The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-31

VIM. L. Bridges, Of the First West Vir-
GINA; Major Moore, Of GAINESVILLE, Ohio;
Maj. Lott, Of Fairmont
The display was q very Cfeditable one,
although there Was probably not so large
o turnout rs many had bsen led to expect
The soldier boys presented q fine appear
ance, and marched like veterans. The
bRttlers from Marietta especially attracted
much attention, the members OF this Com.
pahy appearing In neat white pants and
blue caps, coats and vests. The Second
Ohio boys wore the regulation blue, while
the blue and the gray was about evenly
divided between the West Virginia and
Pennsylvania Volunteers. Along the
route thousands Of people had gathered to
greet them, aud everywhere they were re-
Ceived with manifestations Of pleasure.
The visitors were made TO feel as much as
possible that they were truly welcome,
and no efforts were spared that would add
10 tho eca Of their march.
Just BEFORE THE BArrLB.
To attempt to describe the crowd or es.
innate their numbers would be a difficult
pouring into the Fair Grounds
through the two gates, iostling,
pushing and crowding each other as II
they were afraid they wouldn't get to see
all that was going on. Old citizens with
their wives, their sisters, their cousins and
their aunts lthis Is perpetrated without
marginal reference OF foot motel, fair la
dies accompanied by daShing escorts,
strangers from the country and neighbor.
ing towns and villages; In fact the entire
population in the Immediate vicinity Of
our good city seemed 10 be present on the
Fair Grounds when ''the bugle call TO
battle" was sounded. The people were
stationed around the outside fence Of the
halt'mile track, and YOU couldn't have
drawn n sword through any space in the
crowd, so thiCkly were they packed. The
grand stand was also densely crowded,
mostly with the fair sex, likewise a small
stand in the centre OF the field OF action.
The Ohio hills, behind whose wooded
crests the sun sinks to rest, were dotted
with %sightseers, who elected rather to see
the engagement AZ q distance, which, il
il did not lend enChantment to the view,
II certainly was the most pleasant place to
view the struggle. The mass OF human.
ity who were inthe Fair Grounds, besides
having to wait an unnecessarily long time
for the boom Of the first gun, were com.
PEELED to swelter in the hot rays OF the
sun, owing to the lack OF shade the
grounds afforded, and, to say the sun was
hot, only conveys a slight idea OF the tor.
rid nature OF the heat But the people
stood the delay patiently and nobly, and
behaved In a very orderly manner.
At last the strains Of martial music were
heard and the gallant soldiery filed into
the grounds and marched TO the west side
Of the grounds, with colors flying, drums
beating and the hilarious part OF the
crowd cheering. Not having a stop watch
We could not time the army in passing a
given point, but a few struggling civilians,
who had tarried long at the nectarine
fountains under the grand stand, passed
the reporters palace in a tedious aud swag-
gering manner that led one to believe they
were greatly fatigued and wanted to sit
down, even if the resting place were a
hornets nest. On the whole, however,
there was q very little drunkenness when
the size Of the crowd is taken into Consid-
Grafton, which is something unusual and
extraordinary in affairs Of the proportions
OF yesterdays event.
We might write paragraph after para
graph Of criticism on the tardy manner in
which the arrangements were carried out,
but We cannot spare the time or space to
enter into details in citing special cases. 1t
was unfortunate that matters were so, as
it detracted greatly from the enjoyment OF
the occasion. The troops were not served
with ammunition until they arrived at the
grounds which took up considerable time.
After the delay incident to the distribu-
ton Of the ammunition, the line was re-
formed and marched to the stand to be
reviewed by the Governor. In the stand
were His Excellency, Governor Mathews,
Auditor Joe Miller, Attorney General Ro-
bert White, State Superintendent Of
Schools, w. X. Pendleton, Secretary OF
State, s. Brady, State Treasurer Thomas
J. West, Rev. J. T. Mcclure, Chap
line Of First Regiment West Va.
Vol. Militia; Mai. Thos. Snyder, Prof.
OF Military Tactics at West Virginia UNI
yersity; Hon. G. D. Hubbard, Mai. Thos.
Il. Norton and a number OF others, inclu.
ding the representatives OF the press.
When the military were formed in front
OF the stand, Gov. Mathews addressed the
soldiers, complimenting them on their
line appearance and welcoming the visit.
ing companies from Ohio and Pennsylva.
MIA. DE expressed the hope that no acct.
dent would occur to mar the pleasure OF
the affair, and without OBTAINING them
longer would introduce TO them Mai.
ThOs. IL. Norton, OF the U. s. A., who
would read a poem. Mej. Norton then
stepped forward and in good voice read
the following poem:
Thls day With hallOwed thought and gentle hand,
With grate!nl heart and tear.staiued eye,
Each patriot lover Of this g~lOTlOus land
Goes forth to deck the graves where Heroes lie.
No pomp and circirrumstanse attead the scene.
Bat sadly to the warriors silent tenement II clay
Come sons and daughters who with sweet and tender
Plant thick the verdant mounds with ~lovelIest flowers
Of May.
Oh sweet and solemn Is the hour, oh blest The day
That WaEepS sacred memories Of our gallant dead;
Time may sOften grief, but cannot take away
Ihe glory o. the ni'EhtyLdeedS In which their blood
We do not pause to question, We DO not ask to know,
II they Totethe Northern blue, orthe tatteied South
So they icll with honor and With their faces toward
As soldier, God will bless them and wash their sin.
away.
10 tne living lett behind them m a lesson, grand,
To guard against III 3 tongue Of faction which strikes
with poisoned Stlng
Al the life of every Nation that stems the tide Of
AM, in is trains oil. horrors Wild wars and d~csola,Ion
Peace hath now for years her whiteued mantle Spread
Ger Gar mountains and our valleys, Der ali our land
And We owe IT to the Heroes, both The living and the
who 3I rescued US from civil strife nnd made our country
Not d IL yAln then have they suffered no, in vain have
II tGi, P;ssepS' not forgotten, and We seek with earn.
To make our Nation srander, nobIsr, aud with honest
In each O'heF''loyal motives, and respect each other,
Let all our laws aud statutes on equal Justice stand:
Aud since our Consultation hath declared ali men 1rc
free, "'
Strike down In righteous wrath the impious hand
That dare1 to clip the soaring wings Of liberty.