Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-07-14

their safe return home from the greatest
trip they would eyer have the pleasure ia
king. BY their individual efforts they had
been enabled to participate in The grandest
parade of the country F.; had Sc en- the great
est exhibition Of art and industry everWit-
messed in the world and he could add with
qualification that they had done it with
honor to themselves, honor to. their city,
and honor to the brave soldiers whose hon
orable name they bore. He thanked them
for the respect aud courtesy they had
Shown him, their commanding officer, by
their prompt obedience to all orders and
commands issued during the trip, and was
proud OF their gentlemanly department and
soldierly bearing throughout the whole of
it. They had, he said. won for themselves
the name of soldiers, fully attssted by the
oft repeated rounds of applause tn at
greeted them on their march through the
streets OF Philadelphia, in line where none
but the best trained soldiers of our coun-
| try participated. 1t was an epoch in our
| history that will never be forgotten, but
will pass down to posterity that the sons Of
/ old West Augusta honorably represented
| her in the Centennial year Of 1876. The
| Captain closed with a warm welcome to
the boys who loudly applauded his address.
| Mr.. W. H. H. Lynn being called on made
a few remarks of welcome. He said he
had been requested to. welcome. them home,
and most cheerfully did he welcome them
back from one OF the grandest trips they
had, or perhaps would ever make We,
their fellow citizens had heard with pride
of their manly and soldierly bearing at the
at the celebration of the one-hundredth an
II iversary of American Independence, and
every tArob of the electric current. which
| bore to us the news of the greetings and
cheers they received, as they passed in pro-
cession through the streets of philadelphia,
sent thrill of.pleasure to our hearts which
will long be remembered to your credit.
We rejoieed not only that they have had
the exceeding pleasure of witnessing the
greatest exhibition ever presented in this
or any other land, and that they have re-
turned safely to their homes and families,
but also that they had so conducted them
selves as to win the unqualified praise of
5heir officers, as soldiers, and of their
friends as tit representatives of the cold
Dominion" not only the mother of estates
and Statesmen,n but also of gallant SOL
diers, SO truthfully illustrated in the histo-
ry of our country. From their course and
military bearing in this, their trial trip,
we rejolced to believe that they would
| INV Of
pany whose flag they carried and whose
name they bore, who earned national
reputation for valor on many hard fought
field. and he again cordially welcomed
them home and assu.e them that we shall
all take a greater interest than ever in our
"West Augusta Guards"
THE TILDEN FLAG.
The company then marched around and
were drawn up in line beneath the flag
waving from the Tilden q Hendricks pole
for which they gave three cheers. Gen.
Echols addressed them very briefly but
earnestly, welcoming them on their return.
He spoke of the pride with which he had
heard the accounts of them from abroad.
1t was to such men as those young men he
was speaking..to that the country looked for
its greatness. and it's prosperity. They were
the material out Of which State was made
great. Old men filled their part and
passed away, but those who like the young
men he addressed who are daily coming
forward and stepping into the places
of the old ones, are the ones on whom
Virginia places all her hope and on whom
she centres all her pride. ll2o GonoraIr
remarks were received with cheers.
The company then marched to their ar
mory and were dismissed, thus closing in
an orderly and well disciplined way, a trip
which without fulsome compliment may
be said to have reflected the highest credit
| On the officers and privates as, soldiers and
gentlemen and of which our citizens are
truly proud.
| INCIDENTS.
One OF the most pleasing incidents" of
the excursion was the visit to the camp of
the Northern ladies of whom the boys
spoke quite enthusiastically. They receiy-
ed good deal Of attention from the west
Augustus and when the company left,
many of the married members were trying
to quiet an uneasy conscience by buying
lots Of toys for the children at home.
Some CT the company met many old &C
quaintances in Philadelphia which contrib
uted greatly to make their time pleasant.
REPoRT,oF TRINITY CHURCH.-We find
| in the journal of the last annual council of
the diocese of Virginia the parochial re-