Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-29
NAsnvILLE.s CENTENNIAL.

Ou lOTHlcE DlTAIl-QdyS anu lHC. |
changes within and without that |
have interviewed. II it is good for
it is also good for COM
with the difference that
the intervals between the birthdays
are years in the one case, centuries
in the other.
At least so thinks Nashville, and
she gave on the Goth rousing birth
day reception to celebrate the attain
ment of her first century; and we as
an old friend gladly accepted her
invitation. Our visit commenced
on Wednesday, the 10Th, on the
morning of which day we started
by train from GAINESVILLE. The eager
and excited crowd which densely
filled several cars manifested the
sympathy Of GAINESVILLE with the
sister city. At Guthrie we found
the train waiting for us with three
coaches packed as full as they could
hold with visitors from Evansville,
Hopkinsville and the intervening
stations, and three additional cars
had to be added to accommodate
our contingent, and even the six by
the time we arrived at Nashville
were full to overlooking, for every
station, however small, recruited
our party with crowd bent on see
ing the centennial. When we re-
flected that every other of the six
railroads was occupied with SINH
lar crowd all concentrating ON the
fair capital of Tennessee, and that
the river and the turnpikes were
each contributing its host of sight
seers, it occurred to us as an inscru-
table question, where are all these
people to sleep tonight? FOrtu-
nately our own arrangements had
been made several days beforehand,
through the kindness of our old
friend DIR. j. b. West.
After hasty meal, we hurried TO
the fairgrounds to witness the mil
itary display which was to be the
attraction of the afternoon. Here
we found a crowd variously esti-
mated in numbers; we will not at
tempt calculation, but will only say
that the noble amphitheatre was
constructed to seat twelve thousand
people, and that there were very
few vacant seats. This amphithe-
atre is not, as in most such build
ings, constructed in an enclosed
circle, but its seats are arranged in
an arc of about 40 degrees, or say
One-third of a circle. This gives a
great advantage in a picturesque
point of view, as the seats front the
open country, instead OF a series of
opposite seats, and the site chosen
for the building looking towards
the city is admirably adapted to the
enhancement of this picturesque
effect. Immediately in front of the
seats is level grassy plain, well
adapted for the various exhibitions
customary in such establishments.
Beyond that, ON ground gradually
rising, are to be seen on the right
the Vanderbilt University and on
the left the Fiske Institute. Still
further, in the center, the capitol
hill, crowned with its noble struct-
ure, and around all the distant pur-
pie hills which constitute the rim
of the great central basin of Ten
nesSee.
First to enter the lists was Battery
G of the Louisiana field artillery,
commanded by Capt. NJ. J. FOrtier.
The promptitude and neatness with
which they executed the prescribed
maneuvres ELECTED shouts of APP
plause from the assembled multi
tudes. These being concluded, the
Rock City Guards, Capt. Vinet Don
elsOn, were ordered on the ground.
This is an old organization, though |
at present manned by young sol
diers. As known to this editor |
twenty years ago, no carpet war
riOrs filed its ranks, but whenever
hard fighting was needed in the |
the southern cause, there the Rock
Cities were ready to the minute.
All well, the old soldiers have re-
tired and left the ranks for the boys
to fill up, who, if their country
should need them, will beas prompt, |
no doubt, to give for her their life's
blood as ever their predecessors
were. Suffice it for the present that
they are sedulOus in drill, and if
older companies Of greater expert
ence carried off the prize from them,
they have long lives before them
and will do better next time. AS it
was, they looked like good soldiers
and stepped out like men.
The Porter Rifles, Capt. George
Reyer, followed and evinced care in
their drill. We had not experience
enough to pronounce between the
TWO, but the judges awarded the
slight superiority to the latter COM
Dany. Each company had its favor
srs in the crowd, and received from
hem animating cheers whenever
heir skill gave occasion for it.
The two next companies were
OOked for with excited expectation,
or the impression was universal
hat the gist of the competition
would be between them.
The Chickasaw Guards, Capt.
Iarnes, now appeared. They had
many friends on the
for, as soon as the head of
he column appeared, a shout went
Up that might have awakened the
lead. Wherever there was a Clarks-
lille man, woman or child to be
Ound (and half GAINESVILLE was
here) there was a shout for the