The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-20

BOYSWERE At
CAMP FIRST.
Arrived at Aver Ahead OF All
Other Contingents
GOT THERE AT TWO
Were Fed En- Route at Greenfield
and Had Their Lunch Boxes in
Place Of Poor Camp Rations.

Camp Devens, Aver Sept 49,
Camp Devens is sheltering 5000
fathers, sons and brothers from as
many homes in Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Rhode Island and Vermont to-
night, BY morning they will be sol
diers of Uncle Sam with the battle
of the nation to tight. Care seemed to
rest but lightly on them as the flower
of the youth of New England came in
to camp today From the first man,
who came from Lynn by mistake at
5 o'ckAk this morning, to the last
bunch from Maine just before mid
night they were happy, carefree,
singing throng Of young men. They
joked as the doctors examined them
at the gales, they joked as much as
they dared when they were being
checked up at the State booths, and
they joked as they trudged cheerfnlly
up TO their barracks.
Officers at the gate were pleasantly
surprised at the appearance and gen
eral bearing of the drafted men. The
recruits readily understood the com
mands of lieutenants and in columns
of fours marched into camp. They
showed snap and spirit, even after
many long hours spent on the trains.
AS their special coaches and trains
pulled into the Aver Junction railroad
station heads were thurst from win
dows with wild cheers at the news
that they were at their journeys end
The boys scrambled out and juIr ped
into line as officers from the camp
took charge of them. Big army trucks
we're waiting for most of the men
and they were loaded into them fcT
the trip to camp.
At the gate they were unceremon
iously dumped out and snapped into
line and marched to their various
State booths where their names were
checked up and passed along To the
surgeons. who gave them briei
looking over and again passed then
along to the non-cOmmissiOned Off
GERS who were waiting TO escort then
to the barracks OF the organizations
to which they were assigned. AS they
reached the barracks they found q
steaming meal ready and waiting fol-
them: their first meal from Uncle
Sam. They found hunks. bedding ant
mess kits ready for them. And they
found the new made soldiers-ciyilian'
OF two weeks ago waiting with cheers
and the hand of comradeship extend
ed 1t was great day for the re
cruits; they were making history anC
knew it. They were supremely happy
SO far as one could tell by outward
appearances and the amount of nois,
| they made .Daa
All detachments coming into CAM
were late and until far into the nigh
| surgeons at the main gate examined
hungry rockies by lantern light; of
iicers checked them up by lanterI
light and by lantern light they picket
their way to barracks. They grab
bed their tin mess outfits and happl
ly and loudly demanded food and lot
of it. Many of them had not eater
since morning and they made an aw
full hole in the quartermasters' store
here. Company cooks just cooke,
and then cooked some more and still
there was not enough for the eve
coming lunches of men. But flnall
all were fed to the point OF indiges
ton, though warned that 1t would no
happen again and were immediatel
sent to bed. They found that the
had regular army cots with two blan
cts apiece and they slept tonight a
only very tired and healthy youn
men can sleep.
The first body of men to arriv
came from Bennington County, VI
reaching camp by auto truck from th
Aver station at o'clock this afte
noon. They were accompanied b
Benjamin c. Cleveland OF Manche
ter, VT. who served two years in tn
Fifth Massachusetts and who kel
them in military formation whenev,
necessary Maj H. ID. Taylor of BrI
tleboro of the Vermont State Guar
came in his automobile with the to
neau full of lunches for the boy
In the crowd was a full. blooded l.
dian, Earl Winslow Qudgeon of po'
nal, vt This crowd was assigned
the 302d field artillery and inside
half an hour after their arrival
camp were on their way to barrack