Manassas the First
regiment, Vermont National guard, ar
rived home Tuesday. The three trains
bearing the Vermont troops passed
through Brattleboro between the hours
of IL and 2 o'clock. Company i came
home not much worse for the wear and
tear of the four days and nights of
marching and counter marching. Al
ter that gruelling double time OF the
hike from Antioch to Thoroughfafe
came an afternoon and evening of rest
before the second days problem began.
This hike was probably the most MEM
orable incident of the first battalion's
tour of duty, and 1t recorded on the
hats of most of the men who partic-
ipated. With the left in front, Cor
poral Clunes squad of l company men
pushed II so hard that the Montpelier
company's right guide was swallowed
up by Brattleboro's sturdy hikers.
The second problem furnished the
Vermont outfit over 20 miles of heavy
marching, and again Company / fin
ished with more men than any other
in the battalion, one company being
entirely wiped out and large numbers
of the others falling by the wayside.
The Brattleboro contingent started
with 40 men and finished with 81, the
three missing coming up before camp
was made.
The regiment probably suffered
more from lack of water than any 9th
er, being farther from the source of
supply pressure being shut off during
part of the day because of excessive
waste.
Food was plain and plenty as evil
denced by the fact that | company did
not draw full issue and has two cases
of corned beef and case and half of
hard tack ON hand. Time to prepare
and eat IL was scarce so that quarter
master sergeants and cooks were kept
on the hustle.
In order to give its readers an eX-
cellent description of the Vermont
regiments part in the manoeuvers the
Reformer publishes below the text of
Col. ]. G. Estey's report to the adju-
tant general.
EI hAlltbbIbs VIZ cNkNs avn
To the Adjutant General,
State of Vermont,
Sir.-I have the honor to report
that in obedience to General Order No.
90 Adjutant Generals office, the First
Infantry of Vermont national guard
was assembled at Brattleboro, Sept,l.
The various companies of the reg
iment arrived very nearly on schedule
time, the railroad service being very
satisfactory; the time required for
Transportation being not over six hours
for the most distant companies. The
total present for duty was 90 officers
and 66g men, or "a per cent Of the
authorized strength. The regiment
was marched to the fair ground where
camp was made by the various COM
were the only formations attempted
on the first day. The second day,
Sept. ?, good progress with company
and battalion drills was made, which
together with guard mount and pa
rade constituted this days program.
on Sept 3, camp was broken at IL a.
M, and at 1880 p. m. the regiment
marched TO the station and was en-
trained in three sections, which de-
parted twenty minutes apart for New
London, where the command was
transferred to the steamer Maine
arriving in Jersey City at a. m sun
day Some delay was caused in dock
ing the boat at Jersey City so that de-
narture from that place was not made
until I1:20 a. m, the command going
in two sections the second section
leaving at 1880.
The trip to Thoroughfare was made
without incident, the first section ar
riving at 80 p. m. and the second
section at 1890. The regiment was
disembarked at Thoroughfare and
marched to its camp site without bag
gage. bivouacking for the night, and
the baggage being unloaded and de-
iivered at the camp at a. m. Mon
day. Under the trying circumstances
the conduct of the command was most
excellent, and the hardships incident
TO the trip were borne without COM
plaint by both officers and men.
The regiment was assigned to the
4th brigade in the End division under
command of Col. f. A. Smith; the
other regiments constituting the brig
ade being: six companies of the sth
u. 5. Infantry: a provisional regiment
of West Virginia infantry; the 2nd
South Carolina infantry, and one bat
TALON of Delaware infantry. No work
on the first day other than the making
of camp was attempted, the nrst real
work of the manoeuvre for this regl-
ment being at l a. m. Tuesday, when
reyeille was sounded, and the COM
mand marched from camp at a. m. 10
occupy line of defence about SIX
miles distant from the camp, which
point was reached just at day break.
The 4th brigade occupied the extreme
left of the Brown line, the Vermont
regiment being at the right of the bri-
gade.
A very strong position was occu-
pied, with our right on Little Bull Run,
and our left at the Scroggin house.
Entertainments were made which were
held during the day. The enemy at
tackled us late in the forenoon with al
most continuous action until 8 p. m.
The conduct of the regiment in TINS
engagement was most Satisfactory
and was favorably commented upon by
the umpires and the regular officers.
special credit being given to part OF
the regiment for the successful ue-
fence of a very hotly contested part OIL
the line. A number of prisoners were
captured by this regiment and espec-
ial mention should be made OF the