The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-05
REEVES PROUD OF REGIMENT
Vermonters Popular-Food Ample and
Sanitation of Best.


publishes the following letter from
Col Ira L. Reeves:
You might like to print a word
about the regiment. There is appar-
emily more or less of censorship or
III least for those that are conscien.
ious, so what | may write you are at
liberty to use in any way yon see lit,
as | will attempt not to violate either
spirit or the letter of the censorship
instructions.
| have read with interest the COM
implications of officers and men to
various newspapers in the state, and
we are all very glad to know that the
home folks are being kept we'll adj
vised. All of the letters have con-
tanned statements to the effect that
the FOOD supply was not ample and the
sanitation not good. These state
ments are not true. They not only do
an injustice to those who have charge
of furnishing supplies but they are
calculated to cause uneasiness on the
part of the parents and relatives and
other interested friends, ! have seen
considerable service in my lifetime,
and | want to say that | never saw
camp where the men are better pro-
vided for. If any man goes hungry 1t
is because he is too lazy to eat his
meals. The army ration is not, of
course, the same as the menu OF the
Waldorf Astoria but it is made up of
wholesome food and plenty of it. The
sanitary conditions are of the very
best. Every precaution is being TAX
en- to prevent the cause of disease and
of its spread.
A great deal has been said about
the Vermont regiment coming all the
way in day coaches. 1t is true that
they came all the way in day coaches,
but provision was made to arrange
the seats in such a way as to afford
fairly good comfort The men should
of course, have had tourist sleepers or
standard sleepers the same as the
troops of the other states, had they
been available. At the time that we
received orders to so to the border the
situation here was. a very critical one,
and 1t was much more important that
the regiment should arrive here than
it was to haggle over the matter OF
sleeping cars. Personally, ! should
have disliked very much to be connecti
ed with any organization which would
take the stand which at least one or
ganization has taken, by leaving the
train and refusing to go further until
they were provided with standard
sleeping cars. consider such action
more or less "tin soldiers and am
very glad that the LIST Vermont Is made
up of real soldiers for in spite of the
discomfort, there was no complaint.
This regiment seems very popular
here in Eagle Pass. The men are we'll
behaved, of good habits, and are con
tented, with an occasional exception.
There has not been case of severe
discipline. since the regiment was first
ordered out to mobilize, There have
boon minor off senses, of courge, bpt
nothing serious. We have had only two
cases OF intoxication brought to the
attention of headquarters since the
18th of June. have served with
number of regiments, and | wish to
state with no reserve whatever that
this is the best personnel of any regi.
ment with which have ever served.
We have been receiving our share OF
the duty; in fact, believe consider
able more duty than most other Ma.
tional guard regiments, | suppose we
could write home about alleged fights
with the snipers, but we prefer to
conilne ourselves TO the facts, and
avoid sensationalism. The men are
performing good hard service in n
quiet sort of n way. The regiment has
detached outposts on the border Gov
ering about 81 miles of front Every
facility is offered to these detached
outposts. in the way of mail service.
food supplies, and We even manage to
| get ice TO the furthermost. There
is good motor truck service at least
| twice week, excepting when We have
| severe rains. The rains seem to put
everything out of service In the way
l of transportation, even mule teams.
The men on detached outposts are
very well satisfied, in fact, like II bet.
ter than they do in Eagle Pass. There
has been some little excitement at
some of them, but nothing serious.
| We were visited by General Bliss
assistant chief OF staff of the army to.
day. and last night by one OF his stafl
officers who made an inspection of our
sanitary conditions and seemed thor,
oughly satisfied with them.
| The regiment Is getting It's equip
ment from time to time and we expect
In a short time to be fully equipped
with uniforms. arms, transportation
etc. We now have about 100 animals
including mules and horses.
We have had very little Illness tC
speak of. There have been a number o
cases of sickness through the admins
tration of the typhoid prophylaxis an(
smallpox vaccination, but these ar,
temporary and not considered In an!
way serious. We will be through Will
r all this vaccination in a short time.
u One of the Burlington companies OF
: outpost duty recently had the exciting
: experience of looking up a Mexican
, fence rider, much to the discomfor
[ of the ranch owner, The AFFAIR ha
= been amicably adjusted. however.
a recently made tour of the outlyin
attachments In an automobile Q
!. which we are the proud owner. Som
l of the places looked very lonesom