The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-16
MILITARY CELEBRATION
The May Festival or the Crescent
City Battalion.
The Prize Badges Of the Competitive Drill
Won by the Crescent Rifles.
A Perfect Panorama Of Youth and Beauty.

1 Under The shades OF the grand old oaks at
the Fair Grounds yesterday was witnessed q
scene Of joyous festivity long to be remem-
bered In our city. Before the hour fixed for
the opening OF the festivities the grounds
we're thronged with vast crowds, composed
OF the elite OF this city The brilliant uni
forms OF our State troops and their Mobile
guests almost lost their attraetiveness inter
mingled with the sheen and simmer Of the
beautiful and graceful dresses worn by our
fair women, who, In thousands, graced the
occasion with their presence. The senses
were bewildered and enchanted as they be-
held the Kaleidoscope coloring Of dresses, the
airy, spotless costumes, and the endless
vision Of surprisingly lovely faces. We say
again. 1t was q scene long to be remembered,
and one OF It's kind hitherto unprecedented In
the social history OF this city.
| 1t ID estimated that there were 5000 people
present at the festival Of the Crescent City
Battalion yesterday and that two-thirds of
this number were composed Of ladies belong
| ing to the best classes OF our society. The
| character and number OF thoss present was
compliment Of the highest order to the Cres-
cent City Battalion.
The first event on the programme Of amuse-
ments,
THE MULE RACE,
was announced to start at 2 30 o'clock, but 1t
was some time after this before the order to
saddle up was given.
There were three entries for this event,
Whalens Centennial, Newman's Bandit and
Reagan's Pacific. m=m.5 -..z....
In the pool sales Centennial was the first
choice, but Bandit brought Big price, he
being sold III some OF the pools as second
choice for even more than the favorite. Pa
ciic sold very low and was generally consid-
cred as being entirely out Of the race. It was.
however, only to the initiated few that Ban
dit had been specially named for the occa-
sion, and that under the name of Railroad he
had already made something Of a record.
The mules appeared on the track In good
trim and fine condition.
There was considerable difficulty In getting
a start, Pacific being FESTIVE, stubborn and
unruly. On one OF the attempts to get them
off he flew the track, and went CALAMITY over
two hurdles to the side, and at right angles
with the fence.
Finally, however the word Ego" was given
and good start was made. Centennial took
the lead and held on to 1t until the first quar-
ter was passed, when both Bandit and Pacific
forged ahead, the former going to the front
In this order they passed on around the track,
Pacific pushing Bandit hard and the two
gradually drawing away from the fayorite.
They came down the homestretch Mt rafting
pace, and passed under the string with
Bandit In the lead, Pacific good second and
Centennial distanced. Time, 10 The half
was made In IL. -.5
The second heat did not take place until
after the military display, and very little In
terest was manifested. 1t was won by Bandit,
who took the lead after passing the first
quarter post, and kept it on around under
the string, winning, however, only by neck.
No time was taken.
The second event on the programme was
artillery practice between detachment from
the Louisiana Field Artillery and one from
the Orleans Artillery. 1t, however did not
take place, as on the way out to the Fair
Grounds the tongue on the caisson OF the gun
belonging to the Orleans Artillery broke, and
the artillery men who were riding on the
caisson were thrown to the ground. One Of
jured by the heavy caisson passing over his
foot
The great feature OF the day was
THE GRAND ANNUAL COMPETITIVE DRILL
Of the companies OF the Crescent City Bat
TALON for the medals presented about a year
ago by the lieutenant colonel, @. E. Fenner,
commanding, and which were won the first
time by the League Guards and have been
worn ever since by the members OF that COM
mand
The event had been long looked forward to,
and for several months the officers and mem
hnr rf IN lrn prt mil bod
pairing for 1t. Each command had hosts of
friends among the assembled thousands, all
anxious, all eager and all hopeful, and when
1t was proclaimed that the time for the drill
to commence had arrived and the band an
nounced 10 stirring strains the approach of the
first company there was q flntter OF excite
meDt, which swept over the large audience
gathered on the grand stand, and which grad
TALLY increased until 1t burst forth in loud
cheers from the men and clapping of hands
and waving OF handkerchiefs by the ladies'
The companies appeared In front of the
grand stand, and were put through the man
ual and mauceuyres In the following order:
Nichols Rifles, Capt. Ed. Flood and Lieuts
Murray; Crescent Rifles. Capt. Il. b. Pleas
ants and Leuts. Henry Baker and Wood;
Burke Rifles, Capt. Atwood Violet and
Lients. j. 2. Kelly and f o. Minor; Vaudry
Rifles Capt. A.. Z. Morphy and Lieuts An
gleovich and Ferguson; League Guards,
Capt. w. F. Pinckard and Lieuts. Max Frel-
sen and M. NJ. Wisdom.
Each company as it appeared received
hearty welcome and the drill of each was
given well-merited and unstinted applause
1t would not only be out of place, but at the
same time exceedingly difficult to indulge in
| criticism or'comparison OF the merits Of the
different commands. In the manual OF arms
and in the field movements they were excl
lent, and acquitted themselves In manner
which it would be exceedingly difficult to
equal and far harder to excel.
The position of Col. Augustus Reichard, of
the German Battalion, Capt. Price Williams,
Of the Mobile Rifles, and Capt VIM. Pierce
4 Of the Continental Guards, who were the
judges, was an unenviable and difficult
one to till, 80 evenly were the honors divided.
Their knowledge Of military tactics and their
experience, however, peculiarly fitted them
for the place they occupied. Their
1 M.-. #.M-5 OFFICIAL FINDING
was as follows:
New ORLEANS May Is, 1879.
We, the undersigned Judges. decide the COM
pefltlve drill Of companies Of the Crescent City
4 Battalion III take rank "a fnlIarra.