The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-08-30
The Second Maine Regiment

The Springfield Union of Aug. 21st con-
tains the following highly complimentary
account of the arrival of the Second
Maine Regiment at its Massachusetts
destination:
Big Event of Day.
The big event of the day, over-shadow-
ing all else, was the coming of the Second
Maine. The Maine boys are about the
hardest bunch physically that has ever
hit Massachusetts,. They are larger
framed than the Bay State boys, they
have the Down East expression, and are
rangy in gait and action.
Col. Hume's command worked like a
well oiled machine. Due to arrive early
this morning, the regiment was delayed
by hot boxes and other railroad trouble
all along the route. The command was
III hours making the journey from Au-
gusta, coming by way of Aver junction
and Northampton.
The last section containing the baggage
and transport wagons as well as the ami
mails of the supply company and the ma
chine gun company did not arrive until 3
o'cIock this afternoon
When the train did pull in, the dust did
fly. The Transfers of the Second Maine
could give lessons to gang of furniture
movers. Every wagon carried double it
accustomed load, and on top of each was
perched six or seven soldiers, riding the
lurching wagons like troop of bareback
riders.
Maine Efficiency
mission and although their baggage wag-
ons anu tentage did not arrive until late
in the day, so fast did the men work,
that last night nearly every command
was sleeping under canvas, the hospital
tent was up and the outfit was settled
practically in it's own home. Even after
dark the work continued under the flames
from roaring fires. If the men had been
given another hour of daylight, every
man jack of them would have been
housed.
Ii yesterday was any sample of the fu-
ture, Massachusetts, will have to hustle
to keep up with Maine. 1t was sight to
watch the Pine Tree Skaters at their
duties. Not grumble nor a complaint
Their officers watched things move with
careful eye. Only two small tents were
pitched last nighl by the officers. Most
OF them rolled in their blankets, stretch
ed themselves under stubby trees and
went to sleep. They We're tired out
thoroughly, for in addition to two formal
reviews prior to their departure on Sun
day, the men made the trip in day
coaches. 1t was case of the men first,
the officers made the best of things after
ward.
Experience in Maine woods and lum-
Der camps came to their aid. Everything
cooked for the men, and the rations were
ample, was snacked up over real camp
nres, such as they use when they rattle a
spoon in a pan for a dinner call The
cooks didn't bother to wait for the field
kitchens They went to it and served
the stuff piping hot.
1t was necessary for the Second Maine
to pipe the camp for water. The pipe was
present but the water was not. Supply
officers of the Second and Sixth Massa-
chusetts did their best and the entire
Maine outfit proved they were just as
good with the pick and shovel as with
the rifle. They stripped down to under
shirts and not only dug trenches and laid
the pipe, hut tapped the Holyoke water
mains in six places and had the line laid
the entire length of their regimental
street before o'clock. 1t was some
stunt and they were glad of it. 1t was
the first chance they had had to wash
since leaving Augusta.
The men spoke in the highest terms of
their commissary arrangements for the
trip. They were given ratlons of meat,
bread, jam and coffee at the regular meal
hours, and instead of getting their dinner
in camp ate on the trains before detrain-
ing for their hike to the camp site. Be-
fore leaving Augusta every man was
givea five-day travel ration.
The Second Maine was a vertahle Zoo
in the line of mascots, Snugly rolled up
IN a fuzzy brown ball in tree overlook
ing the street of Co. X was their prize,
three men.ths' old bear cub. One other
company has a monkey equipped with
collar and ackhaki uniform, Another
outfit has two Mexican goats which they
brought back with them from Laredo,
Texas, when they returned from the Dor
der last year. Every command has at
least one dog, and some more. For ugly
looking specimens of dogdom, the Second
Maine has the palm.
The Maine regiment travelled in five
sections, 88 cars being required to trans
port the regiment The boys are also
proud of their regimental band, which
they say is crack organization
Every man in it but one is college
man. They are drawn from the Univer-
sity of Maine at Orono, Colby college and
Bowdoin. The majority were at the
Mexican border last year. All the way
down in their section they enlivened the
trip by playing ragtime airs and this
helped some.
If there was censorship on the news of
the troop movement, there wasn't any