Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-08
Boys in Olive Drab Swing Into Camp
Life With Military Precision.
OFFICERS WELL SATISFIED,
Captain Johnson, 9th U. 5. Infantry, an Able IN,
StruCtor.-His Record Today's Hike.

worthy head of a first class regiment,
whose good judgment is source OF
favorable comment among the officers
and men of the entire command.
Everything at the camp is moving
along with a military precision, and
yesterday, the first full day in camp
was made the most of and taken up
with company ana battalion drills.
while at odd times the Individual MEM
bers of the companies could be found
busy policing quarters, helping in the
| mess halls. cleaning guns. rolling tents
and in fact doing any of the 101 things
that ~ soldier is supposed 20 do at times
during a week in camp
The boys have been in camp now
since Saturday evening and word
might be said of the condition of the
quarters. The tents are kept in the
best of condition, as far rs cleanliness
| is concerned and after the mess call,
early in the morning one could find the
boys brushing up around quarters,
picking up small pieces of paper and
other rubbish thoughtlessly thrown
DOWN by the visitors in camp during
the day. If those who visit camp
would stop to think that whatever they
throw away in the company streets,
someone has to pick up, it probably
would greatly help out the boys, some
of whom seem tired enough already
without bending their backs to pick up
refuse.
The regiment have up to Sunday eve
ming enjoyed little aside from what was
unavoidably necessary in the line of
work, but late Sunday evening things
began to take on a real right down
business aspect ana the guards re-
oeivcd orders to allow no one to cross
the guard lines. going outward from
the camp. Now the men on guard are
not old timers and could hardly be ex-
pected to be A 1 in military etiquet
taking into consideration Sunday was
probably their first time Oh the guard
lines but it was really aInmusing the
way that some men triei to carry out
the orders. On the guard line in front
of the band quarters was a rookie"
and spying someone starting over the
lines he yells out who goes there?"
We'll that part was .. *. but he in
sisted that the man wishing to cross
the lines. go to post No. /. a distance
of the length of the camp and refused
to call the corporal of the guard. An
officer of the guard happened aroun |
about that time and had he not, there
is no telling how the affair might have
ended for the gent that wished to get
out of camp was just getting his ire up
to the concert pitch.
Another amusing scene was that OF
two young ladies who had come to camp
to visit their brother and staying a
little later in the evening than they had
intended. the rain began to fall and
after waiting while to see what pros
poets there was of it's letting up they
started for home with a rubber poncho
over their fragile figures. The guard
halted them and they had a wait of
some 10 minutes before the corporal of
the guard came along and let them make
the lines. 1t is needless to try to tell
what happened as the young ladies' were
standing in the rain. and their brother
was what might be designated as more
than rilled.
The boys secured their first real taste
of camp life and some of its drawbacks