Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-19
Maine CuardSmen Com
p|ete Tour Of Duty.
Most Successful In Entire
History Of The Guard.
After Ten Days Of War Soldiers
Are Again at Peace.

Portland, Me, Aug. 1S.-Aftcr being
engaged in mimic warfare for ten days
during which the forts were thcorcti-
cally destroyed and 10th regiments Of
the National Guard several times ami
Inflated, the state troops returned from
thti II camps at the Notifications ycster-
day and the companies went to thci"
respective home stations. The only bad
weather of the tour of duty was on TIL"
last day but the rain held off until
camp was broken and tie tents bum
died. For the past ten days the mon
have been in the service Of the United
States. Friday they received their
money and Friday night fought the last
cngag cement ofthc war.
Their. was (; lot OF work to do yes
trr,lay morning before the Guard could
leave their camps and first call VAS
sounded al S.i5. \ few minutes later
rcvclle woke the tired soldiers from
their sleep and they tumbcd from their
conical tents to begin the work OF de-
nulshiEg the camps. Tho Sky WAS
oN rrcaSt and thor" WAS fine rain but
not enough t. make the work disagree
able Blankets were rolled, breakfast
eaten ana then the tents came down.
At o'clock everything was ready for
the UuartcrmaStri' teams. The bag
gage at the island posts We're hauled 10
the steamboat WharVcS where it WAS
loaded on government steamers and
carried to the city. At the posts on the
Cape wagon transportation was used
From time to tir:c during the morn
ing the companies arrived III the city
and were taken to the trains. co. of
Lewiston. stationed at Fort Mckinney,
was the first to get away and lett l}la-
mond island at o'clock. The "th"r
companies left there at II o'cl"|k, the
Portland companies marching to 1ilr
arlnory The others were carried to the
Union ana Probe street stations in spc-
cial ears.
The cumuanics stationed at the Cap
came over in special cars at noon. Nj
tn" crmpan:.s which arc stationed on
rhc main lire of the Maine Contra
Left On Il special train ut Al in the ar
tcrnoon ana the others left at various
times.
In the opinion of many nf the officers
Of the Guard it was tn" most successful
tour of duty in the history Of the Guard.
Col Collins. Lieut.. Col. Moriarty and Ma
iors Wclch and Peterson Of the First have
EXPRESSED themselves enthusiastically in
regard to the hcm,Gts of sucil Il tour Of
duty.
Col Collins said anon" other things
that the principal element i'll the success
of the mancuVTrS Was the good feeling
which existed between the regulars and
the National Guard. The men looked
aSkanCC N tie mancuVCrS when they
were proposed ana went into camp with
misGivinGs. INT their fears were dispcllcd
and they now look back to the tour OF
duty as one or the very rlcasantcst ex-
pcricnccS in the Guard.
"Thcsc mancuvcrs have shown us the
urgent need of more scarChliEhts to pro-
tcct these Notifications. The ones which
have been used nave been no ways near
sufficient to cove tile bay during the at
tack Mt night on Fort Mckinley by the
fleet. This is the widest reaching ana most
self evident of the effects of the maneu-
vcrs that L have noticed during the ma
ncuvcrS.'
This was the statement made Ey ajor
Phillips last evening at the close of the
night attack just after the vessels of the
enemy" had succeeded in coming within
dangerous proximity to tie batteries of
the fort
81 am sure that the mancuvcrs have
been of the greatest benefit to the mIitil
and have aided us materially in finding
out the effectiveness OF our fol tifications.'
Major Phillips continued. "Thcy have
done a great deal, too, in showing us Just
the strength that We might hope to de-