Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-08-17
WHAT THE BOYS DID AT aRETNA.
Work of the Companies at the Camp
Rumored Resignation of Col Estey.

Rum0reu Resignation OF Coi. bstoy'
The muster at Mt Gretna, Pa, from
which Company / and the First Regi-
mcnt band returned Monday, was in
the general opinion Of all army officers
the most successful ever held. The
work was not as hard as that a year
ago at Manassas, but was much more
instructive. Every evening lectures
were heard from the most prominent
military men Of the country. Gen.
Frederick ID. Grant presided over the
evening lectures. The idea was to in
struct the militiaman for service in ac-
tual war. The health of the soldiers
on the whole was excellent Not
single man from this town was on the
sick list while away. While at the
muster Col Estey called all the COM
missioned officers to his tent and an
nounced his intention of resigning in
the near future. At the unanimous re-
quest of those present he promised to
consider the matter before giving his
final decision thereon. The First Reg
iment band, which accompanied the
soldiers from this state, won many IA
vorable comments both on its neat ap-
pearance and its excellent musical abil-
| ity.
Company | arrived home at 2.30
o clock Monday afternoon, disembark-
ed from the train and, headed by the
band, marched up Main street. The
boys presented good appearance on
their return. Clothes were trifie soil
ed to be sure and shoes in need of pol
ish but taken as whole the company
looked as if it had enjoyed itself. The
boys express themselves as delighted
with the trip.
After the tedious journey down all
the men were heartily glad to disem-
bark from the stuffy trains and take
to the open country. On the first morn
ing of their arrival they were called
up at ESQ and two squads and two ser,
qeants of militiamen were exchanged
for two squads and two sergeants OF
regulars so that the makeup of the
regiment consisted of half regulars and
half militiamen. The first day the boys
marched to the drill grounds about
four miles distant from the camp. They
were formed in company, battalion,
regimenta and extended order, each
troop being carefully instructed IN the
work of making a normal attack, that
is, in regular battle formation. The
return to camp was made In time for
dinner The afternoon was devoted to
throwing up intrenchments, and build
ing fascines and profiles for field work
under the instruction of Lieutenant
Grant of the engineers. Until Thurs
day the soldiers followed the same
rontine of work as the first day, re-
eeiying instruction from various OH
GERS competent to instruct in their
lines Of work.
Thursday was spent in placing and
relieving outposts. Friday came the
sham battle between the brown army
and the blue. The plan was for the
brown army to protect wagon tram
on a foraging expedition into the en-,
emy's country The blue army at
tackled the wagon train During the
battle the armies each marched about
IA miles. Two miles were marched in
formation ready to attack. The route
led through woods and fields and
across brooks and streams.
At 2 O'Clock both armies were re-
called and the contest declared a draw.
Camp was broken Sunday morning at
7 o clock. The Vermont men left IN
two sections, the first at O'Clock and
the second at 1880. The return was made
bv the same route as the journey to
the camp: From Mt Gretna to Jer-
sew City, thence by boat to Albany,
and from there by rail to the various
stopping places of the companies. On
the train which brought Company l
and the band to Brattleboro were Com
pany E of Bellows Falls, Company l.
of Newport, Company D of st. Johns
bury and Company 6 of Bradford. me
other companies returned by way Oh
Bennington.