The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-06-27
VERMONT TROOPS
LEFT TO-DAY FOR
EAGLE PASS
Infantry Regiment Now on Way to
Mexican Border
CAVALRY TO GO WHEN EQUIPPED
Guardsmen Must Travel in Ordinary
Coaches as No Other Cars Are
Available.

Burlington, June 27.-The Vermont
national guard, about 900 strong, Is
today on its way to Eagle Pass, Tex.
The order for the troops to entrain was
received at midnight but there was
delay owing to the inability of the
transportation companies to provide
the necessary cars at an earlier hour.
When it became known yesterday
morning that the regiment was under
orders to leave for the Mexican border
Burlington planned to give the soldiers
a royal send-oif and at 4.90 o'clock this
afternoon, headed by the Sherman
band, 100 automobiles, decorded with
the Stars and Stripes, as many teams,
motorcycles, bicycles and hundreds of
persons on foot, nearly everybody and
every equipage adorned with red, white
and blue, paraded up Church and Pearl
streets to Winooski and thence to the
camp ground.
The crowd that came to say good
bye did not all come from Burlington.
Many came from Rutland, st. Adams,
Montpelier, Barre, Mortified and 9th
er places to wish God speed to the
men who have responded to their coun-
try's call.
Adit. Gen. Tillotson had planned to
send the men on their southern jour
ney in tourist cars that they might
sleep as they sleep at home but in
this he was disappointed as the best
transportation equipment that can be
| provided will be ordinary railroad
coaches.
The Massachusetts and New Hamp-
| shire regiments will have no better
equipment and the Vermonters are not
complaining.
/ The train travels in four sections.
! The first carries the heavy baggage
and includes wagons loaded on fiat cars
one large automobile truck and the
| horses The remaining sections con-
vey the troops, their personal baggage
and the rations.
The regiment is equipped with five
day rations. This is significant as
meaning that the regiment will be on
the way five days before reaching its
destination. At Binghamton, n. Y.
shoes and socks will be taken aboard
the train. These are being sent by eX-
press from some point to intercept the
train at this point.
The route will be to Brattleboro.
East Northfield, Mass, Mechanicville,
Binghamton. n. Y, Chicago, Kansas
City, San Antonio and Eagle Pass,
Tex. At the destination the Vermont
/ lsfrff I.,sr 10,
regiments and it is hoped with regi--
ments from other eastern states. The
adjutant general, the quarteImaster's
corps, composed of Major Watson.
Captain Walter l.. Eastman and Cap
tain l.. A. Hall, and the inspector gen.
eral, Major l.. Z. Taylor will not ac-
company the regiment They may be
called to the front later.
The companies leave about 20
strong. There will be a number Of
men left behind owing to lack OF equip
ment but as soon as they are supplied
they will be hurried to the southern
: destination.
\ small detail of infantry and the
cavalry will also remain and enlisting
, | will continue. AS soon as the cavalry,
, | known MS the Norwich cadets, is
brought up'to required numbers it
| will be hurried southwark. Fifteen
of the cadets failed to take the oath
. owing to their age and the reluctance
of parents to give consent. President
> Wilson's order for the mobilization of
state troops was issued under the old
law governing the national guards but
the oath taken was under the new
law which calls for six years service
three years of active service and three
s in the reserve line.
Vermonters have reason for feeling
=. proud of the regiment that is soon tc
be on its way to the Rio Grande. Few
y have been dropped out by medical in
h. spection, not over three per cent. II
1898 when Vermont troops mobilizet
"A at Fort Ethan Allen, preparatory {,
n their departure for Chickamauga. full,
le 20 per cent failed to pass the physica
AZ demands Col Ira l.. Reeves is elate,
n over this condition.
m President John NJ. Thomas of Mic
m dlebury college came to the regimen
,e today as chaplain. He took the oat
q. yesterday and today appeared In hi
~, llogimentals.
nt A crowd of 10000 persons were o
&c the grounds at o'clock yesterday a
M ternoon and all the equipment of th
m Burlington electric road was turne
NO into use to transport people to III
is. groundc.