Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-23
PRAISE SECOND maine
S prin G fl Id Paper
Speaks in Terms Of
Highest Praise Of
Guardsmen from Pine
Tree State

GuarQSmen from zine
Tree State
/ The Springfield Union Of Aug. q con-
| tains the following highly compliment
! tary account of the arrival of the Sec
! ond Maine Regiment at its Massachu-
setts destination:
Big Event of Day
The big event Of the day. over
, shadowing all else. was the coming Of
the Second Maine. The Maine boys
are about the hardest bunch physical
~ 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. Humes command worked like
we'll oiled machine. Due to arrive
early this morning, the regiment was
delayed by hot boxes and other rail-
road trouble all along the route. The
command was Il hours making the
Journey from Augusta, coming by
way of Aver Junction and Northamp-
ton.
The last section containing the bag
gage and transport wagons as we'll as
| the animals Of the supply company
and the machine gun company did not
arrive until o'clock this afternoon.
| The section suffered a breakdown at
! Aver, and so the troops were forced to
/ all sorts of makeshifts until their
! stuff arrived.
/ When the train did pull in. the dust
| did fly. The teanlsters Of the Second
! Maine could give lessons to a gang Of
furniture movers. Every wagon car
ried double its accustomed load, and on
! top Of each was perched six or seven
soldiers. riding the lurching wagons
like troop of bareback riders.
| Maine Efficiency
Their huge motor truck was in COM
mission and although their baggage
wagons and tentage did not arrive un-
til 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 out
! fit was settled practically in its own
home. Even after dark the work con-
tinued under the flames from roaring
fires. If the men had been given an
other hour of daylight. every man jack
of them would have been housed.
II yesterday was any sample Of the fu-
ture, Massa chusetts will have to hustle
to keep I'D with Maine 1t was a sight
to watch the Pine Tree staters at their
duties. Not a gramhle nor a complaint,
Their officers watched things move with
a careful eye. Only two small tents were
pitched last night by the officers. Most
OF them rolled in their blankets, stretched
! themselves under stubby trees and went
to sleep. They were tired out thorough
w. for in addition to two formal reviews
prior to their departure on Sunday. the
men made the trip in day coaches. 1t
was a case Of the men first, the of1cers
made the best Of things afterwards
Experience in Maine woods and lumber
camps came to their aid. Everything
cooked for the men, and the rations were
ample. was snacked up over real camp
fires, 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.
The scenes about the Maine camp were
reminiscent of the circus. The wagons
came pounding through after dark. The
men Ievelled their entire camp site during
the afternoon, and there was some brush
to cut down before they could even see
what their company streets were going
to look like.
/ Regiments Mascots
1t was also 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 en-
tire Maine outfit proved they were just
as good with the pick and shovel as with
the rife. They stripped down to under
shirts and not only dug trenches and
laid the pipe, but tapped the Holyoke wa
ter mains in six places and had the line
laid the entire length Of their regimental
street before s o'clock. It was some stunt
and they were glad of it. 1t was the first
chance they had had to wash since leav-
ing Augusta.
The men spoke in the highest terms of
1 their commissary arrangements for the
:
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
given a five-day travel ration.
/ The Second Maine was a veritable Zoo
in the line of mascots. Snugly rolled up
in fuzzy brown ball In tree over
i looking the street Of Co. K was their
prize. a three months old bear cub. One
other company has a monkey equipped
with collar and a khaki uniform, An
other outfit has two Mexican goats which
! they brought back with them from Lare-
do. Texas, when they returned from the
border last year. Every command has at
| least one dog, and some more. For ugly
looking specimens of dogdom, the Second
Maine has the palm.
I But = was not all comfort Seven Maine
. boys are in the hospital tonight. Six
dropped on the march to the camp from
the detraining point overcome by the
heat and the effects OF the third and last
injection of the nti-paratyphoid serum.
This was given to every man Of the reg
jrnent on the trim down In the trains The