Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-28
Governor at Capitol

ington and Camp Bartlett, Westfleld.
Mass, the first place being visited on
military business and the latter to
again review the boys Of the I'd Maine
Infantry and 1st Maine Heavy Field
Artillery 1t was a long and arduous
trip but the Governor returned full or
enthusiasm for the Maine soldier boys
and delighted with his visit at the
camp Said he Monday afternoon:
The Maine soldiers are in perfect
condition and nothing on the vast
plain which forms a camp for many
thousands makes any better appear
, ance than the seasoned troops of the
the 1st Maine Infantry. now the 1880
United States, having absorbed the
New Hampshire National Guard, and
the fine, husky lads Of the new and
unframed 1st Maine Heavy Field Ar
tillery. I tell you, it would make any
man proud of Maine and her young
citizens who are going out to repre-
! sent the State by doing their part in
this great war, to have seen them as
saw them Sunday. Bronzed and
TuREGu, Sui ny anu CAV l44S A'--~SS
of our State, it was nothing but con-
tinued round of compliments from all
! who saw them.
/ And one of the finest compliments
4 of them all was from that veteran SOL
! der and their commander, Major Cen
eral Edwards who after the review
| turned to Colonel Frank H. Hume of
/ Houlton, Me, commander of the regi-
ment, and said;
I % i wish to congratulate you, Colonel
/ Hume. on the quality of material you
have They are splendid body Of
men
Did YOU know it, that compliment
was we'll worth having. a such men
as General Edwards are not in the
habit of passing around anything of
that nature which is not deserved"
/ General Edwards is taking great
interest in all the men in the camp and
is becoming deservedly popular with
them. I regard him as one Of the best
men into whose care we could give our
boys. He is able. skilled, trusted and
popular and every man is sure to have
right and justice as his share While
under his command. He Is looking
! after the welfare of the boys with the
strictest of attention and he has re-
peatedlv expressed his pleasure and
I appreciation of the splendid person
mel and physical appearance Of the
! Maine troops. I consider him one OF
! the best Of our commanding officers
and We should feel glad that he is to
/ lead the boys to France"
Governor Milliken said that the
crowd on Sunday at the Westfeld
| camp was something enormous, but as
the camp itself is built on the same
plan, the crowd and the soldiers got
along very we'll. 1t was an impressive
sight when the review Of the LIST
Maine Infantry was held. It was the
J first time that one of the new. large
| sized regimental units has been re-
viewed by anyone in this country, and
attracted the entire attention Of ev
| eryone within seeing distance. Gov
ernor Milliken, accompanied by Gov
ernor Keyes of New Hampshire and
General Edwards. occupied the re-
viewing stand and at the. close Gov
ernor Milliken addressed a few words
! to the boys. The reception given the
! Governor by the I'd Maine lads was a
/ particularly enthusiastic one and the
, Governor referred to it with evident
feeling.
The 1st Maine Heavy Field Artillery,
the Milliken Regiment, is encamped
within half mile OF the Maine In
fantry and the next visit was to their
camp. Governor Milliken was also
enthusiastically received there and
spoke briefly to them. He was fol-
lowed by General Edwards, who
spoke for perhaps Is minutes. arous-
ing great enthusiasm among the men
Governor Milliken, who was in Bos-
ton on Sunday, went to Camp Bartlett
by train and returned by motor with
| General Edwards He said that the
trip back to the Hub was through
| an endless string of automobiles both
going and coming, but that did not
prevent the generals chauffeur from
making the distance of 10 miles from
| Westfeld to Boston in somewhat
rapid time. not exactly peace move
ment" speed, thought the Governor.
! Governor Miliken was especially
pleased over one announcement he was
d
the fact that the Miliken Regiment
will be kept together as unit. A
certain number Of the men have been
selected for the trench mortar bat
terry work. but the Governor states
that the selection is considered in the
nature Of an honor, the personnel of
the regiment being considered when
the men We're chosen. The Millken
Regiment will now be recruited up to
the full strength Of the new units and
in due course Of time will follow Cen
eral Edwards to the front, but 1t Is
definitely decided that the regiment
will preserve its entirety. That will
he gratifying to the home people. as
so many Of the National Guard and
other state organizations are being
broken up and losing their identity.
The boys selected for the trench NOR
tar battery will not be far ahead Of
the rest Of the regiment in reaching
France. II the latter boys have their
way and the infantry lads feel the
aaMA KaX