The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-25
WESTF|ELD IS
WAITING FOR
MEN TOTRA|N
Depot Brigade Now Has But
Little to Do
1o3D STILL IN CAMP
First Death at Camp Bartlett Occur
red Yesterday Being That of
Soldier from Maine Regiment.

camp bartlett, hampton flalns,
Sept 24-Eyerythiug at Camp Bart
lett points to an early arrival Of
several thousand drafted men to fill
the ranks of the depot brigade Com
pany streets in the regiments of that
command are being spread out and
heightened and the entire aspect of
the camp has been changed since
Saturday. II has been a slow and
hard task for the soldiers still left
with their old regiments. Tonight
there we're just 81 enlisted men who
formed at retreat as the Eighth
Massachusetts Infantry. This morn
ing there were 40, exclusive of the
band, but this afternoon % of these
were assigned TO the ammunition
train to complete the personnel of
that outfit.
The Eighth has lost more men than
any other organization, but the few
left are cheerful and are looking
forward to the time, not far in the
future, when they will have their full
regimental quota through the addi-
tion of drafted men. New Hampshire
and Vermont are somewhat better off
but the Sixth Massachusetts is being
depleted daily by calls for man here
and another there to fill some hole
discovered by company commander
The only regiment In the depot
brigade which has not suffered ma.
terial losses Is the First Maine Heavy
Artillery. Out of its original personnel
but 2Si men have been taken away
| The majority of these went into a
single unit, trench mortar battery
which was mobilized at Bedford with
| the artillery brigade. A few went Ia
| the engineers train of the 26th divi
| sion, where they were especially
| qualified for that branch of the ser
| vice. Waiting. TO a soldier when there
activity somewhere, is inclined to be
| irksome, but the depot brigade men
are smiling and looking forward to
| the arrival OF the national army re
cruits, for then they know they will
be on the move to a warmer climate
and will have their work cut out foi
them.
Their task will be tremendous foi
| while the division of which they are
the reserve is training picked men fol
trench fighting, 1t will be necessary
for these officers to whip into shape
thousands of eager boys who nevel
looked at a weapon of war eXcep
through a plate glass window.
they can turn out finished soldiers
OF the pattern they gave TO othel
regiments they feel they will have
done a good bit toward aiding tn,
| United States to win the war.
| Brig. Gen. Charles II. Cole ha
tightened up on the discipline OF th'
camp Leaves are being restricted
and passes are being scrutinized car
fully. Positive Identification is neces
sary before anyone can slip by eagle
eyed sentries. except in the regula
visiting hours.
The men of Co OF the 103d Infau
try were saddened today by the dealt
of a comrade Priv. Albert c. Ar
drews OF Gardiner Me. Andrews ha
been in the regiment for some tim
and was well liked by his fellows. II
had been i'll much of the time sine
the regiment came from Augusta, NJ,
five weeks ago. Every possible al
was given him, but he failed to 7,
spond to treatment Andrews was Tn
first man of the many thousand so
dlers concentrated on Hampto
! Plains to die from illness. He was u
married, but leaves his parents an
brothers and sisters. The body wi
be sent to Gardiner for burial.
= Until the draft men get to Cam
Bartlett, there will>be but little
mar the routine of soldier life 1t
case Of drill and then little b
more OF the same thing. The dri
/. periods are varied and the men HAY
) progressed so far in the rudimentaI
movements that the greatest atte
5 ton is now being paid to bayon,
Q exercises.
Calisthenics is also an importal
item In the days program, and q
effects of the constant training {
this line can be easily seen IN q
manner the soldiers carry themselv,
n in uniform and the general improy
ment in their appearance. They a
4 hardy looking soldiers and there is
n certain optimism in their attitude al
!. manner Of speaking of going oy
. the top" which BODIES III for their a
A. versaries.