Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-12
MILLIKEN RECT.
Continued from Page One)


which to burn their waste. The men
who had previously occupied the
grounds had been filthy in their per-
sonal habits, whereas the Milllken reg
iment had held themselves to spot
less town neatness and sanitation. I'M
mediately the men began to fall i'll,
and when we were there two days be-
fore Christmas, nearly half the regi-
ment were in the hospital, and more
than half ought to have been there.
Diphtheria was getting in its work, as
we'll as measles, and every man in
camp. almost was in the grip of a bad
cold. (Since then the regiment has
been quarantined with meningitis.D
1T was with difficulty that these
men secured stoves for their mess
shacks. Here is a sample of their
treatment Some of the men of the
N1illiken regiment We're ordered to the
contact camp at ii p. m. When they
arrived they found sergeant in
charge ana the officers down town.
''Watng" at Camp Greene
Battered about by unfavorable in
cidents. spit almost in twain to pro-
Vide suicide squads" of trench mortar
batteries and engineer organizations
swept by sensational rumors, hopes
annihilatei but to be revived, praying
for their chance "over there, Maine s
proud regiment of would be artillery
men, is stll waiting at Camp Greene
1t has been six months of waiting, and
promises OF filling up" where ranks
have been depleted, and of being given
opportunity TO go somewhere or do
something to prove that their enlist
nent in their country's service is not a
farce.
! One bright spirit wandered into
camp a few days ago and chirped. "Of
course you can't go across yet-'they
also serve who only stand and wait -.
/ The Milliken regiment went to
Brunswick, Maine the last of July. and
remained there month before going
TO Westfield, Mass.
! At Brunswick, the men learned in
fantry drill in close order formations
along with interior guard, military
courtesy and sanitation. And they
went to IT. with will and way that
meant progress with a capital T. They
perfected their squad movements to a
precision that might well be envied by
veterans. They discovered the finer
points of army etiquette. They learned
the interior guard manual from prefa &c
to roster. They could say their gem
eral orders forward, backward and
sidewise, and their challenges were let
ter perfect, because they knew no other
way. They kept the Bowdoin dormi
tories, where they were quartered, like
the buildings of a "Spotless Town"
The grounds forgot the litter Of waste
paper and cigar stubs.
! The First Mystery
And then among the 1900 men and
officers came mysterious whisperings
Tension entered regimental activities.
! Colonel Balentine called his officers
about him and. without complaint or
criticism demanded their loyalty to the
government in carrying through an
order which. he quietly remarked
broke his heart, "but must be obeyed
without question or bubble"
Later the news leaked out that this
arrangement entailed cutting the reg
iment to Ill men-but, meanwhile
Washington listened TO Names men of
power and stayed the knife. after the
Dingley battery and the majority OF
Bridgton's good soldiers with about q
score Of men from each of the other
batteries, had marched away to duty
with two Of the most dangerous serv-
ices Of modern warfare-trench mortar
and engineer corps. With these men
went Captain Greene and Lieutenants
Walsh, McCarty and Berry. Officers
and men stood rigidly in the lines left
behind at the station, tears streaming
down the Gnwashed faces Of those
who understood. When the good
byes were spoken the only words heard
over gripping hands were Good luck.
Wish ] could go with you, old man"
These men left Bedford, Mass, weeks
ago to take their places in the French
front
The remainder of the First Maine left
for Westfeld. Mass. suddenly. and with
little knowledge of their destination.
A Hurried Move.
Two hundred or more men under
Lieutenants Southland and Chadbourne
Of Bureigh battery were digging deep
|
site two miles out of Brunswick. on a
| Thursday afternoon, when word was
received, fill in" and the crew was
doubled. About O'clock the last
shovelful of earth, thrown out in a
week of excavation, was back in place.
shacks torn down; pipes and tools and
men on the way back to camp.
That night by the light Of waste
burning on the Bowdoin Delta. mess
shacks of wood and canvas and screen
ing came down and were carr! d on the
mems backs to the freight cars waiting
on the siding It was Il scene to be re-
membcred for life.
1urrying forms were silhouetted
against the flames; voices were raised
checrily in jokes, laughter and songs
Motor trucks requsitioned from every
available point. grcaned over the road
to the station, laden with quatermasteT
supplies, and Friday afternoon the
, troop train Of Fl cars pulled away. II
was a record achievement, and who
shall Say green outfit"
Saturday afternoon. Willingness and
adaptability again proved the regi-
ment's boast of personnel, and mex
perience was nowhere evident as
crashing timber and swishing brush
gave way for the tents.
Nearly everyone knows what the
Millikens found at Westfeld-just a