Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-10-18
BARTON BOY ON BORDER
Howard Dutton Writes Monitor Com
plete Account of Texas Trip
with Militia.

Complying with the editors request
for story on his soldier-life expert
ence, Howard Dutton gave the Moni-
tor the following:
When the presidents call to mill
tiamen in old Vermont was issued, it
was not long in being answered from
all quarters, and soon the armories
were full of eager youths ready for
they knew not what.
AS for Co. L, hardly a moment was
used for leisure while at Newport and
soon we were on the train moving
toward the mobilization camp at Bur-
lington. We started early in the
morning, not SO early that the people
of Newport did not give us hearty
send-off.
Flags were out at farmhouses, and
at small villages where we stopped
along the way, many, many farewells
were given us.
At Burlington the scene became
one of intense anxiety and specula-
ton as to what place in Texas we
were to concentrate and whether we
would enter Mexico or not. We were
soon relieved, however, when it was
learned that Eagle Pass was to be
our destina ton. Before we hardly
realized it, we were on the day coach
es provided for US, and the fields of
old Vermont were fast disappearing.
Night overlook us in strange state,
yes, strange state Of mind, also.
Day coaches are not so bad to sleep
in if a fellow is really tired, and we
were soon in the land of nod. Next
day New York state appeared with
more excitement, and at jamestown
41o cri,.1c, co4icHaI 10
on the platform and bid us farewell,
but had to be gently lifted up into the
car windows, and believe us, let down
with more reverence. Ask anyfellow
who went through Jamestown what
he thinks of the place, it won't take
long for an answer. During the trip
through New York the car that was
unfortunately ours had hot-box, and
oil had to be used at every station.
We had not slept long that night
when the call for "all out" was heard.
We expected that Mexico had made
good her threat against New York or
Washington, and sleepy-eyed we took
our guns and packs. 1t was soon evil
dent we would have to give up our
car as we could see fire daring out
around the wheels.
1t was long time before the imag-
ination could grasp what kind of a
thing we were on at Erie. At first it
looked as if we were going up the
canal on a barge. After drifting a
short distance, we were fully awake,
however, (awake to the fact that the
Erie railroad had slipped something
over on us) then speculation went riot
as to what kind of car we were in,
some said electric, others box, still
| others vowed it was a hand car, but
| just at this point the major came in
/ and settled it by saying that was the
/ best car he could get. Dissatisfied,
| we hung our shoes over the bell rope,
! bringing the train to a stop. After
! things were at a standstill we ar
ranged ourselves for the night;
Some nestled in the hat racks,
Others held on the strings,
A few turned up the backs Of seats,
Making a kind of swing.
Chicago brought us to the next
point of interest. Chicago has the
largest stockyards in the world. We
stopped there over half an hour, hold
ing our hands over our noses. That
wasn't all, Before we were on our
way again, the cooks came out with
corned beef and bread, (exit cooks
with corned beef and bread.)
The western country has a same
ness which is not altogether pleasing,
although we enjoyed the beauty of
the golden wheat fields, and our first
sight of the fields of cotton. At
Kansas City we were allowed to leave
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