Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-27

ceeded without delay to the officers
mess and were cordially greeted by
the 80 or more earnest young men
who have built up this splendid
regiment After a hearty supper.
1t. Col. Chapman drove the party
over the Devens campgrounds in or
der that an idea might be obtained
as to their extent.
Camp. Devens will always be re-
garded by New England men as
their camp, for here two divisions of
more than $4,000 New England men
were trained for the great war
Maine has a special interest in Dew
ems for the first drafted men that
ever entered the camp came from
the State of Maine. Maine men are
apt to be on the spot just a little
ahea1 of all others. The first mill
tary train rolled into open fields,
now Camp Devens. in the autumn of
1917. Work on the buildings and
grounds had but just begun. AS soon
as that train stopped there was a
rush to see who would be first with
in the gates and the Aroostook boys
with their usual enthusiasm were
the first to enter. All were eager to
snow their Willingness to serve their
country and Aroostook county has
! the distinction of having one of its
sons as the pioneer at Devens. The
| State of Maine may well take pride
IN the fact that its own sons gave
Devens it's baptism of men.
Serenades BY Band
After returning from the drive the
regimental band, an unusually fine
aggregation of 80 pieces from Rum
ford. narrhed into the square in
| front of the staff headquarters and
gave concert as a compliment TO
the Governor and party. About one
hdlt OF the regiment turned out and
aiter the Governor had personally
shaken hands with Band Leader
Clinton NJ. Dexter, Col. Bigelow pre-
scented the Governor to the officers
and men present. introducing him as
their command-in-c chief Governor
Baxter responded in 1O-minute
j speech com plimenting the officers
and men upon the high standard of
their personnel and upon their fine
! loyalty as citizen soldiers of the
state of Maine. He referred TO
! Names war record from the earliest
times and said he came to get first !.
mana information as to what the Sd
Maine mad accomplished. The men
responded with cheer for the Gov
ernor.
The next event on the program was
an inspection under the guidance of
! Col BlSelow, The Governors party
made unexpected calls upon several of
the barracks. The men were prepar
ing Tor the night but as Attention, ."
rang out sharp and clear, all stood
up giving the military salute. The
BARRACKS We're neat and clean and
showed that everyone had done his
part towards making a creditabI ap-
pearance. Some of the men we're
asleep and were about to get up has
tlly when Col. Bigelow. who always
mas the comfort of his men in mind
called out The men who have retired
need not stand at attention" for this
is an informal inspection" The in
tspecton over. the party returned to
Headquarters for the night: Governor
J Baxter being chartered with General
Hadley and the Generals little son.
George. or the Little General" as he
is atectionately called
ReveIle Monday Morning
At 4.So the next morning the bugle
sounded reNeilie and a few moments
later Leader Dexter and his band
were parading through the streets OF
IN camp playing a stirring air that
would arouse the sleepiest soldier.
Breakfast at $50 and the day had be-
gun. BY this time squads of soldiers
rhad begun TO move from one drill
ground to another. to the rife range.
and reviewing field. to get ready for
the events Of the day. Governor Bax-
ter was on hand before breakfast and
with Col Bigelow and staff INSPECTED
the kitchens and sanitary arrange
ments of the camp. They found steak.
bacon and eggs, and SIMILAR whole
some 1901 we'll cooked and ready to be
! served. Soon the men filed in and
were given all they could eat" The
camp is teinG fed on an average cost
of about 80 cents a day per man but
nothing was lacking to give the men
all the good palatable food they could
use Breakfast over the Governor
made the rounds Of the grounds Wis
iting the various squads where in
fantry drill, machine gun practice.
equitation or horseback riding. range
finding, etc, was going on.
At The Rifle Rance
After this the rife range was Wis
tied, the Governors party going into
the pits under the targets, the rifle
bullets scattering the gravel bank
overhead. The men from Maine are
| born marksmen. especially those from
certain counties and many Bulls
eye was made at 200 yards The Gov
ernor fired several rounds both with
the automatic pistol and service rife,
scoring well above the average for
one without previous training with
the military equipment
Training Camp Boys Inspected
Al II o'clock the 1900 boys of the
Citizens Military Training Camp
marched onto the main reviewing
field and lined up for inspection.
These boys all came from New Eng
land and went into camp for 80 days
phyical training under military in
structors of long experience. They
occupied an area by themselves at
Devens. These boys average about