The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-08-31
4- -s. -
RECRUITS BACK
TO STATE CAMP
Order from War Depart
ment Awaited Them in
BrattlebOrO
STRIKE PROSPECT
MAY BE REASON
Troops Much Disappointed Not to Be
Able to Proceed to Eagle Pass =
Crowd of 500 Met Them at Railroad
Station = Gov. Gates There.

| WV. GdL6S 1UeIG,
heen disappointment came to the re-
erults OF the lst Infantry, Vermont Ma
'lonal tfuard, last night for the sec
ond time IN being ordered back to
the state camp ground near Fort
Ethan Allen after having reached Brat
| .teDofo on their way to join the main
Dody OF the regiment at Eagle Pass
Texas Tn the train were about 25 re-
| cfults OF Company | of Brattlehoro. who
had anticipated pleasant greetings from
| friends and relatives at the station. to
pe followed by resumption of the Jour
ney to Eagle Pass. The greetings they
| received IN full measure, but the pleasure
was mingled with regret that they must
go back TO camp, where they had spent
several weary weeks Until the train ar
rived here no person on board had re-
ceiVed any lntimation that they would NOT
continue to the Mexican border.
No reason could be learned for tbe no.
rtutn order, but it was assumed hy Gov
hafles ". Gates, who happened to he
m town. and by Adjutant General Lee s
/ iiilotson of st. Adams. who was ON tho
tram, and Others that it was because the
threatened countrywide railroad st,;Lo
might 90 into effect before the train
reached Eagle Pass and tie up the train
on the way 1t was thought possible also
| that IN case of a strike the government
| ihlsht wish to have troops at some points
other than Texas as they might be need-
cd TO guard property.
| 1t was after II O'Clock when the troop
tram arrived, and at the station were 300
or more friends and relatives Of the
etafdsmen Information had been re-
eeiYed late IN the afternoon that the train
would not leave Windsor until about 9 80
CLOCK, 50 many were spared a long and
weary want at the station as the first re-
port was that the train would come be-
| tween and O'Clock Those at the sta
tlon were laden with packages of food.
tobacco and other remembrances. which
were put on board
shortly before time for the train to ar
rive rumor started that orders had been
received 10 send the boys back to camn.
ana within lew minutes everybody at
| Inc station knew that such an order had
/ been received, In their eagerness to he
iifst to convey the news to the soldiers
| several shouted the fact to those on the
car steps and at the windows before the
train stopped
Inc hist officer to be seen who was gen.
orally known was Capt +. W. Gibson of
company |, who was on car step and was
one OF the first to alight. He was imme
dlately surrounded and piled with ouas-
! tons as to what would be done. before he
had had opportunity to learn ANYTHING
about the situation, and naturally could
give no information
! 1t was soon learned that E. J. Guthrie
OF New London. superintendent of the
New London division of the Central yer
mont railway, who was in town. had an
order from railroad officials to send the
train back to the state camp.
Inc mliltary officials had received no or.
der, and as they were taking their orders
from the military authorities instead of
the railroad authorities the situation for
time seemed to be very unsettled.
before long Governor Gates, Gen Til
Iotson, j. Gray Estey, former colonel of
the regiment, Captain Gibson and Capt. ]
b. Hyiand OF the Rutland company were
IN conference in the car in which Gen
| Ihiotson was in bed Following the CON
ference Governor Gates and Gen. Tillot
son went to the telegraph Office in the
new union station TO verify the order
/ hle they were there another despatch
came signed Simpson who is the adm
tant general of the Department of the
East, at Governors Island, n Y. 1t was
to the Boston Maine railroad at Rotter
dam Junction, n Y, and ordered that
the troops be returned to the state camp
fIhe message had been relayed to Brattle-
boro as it was learned that the train had
mot passed here. 1t instructed the rail
road to show the despatch to the COM
manding officer as his authority for re-
turning the troops
Still Gen. Tillotson was not satisfied.
so he called the adiutant generals office
at Governors Island by telephone and
learned that the order was authentic. He
did not learn, however, the reason back
of it.
Some more time was consumed over the
lquestlon OF transportation, and shortly
before 1.45 O'Clock this morning the train
) pulled out of the station on the return
Journey.
During the interval the new regimental
band gave a concert on the station plat
form. They may have had a special in
terest in showing the Brattleboro people
what they could do in the way of substi.
tuting for the First Regiment band OF
Brattleboro, but in any case they showed
themselves to be competent organization
having first class instruments, and the
music was much enjoyed and applauded.