Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
Cuardsmen Are Ready to
Go Into State Camp.
And the Cam , Is Ready For
Best Muster Ever Held.
Maine Regiments Attaining High
State Of Proficiency.

|
3, when the State troops of the Ma
tional Guard of the State of Maine will
arrive by train from all parts of the
State, in this city and proceed at once
in military order to settle camp. The
site OF this camp and all its surround
! ings is pronounced by military experts
as ideal and one of the best in the
| country.
| No one person has worked any hard
er or necessarily to bring about cv-
erything essential to the welfare of the
men in camp and the accomplishment
of most favorable results rs Adjutant
| Genera, A b. Farnham, who has
worked early and late, giving his per-
| sonal supervision to even the minuteSt
detail ana by his faithful devotion to
| the interests of the soldiers he has
won the heart Of every National
Guarlsman in the State.
| The mon now comprising the Ma
| tional Guard are an Intelligent lot and
| we'll realize the seriousness of the mod
en- citiZcn-soldier. They apply part
| of the spare time to study of the man
| ual and take considerable interest in
| reading literature pertaining to sol
dery, OF which many new publications
are now on the market, and by these
| methods are becoming students to the
art OF war they are beginning to I'M
derstand what discipline means and to
recognize authority and to know
where responsibility lies, and like true
citizens are lending every effort to Gre
ate standing of supremacy that
should the occasion arise, will reflect
| back on their grand old State
| While the average American, outside
of military circles, is lulled to sleep
by the apparent conciliatory spirit Of
peace and that no grave fears exist
! for Il serious conflict, the war depart
ment goes on making preparations for
| great defence by increasing the stand
| ing army, the nucleus for the Nation
| al Guard of the country. by increasing
its navy and striving for proficiency in
| every arm of the service To aid the
| department in its work a wise and jul
| diciouS administration at Washington
| has granted an increase of nearly ST.
| 600, $50 for the army and nearly $24,0CO,-
| 0C0 for the navy. All of this is appar-
| cnt to the soldier who studies these
| public movements in the interest of
| sUldicry OF national defence and to him
| they have q deeper meaning than to
| those not Interested, but leave it all
1 to he who is, and now when he en-
| lists and is in attendance at drills and
| instructions he moves in q different
| atmosphere then the enlisted man of
the past, he is taught the new order
of things and does not look forward to
cncampment time as time for rec
rratiOn and adOrnment of plumagc.
gold lace, swell-fitting uniforms and
an opportunity for a jaunty parade,
| but puts on the fighting toys of I'm
Gle Sam and goes for the instruction,
fnr the health-giving exercises and tho
manly training and discipline neces-
sary to maintain the reputation of his
native state.
To those who are apt to misjudge the
intentions of these noble youths who
voluntarily take up this work, and
class them as Tin" and "Would-be, y
glance at an official acknowledge
mcnt Of their sterling worth would
convince them that there was not the
least chance for d suggestion of Tin.
During the mancuvers of the Allan
tic Div ision at Virginia, September
1904, Maine troops formed some Of tho
most important positions in attack and
|
was not unnoliccd by those in com
mand Cot. NcWcomb. commanding the
I'd Regiment. was honored by having
his regiment formed second in line OF
the First Brigade, % Division. with tbs
80 Battalion. list United States Infan-
try 81. his right Then came an order
from the brigade commander to recon-
m"nd d lieutenant of his command tC
next day Col Ncwcomb was honoru(
by order of Gen. Lee to command tho
brigade and throughout the remainder
of the nancuVcrS the I'd Regiment
was evident in all important move
mcnts with honor to themselves anC
their State. AS an example of rigorous
work done by them the following is
clipped from an official order of Brig
adler General Lee. L. S. A., to Col
NeWcomb: "That in an experience 81
nearly 43 years in the service I have
never known troops to endure hard.
ships day and night with better
spirit of true soldierly devotion thar
this regiment" And at the conclusion
of the maneuVers the following let.
ter was received by Col. Newcomb:
Headquarters 1st Brigade. I'd Division
! Provisional Maneuvcr Corps.
Maneuvcr Camp, No ?.
Thoroughfare. Va, Sept. Q, 1904
Col +. f. Newcomb, I'd Maine Infan-
try. Thoroughfare, Va:
Dear Sir-At the conclusion Of tho
mancuvers. which began on the sixth
instant | take the occasion to express
to YOU and through you to the officers
and men of your regiment, my hearty
| appreciation of fhe manner in which
all of you have performed each ant
every duty. assimilating. so far as pos.
siDle, to the condition of warfare
Recognizing that the hardships have
been severe and your men marched
night and day, frequently in advance
sometimes in reserve, and then push
ed rapidly to the front. I have no
heard, during the entire period o.
these maneuvers. a single complaint
from an officer or soldier of the &c
Maine
One thing is worthy of a specia
commendation In no instance ha:
| VI af hoo