Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-02
EDITORS TABLE.
Continued From Page s'lX)

Blaine laughed as he quietly assured
the governor that he was too sanGuinc.
IF You had come from Il place as near
the border rs did. you would not en-
phnSiZc short order, not much! My lnlnd
| is fully prepared for Il long siege.
| AS God Wills" said the governor,
rising Now let MS go down and IN
,troducc Colonel Howard to the boys.
I was sure that Mr.. Washburn felt
satisfied with my election. His first
three years regimcnt-a thousand
strong made mp Of his friends and
,ncighbors. was to be commanded ny
one who had received Il military educa-
ttiOn, and who had at least some army
experience.
slender of build. and at the time pal"
land thin, did not seem to those VINO
casually met me to have the necessary
ItoughncsS but for reasons of his own,
lpcrhaps owing 10 his ncarsiehtednts IS,
Nasbburn gave Inc immediate conf
.dence.
We three left the governors room.
descended the broad steps to the east
icrossed state street, and proceeded
Ialong Il gravel path to about the center
lof Il grove like park. This was pup
lie lot which extended along the street
for some distance and then east toward
1.-The kcnnebec an eighth of a 1nlle "A
lpor;ion of that beautiful enclosure was
devoted to my regiment. In TACT, IL
laIrcady had Possession. The CHOICEST
of everything belonged to the men at
THAT time They had new clothes Ia
gray uniformly new guns, new tents,
Incw culiiplnentS, and new flags, ana
lwcrc as | saw, cncamped anna Deaut'-
lful shrubbery. sWCet-sccntcd floWerS'
land blossoming trees. But one glance
showed me that tie camp itself vas IN
disorder. a thousand recruits were
There under captains and llclltcnanlS
| who themselves we're new to tn buSi-
mess: here and there older mon, women
land children were mingled in groups
with tn. soldiers. Parents had come to
isac their sons before they set cut Tor
1.-The war Young wives end sW"ethearts
twcrc there; but Notwithstanding the
nervousness of the occasion, there was
juorc Gala excite ment than solcmnity.
MANY soldiers werr even jubilHnt; some
HAD been drinking and some We're
swearing.
"rI. uyhaW. father, Don't be gloomy;
lI .haut be gone more'n two months.
| ..Conlr. mother, don't be alarmed;
this; viii Will be a short trip
"1l;rr:ih. hurrah, Down with the
Isaucv ours, Wen make short work of
this business: only lets be off;
such scraps Of conversation caught
orr ears as we PASSED near the groups.
Al me place a scene more pathetic re-
minded me OF homo. a wife with n
child in hcI. arms stood by Il man in
trnw uniform and was shedding tears
5 I>yhiln irving to hear her husband s
kindly directions and hopeful predlc-
tiorS.
: Quickly tho people gathered near the
stout governor; hut lie was too snort
of stature to Scc more than those near
: at hand. 50 noticing something elevated
: (an overturned half-hoGshoaO upon
(which he could stand, Washburn
steppcd on it and began speaking in
his CHEEKY way.
. some soldiers in loud voice cried
"Checrs for our governor! large
humber responded in strong, manly
, tones.
= "Thank YOU. thank you, boys: have
/ brought YOU somebody YOU Will Ike to
soc. Come up here, Colonel Howard.
lThis i; Your new colonel
All eyes turned steadily towards me
y, as soon as 1 had mounted the rostrum
Land was standing beside the governor
Tint the cheers called for We're nOticca-
, IDLY faint. How young, how slender the
inc\v colonel appeared; hardly the man
| | to be placed over strong. hardy fellows
, Iwhosc frames wore ALREADY Well knit
land tcUchcncd by work. In spite OF
, lthcir vote two days before, a reaction
tr.,1 ~ ny-ilnnfIV NOT amt q
1.-THE welcome thing for these FIRE" spirits
! 10 he mt under anticipated West Point
;, ldisciplinc Some OF the captains who
+ II1ad been to sec mo at the Augusta
, House the night before were already
I somewhat disaffected They said: I'M
, Idcr Tucker, the other candidat" for col
lionel, we could have had a good time,
=, hut this solemn Howard will keep us nj
, larrl's length Elaine continued t"
: Ibcfriend me. He told them that they
, lwould need mon like me if ever called
: Ito fight In time. | assure you, you Ii
: inot be sorry that you chose him.
b I attempted an address, but had
! lspolrn only Il few words when re-
/ n,arllai,le silence h1lShcd the catirc as
] lscmblagC; Il now idea appeared I" nave
t entered their minds and become prom
: |
(, ton for war, and not Il few months OF
j., HOLIDAY entertainment, and hurrlh h"ES
G. to friahtcn and di.5burse Il southern
rabDlc by buster; after which 10 ENJOY
!, q quick return to our homes
: Good men and women were &lad Tor
This evident change of front, ana MUIR
Injured around ME. God bless the
lyoung man and give him health ana
, lStrcnEth."
INTO the task Of moulding this reGi-
ment into the splendid fighting or
= | caniZation that it was destined to be-
come Colonel Howard threw himself
= with tirelcas energy. Soon the rogi-
mem, was ordered to the front. The
, touching scenes that accompanied its
, departure arc wildly stated by Cen
| cral Howard. He says:
7 The morning of June 9Th was bcauti-
full. The sun sfonc from n cloudles4
| sky: the fruit trees and the luxurious
| hlac5 were in full bloom; the NAPLES
| in every uart Of Augusta were thick