Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-27
Words OF PRAISE
FOR % Me-, BOYS
FROM HIGH OFFICERS

He was a well-known officer of the
I'd Maine Infantry, chatting casually
with chance acquaintance at the sta
ton. while awaiting the arrival of a
train and not talking for publication,
but what he said was well worth hear
ing and so we pass part of it along to
you.
YES, 1t is a great relief to be able to
go home, yet the experience to both
men and officers down in Texas has
been great. know of boys, green and
immature when they went away, now
grown and trained into men. all in a
short four months. Then all the regi-
ment have improved physically. We
landed at Laredo from the cool June
days of Maine and found 95-above
climate, which soon went to us. The
drills and hikes and the care taken of
the men soon fitted them to a degree
that no other regiment was even con-
sidered when one was wanted to re-
place a regiment of regulars ON border
patrol duty.
1.-THE way the boys hardened their
muscles until they thought no more of
a 10 or 20 mile hike than an after
supper stroll was an eye-opener to some
of the other Guardsmen around Laredo.
Say. the only word of anything like
censure given the I'd Maine while in
Texas arose from something like this:
One of the battalions was 60 miles
away and was ordered to Laredo. The
march could have been made, the Of
ficers were satisfied, in two days and
was actually made without discomfort
to the men, in three days. The COM
manding officer was later informed by
the division commander that it was not
exactly according to Hoyle-such
marching, when it was not really ne
cessary.
"All hands stood the heat well, as
soon as acclimated. Sunstroke in that
country is unknown among the &C
climated. The heat is intense but the
air is dry. The evenings and nights
are cool and refreshing after the heat
of the day. I remember many a night
when 1 found it necessary to pull up
an other thickness Of blanket.
1--WE were remarkably free from sick
ness. OF course we had some surgical
cases and several severe accidents. but
we did not lose man from disease.
In fact, we lost no one except through
carelessnes or disobedience of orders.
That was the fault of the victims
themselves.
Il thought surely we would lose a
number Of men on the return to Maine
especially after running into the severe
weather of the Saturday of our arrival
and the following Tuesday night, but
we only had one threatened case of
pneumonia and that soon convalesced
That speaks volumes for the fine physi
cal condition of the boys.
1.-THE people of Laredo seemed to
think a great deal of the Maine boys.
and SO did every one we met. The
New Hampshire men were fine set of
fellows and did finely-but some of the
other troops didn't have the reputation
they should have had. The Maine boys
as a rule We're the finest and cleaneSt
set of young men I ever saw together
and I know they cannot be beaten by
any troops in the service. No wonder
the Texas people liked them. They al
ways behaved in town and paid for
everything they got. either on the spot
or when they received their pay
their credit was always good.
"All hands are glad to return home,
yet 1 think pretty good per cent. Of
the men would not object to a little
longer stay in Texas. as the best sea-
son Of the year for that place was just
coming on when, we left. For a while
it will be simply beautiful there. but
There's no place like home and we're
all glad to be here. One thing Is sure.
the boys went to the border In splen-
did condition. fully equipped and well
trained for National Guardsmen. fact
which the regular army officers recog-
nized by at once placing us on duty
which regulars: had been performing.
gained and held the respect Of the reg
ulars and the townspeople and came
home in better physical condition and
with practically full ranks. What bet
ter can be asked or expected from
regiment? Here's my train, goodby."