Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-05-31
AFTER THE BATTLE.
OBSERVANCE OF DECORATION DAY,
The Sham Battle and Parade-Graye
Decorating-Competitye Drill
Washington Gets the
Cup - Notes.

Yesterday morning dawned as bright
and clear as the most sangulne could have
expected, and as the portion OF the city
near Twelfth street was aroused TO lie,
il became conscious OF some usually
sweet music which was produced by the
Turner Band OF Marietta. AS the sun
gradually climbed the sky, it became APP
parent that an exceedingly warm day
was in prospect. And it was. The sky
was coppery with heat, and all nature
seemed fairly smoking. The vertical
ravs of the sun beat down with tremen-
dous force, that was but little modified
by the stiff air in motion. The city wore a
cav and holiday air, and was tiuttering
with flags, brilliant with gay uniforms
and vocal with martial sOunds,-the
voices OF war.
THE DECORATIONS
began very shortly after the hour fixed
by the programme, and We're conducted
by Col. Sterling, Capt. Dickey and Quar-
termaster Franzheim. 1t was found
impossible to get the "baby-waker' to
sound the signal from Wheeling hill, nor
was it necessary. Very many people
were present at the cemeteries and saw
that the graves OF their soldier friends
were duly garlanded. Mt. Wood, the
Peninsula, Greenwood and CaldwelPs
Run Cemeteries were visited and hand.
somelv decorated. The flowers were
made up into wreaths, bOquets and vari-
Gus other shapes by the ladies, and
when tastefully placed upon the mounds,
presented a most beautiful and pleasing
appearance. BY ten o'clock the decord-
tions were complete and the different
squads returned.
THE ASSEMBLING.
At this time the streets were filled
with great crowds of people moving in
every direction, while from boats and
trains still they came. A perfect exc
dus from the neighbOrhOOd to the city
set in and the vicinity yielded up its
thousands OF people, until the wonder
was where they all came from. EXcur-
sion poured in from every place and the
horses were taken from many plough
to bring the folks in the old wagon or the
family Chaise.
And the military came in force. Col.
Miller's quarters resembled a recruiting
Office i'm war time. a score OF saddled
horses with army trappings stood in
waiting at the door, and the glittering
staff clustered about in brilliant disor-
der. The Putnam Light Artillery, Capt.
BoswOrth, of Marietta, and the Salem
Rifles, Capt. Hartlett, OF Salem, came
first and were quartered before anyone
knew of their arrivals. They were ac-
companied by the Turner Band, OF
Marietta.
The other companies were received
bv escorts or attachments as lar as was
possible, but some complaints were
heard from those who were compelled
To hunt their own quarters alone and
unreceived. BY noon they had all ar
rived, and were as follows: Col. &. ).
:. Baron and staff and four companies,
the st. Clairsville Guards, Jefferson and
McCOok Guards OF Steubenville, and
Tom Young Guards of GAINESVILLE; Co.
II, Tenth Pa, of Washington; and
Delapain, Davis and Martin Guards OF
the First w. Va, Regiment. With the
latter came Col. Bridges and Majors Nc
Donald aud Lott. Most of these were
0uartered at the New Mcclure and the
others at the Stamm and the different
restaurants.
THE PARADE.
At one o'clock, after considerable diff
ficultv and much labor, the line was
formed at the armory and marched
down Market street in the following or
der:
Field anG Staff
Band.
GOf Guards.
Salem Rifles.
Jefferson Guards.
Band.
Mathews Guards.
MCCOOk Guards.
Tom Young Guards.
Martin Guards.
Washington Company.
ST. ClairSville Guards.
Band.
Sheridan Rifles
Lindsey Cadets.
Putnam Light Artillery.
The procession passed down Market
10 Sixteenth, thence TO Main, south TO
Twentieth, east To Market, south to
Twentv-tirst, west to Main, north 10 Six
teenl, east to Chapiine, north to Twelfth,
west to Main, north to the bridge and
west TO the
FAIR GROUNDS.
Here a lively spectacle was to be seen.
The grand stand was crowded 10 the ut
most, and a dense circle surrounded the
part included in the race course, bnt
leaving the latter clear. Crowds were
still pouring through the gate and over
the fence, while the hill opposite was
specked with groups and knots of people
who preferred the enChantment lent by
i. lp.lr,'t a
The column halted on the west of the
ground, and the ranks were broken TO
enable the soldiers 70 rest and refresh
themselves. After a half hour had
passed people expected to see the COM
petitivc drill, but they didn't With
great difficulty the line was reformed,
and, breaking into platOons, passed
around the course in review. Governor
Mathews was in one of the stands, and
after the troops were drawn up before
him he addressed some brief remarks TO
them, concluding by saying that apOem,
more appropriate than anything he
could say, would be read. Major T. II.
Norton stepped forward and delivered
the following poem:
This day with hallowed thought and gentle
mana,
With grateful heart and tear-Stained eve,
Each patriot lover of this glorious land
joeS forth 10 deck the graves where Heroes lie.
No pomp and circumstance attend the scene,
But sadly 10 the warriors silent tenement OF
clay
Come sons and daughters who with sweet and
tender mien,
Plant thick the yerdant mounds with loyeliest
flowers of May.
Oh sweet and solemn is the hour, oh ble>t the
day
That wakcus sacred memories Of our gallant
dead.
Time may soften grief but cannot take away
The glory Of the mighty deeds in which their
blood was shed.
We do not :pause to question, we do not ask to
know,
II they wore the Northern blue, or the tattered
Southern gray,
So they fell with honor and with their faces to-
ward the foe.
As soldiers. God will bless them and wash their
sins away.
To the living left behind them comes lesson,
grand, sublime,
To guard against the tongue OF faction which
strikes with poisoned sting
At the life OF every Nation that stems the tide OF
time.
And in its trains Of horrors wild wars and desc