Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-08-17
BRATTLEB0R0 LOCAL NEWS
BACK FROM MOUNT eRETNA.
Vermont Regiment Returned Monday
After Weeks Association with Regu-
Iars-petall Of the Work In Camp.


After spending a week i'm camp with
regular army regiments at Mt. Gretna,
Pa, the First Infantry, Vermont National
Guard, returned to Vermont Monday. 1t
was transported from Albany, N. Y, in
two sections over the Boston & Maine
railroad, one section going by way OF
Bennington and the other by way of
Bratteboro. The section carrying Com
pany l of Brattleboro and the First Reg
iment band. which is the regimental
band, also Company e of Bellows Falls,
Company L of Newport, Company ID of
St Johnsbury and Company of Brad
ford, arrived I'm Brattleboro about 230
o'clock, following the northbound White
Mountain train The boys were received
with cheers by the people who had as
sembled at the railroad station to meet
them.
Company l, Capt. e. w. Gibson COM
manding, and the band marched up Main
street to the town hall building. and the
company marched thence to it's headquar-
tiers in Bank building. It's precision in
marching was noticeable and reflected one
of the benefits gained by association with
the regulars. All the members of the
company were present, none having been
incapacitated by Illness. In fact there
was no serious Illness among the members
of Company I during its absence.
The regiment left Mt. Gretna Sunday
morning, the first section at o'clock
and the second section at 100, and was
transported over the Pennsylvania rail-
road to Jersey City. The baggage car of
the first section was left on the way for
the second section to pick up, on account
of a broken journal, thus delaying the
second section two hours At Jersey City
the regiment was transferred to the AL
bany boat and sailed up the Hudson at
o'clock. The arrival at Albany was at
x Monday rtt
was at s o'clock.
The camp was situated on a series OF
hills which have been used a long time
as a state camp ground. The weather
was very hot, but the greatest discomfort
for the soldiers was the poor water. All
the water used had to be boiled, an anal
ysis having shown that 1t was contami-
mated. Capt Gibson says Company
never responded to roll calls better or
quicker than during this camp. The work,
he says, was not as hard as that at Ma
nassas, but 1t was much more instructive.
The boys say they never attended a mus
ter which gave them so much satisfac elton.
The band was the pride OF the regiment.
Its work was gilt-edged and was admired
not only by the Vermont boys but by
everybody in camp. On one occasion Col.
]. Gray Estey called the commissioned Of
ficers of the regiment together and an
nounced that 1t was his intention to re-
mously requested him not to do so. and
since then Col. Estey has intimated that
he will not resign at present.
The work Of the camp consisted of
practical instruction which would equip
a militiaman for service in time OF actual
war. The companies formed at 6.30 a.
m. when two squads and a sergeant of
each militia company were exchanged for
two squads and sergeant of each COM
pany of regulars. This resulted in one
half of each company being militiamen
and one-half regular army men. The
regiments then marched to the drill
grounds about four miles distant, return
ing in time for dinner. The first two days
were employed In company, battalion
regimental and brigade extended order.
the troops being carefully drilled In MAX
ing the normal attack in battle formation.
The afternoons were devoted to practical
instruction in throwing up intrenchments
and building .vascines and proflles for
field work. Company I had for an in
structor Lieutenant OF Engineers Grant,
grandson of Gen. u. S. Grant
Thursday was spent in posting and re-
lieving outposts. Friday was taken up
with a sham battle between the brown
army and the blue army. the plan being
for the brown army to protect a wagon
train on its return from a foraging ex-
petition and for the blue army to capture
the train. No decision on the result was
announced. The regiment had a 14-mile
march that day, two miles in battle for
nation. The battle was called of at 2
o'clock. On Saturday the regiment broke
camp and was succeeded by regiment
| from Connecticut.
The evenings were devoted to lectures
| by army men. Gen. Frederick d. Grant
presiding. These were of great value,
| commanding the services of some of the
| best officers in the army.