Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-23

the troops that had taken part in ii.
4, On this occasion General Washington
rode his favorite horse down the line
! and said to the troops that had held
the most difficult position, God bless
the Massachusetts, line" These Mas
sachusetts men to whom General
Washington referred were men from
the Province of Maine, which was
then a part of Massachusetts. Many
| generals since then have had occa-
sion to speak as General Washing
| ton did.
| The casualty figures from the Ad-
! jutant Generals Office showed that
/ 1880 Maine men were killed in action
| or died of wounds or disease. 1858
Maine men were wounded. This
makes a total of 1855 and military
t men tell me that considering the
number of men who went into action
this is an unusually high percentage.
| Maine men were sent into difficult
places because their commanding of
| ficers realized that they could be de-
| pended upon. l want the people OF
Maine to remember these figures,
/ which however do not represent the
| State. The soldiers who came home
! broken in health, famed, tubercular.
rheumatic, and shattered by shell
shock, are still with us but the names
| and numbers of many of them do not
| appear upon the casualty lists. The
! price we paid can never be even es-
timated, and those who are broken in
| health are the ones who really know
what the cost was.
| l have often thought OF how the
French people must have felt when
! they saw the first American Troops
! come up through their villages and
| go into the battle line for the first
! time. Just imagine the sensations
| that passed through the hearts and
minds of those French men and wo-
! men, who had endured more than
three years of war, when they saw this
| flag of ours at the head of an Amer
lean division going through their
country villages with thousands of
American soldiers coming on behind
! and eager to get into the front line
/ trenches. / wish there was soma
! great artist with ability enough to
paint that picture, but there is no
! such artist in the world. The picture
| is too great to be placed on canvas;
/ it can only be inmortalized in the
| hearts of the men who were part of
! il, and in the imagination and mcul-
DRY of the people of this country.
! Three years have passed rapidly but
we shall never forget the part the
| State of Maine troops played, be
ginning with their first thrust into
the German lines when the Germans
were within a days march of Paris.
You members of the Ord Maine are
citizen soldiers. It is Your duty to
/ take part in civic as well rs in mill
tary affairs. AS citizens you axe
/ called upon to decide many questions
! which effect the welfare of our State.
/ AS citizors it is your duty to be pol
/ iticians, and by this l. mean politi-
clans of the highest type. BY pol$-
clan I mean a citizen who appreciates
his duty as a member of the COM
inunity and who takes part in the
s.nmunitys political life. I hope
YOU will never be politicians in the
common acceptance of the word.
which means self seekers and schem-
crs, who subordinate the welfare of
the community as q whole TO private
GAIN either in power. position or
/ wealth. The American soldier should
strive to be the highest type of pol
itician, and that Is conscientious
unselfsh citizen who contributes TO
the welfare Of the community ac-
cordirg to his ability.
AS your communicative chief, 7
! have inspected your camp and your
equipment and | congratulate Gen
e~al Hadiey. Colonel Bigelow and all
the officers and mon OF the 3rd Maine
upon your work and upon the most
cicGitahlc record you are making.
want the people at home to know
more about you. l want the young
iyfn AZ home to join your ranks and
= contribute as you are doing to the
service OF the State. AS | go about
tho State l shall make it a point to
tell our people about you so that they
| will fully appreciate your services.
/ IF it ever becomes necessary for me
to call you to the colors | know that
each and every man will respond
even though it entails a sacrifice. If
all tho people of Maine could come
here to Camp Devens and see you
and what you are doing | am sure
| they would feel that they could safely
rely upon you in any emergency.
In behalf Of the people of Maine I
extend to you their cordial good
wishes. l wish that I might remain
with you throughout the week but I
! have enga gements in several sections
OF the State and must leave this aft
ernoon for Maine. l appreciate the
reception which YOU have given me
and shall long remember my sojourn
at Camp Devens with the 3rd Maine
Regiment of Infantry.