The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-05-28
WEARING OF THE GREEN.
4USPITOUS COMMENCEMENT OF THE
GRAND IRISH FESTIVAL.

4USPICTOUS COMMENCEMENT OF TIE
GRAND IRISH FESTIVAL.
An Imposing Street Parade--Splendidl
Appearance OF the Rifemen-Seven
Hundred Citizen Soldiers In LIne-A
Day OF Festivity at The sehupzen-
platz.
Another proof was given yesterday of the
elan and energy of the adopted citizens ol
Charleston In the brilliant success of the open.
ing day Of the grand festival under the
auspices of the Irish Rifle Club. Following
close upon the heels OF the Schutzenfest
which our German rlfemen have conducted
annually with such credit and success, their
Irish compeers, although still In their first
year of existence as a military association,
have organized festival which already equals
in point of interest the historic schutzentest,
and the annual repetition of which, II con-
tInued with the same auspicious surroundings
which have so far attended 1t, will be hailed
with pleasure. After all, your Irlshman Is your
true Sosmopolite. The German Imports
his pleasures and pursues them with zest and
enjoyment doubtless, but still adheres rellg-
iously to the forms and traditions Of his
Fatherland, and, perhaps, considering the
glory of her national history, he could not do
better. At all events, he might go further
and fare worse. But the Irishuan, landing
on these shores, does Just as he would iffate had
carried him on the shores of Barbary or the
Indies. He throws himself with heart and
soul Into the '.customs of the country" lnfuses
the dash and vigor of his own mercurial, hap
py temperament into them, stamps them with
his own individuality, and then throws open
the gates of his festival ground and The door
of his heart, and says to all the world, ''Ceme
Ia, and be merry while ye may" He waits for
no Invitation to gala day, he makes his own
merriment out of the material that he finds at
hand, and then he turns round and gathers iD
his friends to help the fun along, and. once
within the grasp of Irish hosts, man must be
more or less than mortal If he resist the inlec.
tious spirit of fun that every Irish heart con-
tains.
So 1t has been with the present festival OF
the Irish Rifes. The club wanted picnic
and q jollytime, and If they had been any
other club they would have gone and had 1t,
and come back and said no more about 1t.
This wouldn's do for the Irishmen. They not
only wanted their own jolly time, but they
wanted everybody In Charleston to come In
and share the fun, and everybody else to
know that they were having 1t. So they
take time by the fofelOck, issue Invitations to
every other rifle club, not caring straw for
the fact they are vastly their seniors In the
matter of age, listen to no refusals, press
their point with such native eloquence that
their rivals all become their guests before
they know 1t; and behold, as result, they
organize, Just as preliminary to their little
picnic at the Schulzenplatz, the largest par
ade of riaemen that Charleston has ever seen,
with the whole corps In line, all wearing OF
the greenn-the symbol alike of the sharp
shooter and of Erin's emerald isle-one OF
Charleston's most distinguished soldiers IN
command, and the whole of Charleston turn
ing out and thronging the streets, the WIN
dows and the housetops, to witness the par
Rede There's energy for you. "Arrah, musha,
honey dear, but its great day tor ould Ire
{land n $50 it is, me darlint It's toiner than
st Patrlck's. Thin we had our own out, but
now we have thin all out Look at this,
will yep
The sun rose bright and clear upon the morn
ing of the parade, the drenching storm OF Sat-
urday had laid the dust more perfectly than q
brigade of water-carts could have done, the
air was delightfully."- cool in the early morn
ing, and everything presageda brilliant sue
cess. The various rifle clubs assembled
promptly at their respective rendezvous, and
at half.past six three bands of music were sent
to the different headquarters to escort the
clubsf0 the place of assembly. This was on
Meeting street, stretching south from Hudson
to and below Calhoun street. The Charleston
Social Mounted Club were first on the ground,
and took the right of the line. Next came
the Irish Rifle Club and Irish Volunteer
Rifles. marching up Meeting street, preceded
by St. Patrick's Band, and shortly atterward
the other clubs appeared upon the ground, led
by the United States Post Band and the Cni-
cora Band.
The line was soon formed under the ex-
perienced direction OF the cnleI marshal,
General James Conner, and his efficient aids,
Major Barker, of the Carolina Rifle Club; Cap
tain Mofrett, of the Sumter Rifle Club; Captain
Holmes, of the Palmetto Guard Rifle Club;
Lieutenant Erwin, of the Irish Volunteer
Rife Club, and Lieutenant Magrath, OF the
Irish Rifle Club.
As soon ss the battalion line was formed,
the command was faced to the right, and the
heaG of the column countermarched to the
LETT, and took up the line Of march down
Meeting street, eash company joining the
procession as the head of lis line was reached.
First In the line came the
CHARLESTON SOCIAL MOUNTED CLUB,
with forty men In line, well mounted and
armed with cavalry sabres, commanded by L.
O'Brien, captain; L. Durueman, first lieuten'
ant; John Christopher, second lieutenant; j.
q. Alexander, third lieutenant. Their uniform
consisted of dark gray cavalry jacket and
pants, trimmed with yellow cord, black slouch
hat with the band edged With yellow aud
turned up with a yellow rosette and black
feather. The officers wore, In addition TO
their cavalry shoulder-straps, the insignia Oh
their rank In gold braid on their GUNS sno