Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-19
You certainly feel miserable.

commanded by Lieut.. Francis J. Kyle
of that city. The second is now Co.
and is commanded by Capt. Hugh w.
Hastings of Fryeburg from whence
the organization halls.
Major George +. Fogg of Portland
will command the first battalion which
will be made up of Companies A b. G..
and D. Major George {. Weber of
Auburn has been assigned to the sec
ond battalion which will consist of
Companies E, F. G. and II. The third
battalion is without major but until
one is assigned to it the senior cap
tain, Hugh w. Hastings. will act in
that capacity. Companies l. *. l., and
NJ constitute this battalion.
Lieut.. Emery Q. Beane of Hallowell.
formerly Of Battery E, has been as
signed to the first battalion as its ad-
jutant while a like assignment in the
second battalion has been given to
Lieut.. John D. Haughey of Portland
formerly of Battery A.
OF the other officers of Battery f.
Captain Edward b. Hinckley becomes
captain Of Headquarters Company,
Lieut.. Edwin l.. Chadbourne goes with
Captain Parker to Company l.. and
Lieut.. S. Sewall Webster remains with
Company Z, which Lieut. Southland
commands.
For obvious reasons the War De-
partment has not allowed the province
of pioneer infantry" to become com
mon knowledge, and for the present at
least the public must rest content with
the explanation that this branch of the
service is a combination Of infantry
and engineers. or. to make it more
clear, fighters and constructionists.
| 1t is probable that one Of it's most i'm
portant duties is to maintain the
lines of communication between the
supply bases and the fighting front, to
protect retreats and to play an active
part in the rehabilitation of captured
towns. In general it will be a class Of
work not laid down i'll drill regula-
! lions" or other publications but of the
kind that calls for good judgment
such as might be expected from men
Of the superior type as those Of the
Maine outfit have the reputation Of be-
ing.
Without an exception every officer
and man of this organization is
pleased with the new assignment and
has gone into the preparatory training
with even more enthusiasm than he
has exhibited heretofore.
While it is the general feeling that
merit cut a large figure in securing
this assignment for the Milliken regi-
ment, every member of the organiza-
ton is ready to concede that recogni-
ton Of this merit on the part Of the
War Department has been due large
ly to Governor Millil1en and to L. S.
Senator Hale. The efforts of these
two men, not discounting to any de-
gree the friendly assistance Of many
others in Maine and out, has been per-
siStent and determined. Both the gov
ernor and the senator were personally
acquainted with almost every man in
the regiment and they felt that their
demands .or something of nhe better
assignments be given the regiment
would not result in their embarrass-
ment when these demands We're com
piled with.
1t is understood here that 1t is the
War Departments intention to permit
70 delays in completely fitting out
this regiment for the service it is to
have part in as it is generally known
that regiments Of this type are greatly
in demand in France. From official
assurances it is to be presumed that
draft men from Maine will be used to
bring this organization up to war
strength.