Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-24
Soldiers of Second Maine
Assigned to Special Duty--
Called to Relieve Regulars
Deachmens of Maine Boys Who Are Fast Developing into
Trained Fighters Distributed Different Posts along Border
General Health Of Camp Improving and Boys Becoming
Accimated

WIFI ina Maine IN
fantry Laredo, Texas. July 15.-By the
time you receive this letter a month
will have rolled by since we answered
the call Of the President to prepare for
service on the border and 10 days aft
er the call we were on our way, fully
equipped even to ammunition, AID
fairly well prepared to cross the bor-
der If necessary. All this has trans pir-
ed so rapidly that the full realizatlon
of the move had not dawned upon us
until we were here and established in
camp and it is hard to realize that we
are so far away from home and in al
together strange but interesting coun-
try. The result Of our being mere 50
soon and so we'll prepared, speaks vol
umes for the men who have Thought
this affair over and planned for just
such an emergency.
You are bound to hear of some dis
sention and dissatisfaction among such
a body Of raw, unframed and undisci-
plined men that go to make up a vol
unteer army, but past history is full.
of worse cases than anything that has
occurred this time. While some &C
knowledge conditions might have been
worse. they claim public opinion
ought to bring about improvements,
but at its best a soldiers life is not a
picnic and ought not to be considered
so.
While I am writing this letter fierce
| sand storm is raging and one can not
see an object % feet from the tent, SO
please overlook the sand you find on
these sheets of paper enclosed
l received a letter from one Of Angus
ta's prominent business ladies the other
day and it was gem and it did whole
lot of good. 1 thought SO much of it
that l passed IL around to the boys and
they all agreed that is was some letter
and that kind of woman ought to have
the blessing of every mother who has a
| son.
1t is fine to see the way the boys turn
| out to Divine worship down here on Sun
days, the different churches getting a
share Of the soldiers at services and
| those who do not go to the churches gath
er around the chaplain, who, by the way,
| is every inch man and is beloved by ev-
erybody in the regiment.
| 1t doesn't seem that a civilian could be
so suddenly transformed into a soldier.
but some awful big changes have taken
place since we left the dear old homes to
| come down here and subsist on army ra-
tons when we would kick at home if
| things were not cooked Just so and served
on time. and have to sleep on hard ground
| after enjoying comforts of a nice soft
mattress and clean white sheets. I guess
we are rapidly becoming used to a sol
diers life and as for myself l rather en-.
JOY It, although I have not experienced
great amount. l intend to adapt my
self to the situation and learn all l can.
| The unusual cry down here is When
is Pay Day." and the boys all have
resurrected that ancient ditty and
singing it with a vengeance, entitled,
Il am broke, broke. absolutely broke. y
The heat continues down here and
often the mercury rises to 122. l see
by some letters in the paper that the
evenings are cool / can't say that they
are cool although not quite so hot as
the daytime. They are nothing like the
evenings in Maine. You should see the
sunsets here; it would do your heart
good: the most beautiful thing | have
ever seen.
The general health Of the camp is
improving and with the coming Of the
orders to prepare to move it has re-
vived the dropping spirits of some OF
the boys who would welcome most
anything from a long hike to a SCRAP
with the Greasers. rather than the
dull monotony of camp life. Lieut.
Owen seems fully recovered from his
illness and is on his feet again, ready
to go the limit. The boys all swear
by Lieut.. Owen because he has been
untiring in his efforts for their COM
fort, not only since he has been here
but all the way down on the trip he
was continually trying to do some lit
tie thing for the boys and they de-
clare they will not forget it.
Company NJ has been drawn on for
Is men to help make up Supply and
Headquarters companies and supply
different companies who We're shy or
complement. John Stevens has been
selected as Farrier in the Headquar-
tiers Co. and Elmer Davies as Musi-
clan in the Supply Co. Henry
Starks, Norman MacCrillis, Edward A
Dugan and Corporal Richardson arc
among Co. NJ boys transferred Frank
$192.52; F. E. WEIGH &, Sons. $3.50;