The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-21
TROOP A FIRST
 HOME FROM WAR
Major Ludington Says Miliz- tiamen Should Not Take
 Their Work as Play
REGULAR ARMY RATIONS

New Haven, Aug 21.-First of the Connecticut troops to return from the Massachusetts manoeuvres were Troop A and Battery A, which arrived last night about o'clock at the Union de- pot by special trains from Boston. Or ders to disband the Red army having been given immediately after the bat tie of Hanover, which, according to the claims of the Reds, resulted in their opening the way into Boston. Troop A and Battery A yesterday morning boarded special trains at South Braintree on which they went straight through Boston to New Ha- ven- There was no parade in the Hub and the men did not even leave the train in Boston, though Major Ludington used the stop in that city to have refreshments served to his men on the train
 Major Ludington last night, N when seen by a representative of the Jour na1-Courier, expressed himself in a most enthusiastic manner about the campaign and it's eouca+iona1 value to the men in making them acquaint- ed with real field duty and experi- enced in all the various details and emergencies of a campaign. Troop A, with the Tenth cavalry, Squadron A and the Essex troop, was given the task of circumventing the flank of the enemy and were engaged in the last battle, at Hanover, where they wing of the Blues, which enabled them to attack the enemy from the rear.
 This flank movement on the left wing of the enemy" stated Major Cavalry troops. was beautiful sight, and our surrounding the Blues that way and attacking them in the rear was one of the last and the decisive movements of the final battle which opened the road to Boston,
 When questioned in regard to com plaints heard from some of the men of the Second regiment who were obliged to drop out before the war \game was over and arrived here pre- mature1y, charging indescribab1e hard ships, inhuman treatment, lack of food and preferential treatment of the officers, Major Ludington denied to have any knowledge of such condi- tions.
 we all have been treated we'll" he stated, "oficers and men alike, and all my men are in fine shape, except ing one, who was in poor shape be- fore he started, and according to his own physicians advice should not have gone at all. and he now is no worse than he was when he started As to food, we had the regular army rations, which was what we had to expect. Of course the weather was pretty bad for a day or two, the roads in poor shape in consequence of the storm, and of course the boys had plenty of hard work. But those are things which we would have to be prepared for in case of war at any time and these manoeuvres are plan ned not to give the men a pleasure outing, but primarily to give them ac- tual campaign experience and a taste of what actual field duty in case Of war would be like.
 Soldiers have to put up with hard ships, and men who cannot stand a weeks hard work in the field with a little badS weather thrown in, with out complaining and 1amenting, are not fit to be soldiers, and better not pretend to be, as they would be use less in actual war. Militiamen should not take their work as play, but should consider it what it is. an ~nest training to be prepared in case of emergency to defend their homes and families and country.
 "I have heard no complaints among my men, and we all are in fine shape, and the horses are fine, too. We were transported back in par1or cars and throughout have been kept as well as can be expected in field duty"