New Britain herald., 1916-06-27
Conn. Regiments Una ble to Leave on Time Because Transporta- ton is Lacking
First Regiment Band Refuses to Take Oath and Will Be Left Behind Second Regiment Musicians in Same Mood-Tflson Falls Down on Sleep ing Car Supply.

Camp Holcomb, Mantle, June 27.- Lack of coaches for the officers and men kept most of the mobilized Con- necticut National Guard which is des- tined for the Mexican border in camp today with little prospect of the infantry regiments being dispatched before night. A complication in the handling of traffic at the Mantle sta ton came shortly before noon when car in the section for the field hospital and ambulance company, which was making up just east of the station, was derailed and overturned by splitting a switch. The car, which was laden with first aid stores, toppled over, blocking both main tracks for nearly two hours. To the east of the derailed car soon accumulated two score or more of passenger coaches which were filled with Massachusetts troops. In addition to the derailed car the platform of the next car was crushed in.
 At the time of the accident the am bulance company was lined up on the station platform ready to entrain. This command had been at the station since 6 a. m. The first sergeant had just ordered the men to fall in, for the section was being slowly shunted down to the platform. AS the men stood there in line they saw the first freight car topple over. It was nec- essary for the men to begin unloading their supplies and to transfer them to other cars which were shifted up to that point.
 Two Companies Leave
 1o1a tn away during the morning after q long and tedious wait all night The signal corps, which was the first unit on the schedule fo" departure, was marched out of camp at o'clock last night, stayed above the station two hours and then marched to a siding where the men got into some coaches and stayed there all night. This section was fin ally made up and departed west at 8:55 followed a little later by troop B of Hartford.
 The troop loaded it's baggage last night and the men were marched to the station and at 10 o'clock were re- turned to camp with their horses. The field hospital and ambulance com pany was the next on the schedule to be entrained but the railroad ac- cident held it up.
 At noon officers of the First Infan- try felt certain that they would get away late in the day but the Second Infantry officers seemed of the inn pression that they would be in camp another night.
 While the two Connecticut com mands were being dispatched troop trains containing commands from the Second and Eighth Massa achusetts regiments went by the Mantle station.
 Little Activity at Camp.
 On the camp grounds the men who were there had little to do. Towards neon some of the infantry company began to strike their tents again but they did it leisurely.
 There were few orders from general beadquarterS. The most important one was that detailing reserve officers to undertake instruction of recruits who are left behind. Major J. Rich ard North of the Second Infantry will command the depot battalion of five of recruits. The other will be: Lieutenant Gadd of Hartford, Captain Haggerty of the Second Infantry, Captain Bollman.