Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-07-06
THE FOURTH OF JULY.

people of Staunton, on Wednesday. thanks
to the new policy inaugurated by our
reconstructed President r. B. Hayes for the
first time since the war, and it may be
safely said that it was the first exhibition
of the old-time, self-satisfed, ctizens-of-a-
country sort of feeling that the people used
to have before the war. The people closed
their places Of business, the public offices
were shut, and a general holiday was ia
ken, which was spent in pleasant excur-
sions. The first one that left was by rail
to
HARRIsONBURG,
and included one hundred and forty citi-
zans of Staunton, among whom we noticed
Capt. J. N. Ryan, of the Circuit Court;
Jos. b. Woodward, of the County Court;
David Strasburg, of the "Spectator;" Dr.
Jas Johnston, Prof. A. J. Turner, Chas.
G attain, Jno. NJ. Kinney, DR.. Chapman,
J. Fr:d. Effinger, Sam1 Basklns, and
other well-known residents. A number OF
stanton ladies also honored the Harrison
burgers with their presence. All who went,
came back pleased with their reception.
There were large number of visitors ut
Harrlsonburg from Winchester and other
points i'll the Valley, and the day was cele-
brated by parade, and an eloquent ad-
dress by Gen. Williams, OF Winchester.
THE MILITARY EXCURSION TO
COVINGTON.
AT o'clock six cars left the G. u ..
depot, carrying the w. A. Guard, 40 men,
Capt. w. l.. Bumgardner; Staunton Ar
tillery, 40 men, Capt. A. III. Fultz; the
Monticello Guard, of Charlottesville, 80
men, Capt. Wertembaker; the Monticello
Brass Band, of Cha rlottesville, 10 men. and
gentlemen and ladies enough from Staun-
ton to pack the cars, all Oh their way 10
spend the day at the pretty village of Cow
iugton, III the Allegheny Mountains. There
were over 400 exculsionists when the train
reached Cuvington, though several parties
had gotten of at Clifton Forge, for fish
ing. A committee of the Covlngton Coun-
ell, consisting of Mayor Jno. L. Pllzer and
Messrs. j. j. Hobbs and Lewis Payne, re-
ceived the visitors at the depot, with graft
flying courtesy, after which the military
paraded the streets to the martial strains
of the Monticello Band, and halted at the
handsome Court House, where a formal
RECEPTION
took place. A most fitting address Of wei
come was delivered by Capt Robt. l..
Parrish, who alluded in happy terms to the
revival Of the old Fourth of July customs,
as showing that happier days had come
when Southern men could draw free breath
and join with patriotic spirit in the cele
bration of the nations anniversaries. 1t
WAS nationality that made men brave and
great. At the close Of his address the band
played Hail Columbia, and the crowed
after cheering the orator of the day, dis
persed over the village. Boating and bath
ing in Jackson7s river and dancing in the
spacious hall of the new court house were
the amustments of the day. AS noon
passed, the McCurdy House, nice hote
was filled with VISITORS who enjoyed the
dinner, though the crowd was larger than
expected and the tables following the first
lay out, were not as satisfactory us the
handsome dinner to which the first diners
sat down. The ladies of the Presbyte-
rian church, however, had a festival which
WAS well patronzed and their patrons were
DELI hted witt, their entertainment, not
d small part of whicr was the pretty faces
and sweet manners of the ladies.
TARGET PRACTICE.
In the afternoon Capt. Parrish, whose
courteous attentions were the theme of
praise by all the excursionists, conducted
the two infantry companies to their target
ground at one end Of the town, while the
artillery was shown theirs by the commit
tee at the other end near the depot. The
artillery target Was set up ON the opposite
side Of the river and 1900 yards distant,
each member taking d Shot with lb ball.
The target was struck three times by Ser
gent Cook, E. r. Moon and J. A.
Newman, the last named being ali Old al
tillerist, but not d member Of the company.
''Private Moons shot was the best one and
was also his first shot with a CT nnOn. He
received tile medal, d silver Maltese cross
with 'Best Shot, on one side and ';Staun-
ton Artillery' Oh the other. 1t was a
present of Capt. Fullz to his company.
The Monticello Guard shot for a prize
offered by Capt. Bumgardner, and the
West Augusta Guard for prize offered
by Capt. Wertembaker. Private W. I.
McCne Of the West Augustus, a son Of
Judge John III. McCue, won the prize OF
the west Augustus, a box of fine cigars,
and made the best shots that were made
by both companies during the day. Pri-
vate w. o. Watson, a son of Judge Wat
son of Charlottesville, won the prize Of the
Monticailos, which was demijohn OF
''old Bumgardner." Corporal Tom Burke
of the West Augustus got the leather
| medal for the worst shot.
| There WAS a battalion drill during the
evening, the Infantry being divided into
four companies commanded by Capt. VIM.
l.. Bumgardner, Lit. McChesney, Sergeant
L j. CroWder and Capt. Culin, with Capt
Wertembaker the Oldest Captain of volun-
leers in the State troops, acting as Major
Of battalion. Capt. W. is an experienced
tactican and highly complimented this,
tie first battalion drill 1T the troops. The
spectators were highly delighted with the
| exhibition.
| THE DEPARTURE.
The hour for departure having arrived,
the troops were drawn up in front OF the
McCurdy House, and Capt. Wertembaker
having been selected to bid farewell to the
citizens OF Covington, did SO Oh behalf OF
the military and the visiting citizens OF
J Staunton and Charlottesville. He thank.
cordially of their reception, and the unex-
pected attentions they had met with. They