Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-08-21
POINT RIFLES.
Their Reception--A Representative
Body of Men--Personnei of This
Fine Company.

Their Reception--A
BODY of Men--Personnei of This
Fine Company.
Not since the departures OF the gallant sons Of
the HiI City company, the companies which
constituted Vicksburg'S contribution y lhe Con
federate army twenty-five years ago, has NIeks-
bnrg witnessed such an ovation as that OF last
Sunday morning upon arrival of the Vicksburg
e Meridian railroad train which brought TO orr
citv the officers and men Of the West Point
Rihes. The depot grounds and slOping hillside
fO the eastward of IL were covered with
thousands Of citiz MS OF the city and
surrounding country who were present
to join the Volunteer Southrons in
extending a hearty welcome 70 tnelr guests and
friendly contestants for the championship hon
ors OF the best drilled company In Mississippi.
AS the train rolled into the depot grounds a
section Of the Warren Light Artillery began
blazing forth its thunder like notes OF welcome
in a salute Of ten guns and the Firemen'S Silver
COrnet Band began playing the National airs,
and amid the cheers of the assembled populace
the West Point Rifles disembarked and were
greeted by the Volunteer SOuthronS who
were drawn up in line to receive tAem.
of march from the depot to the hotel and armory
was formed, headed by the Firemen'S Silver
COrnet Band, then came the West Point kities,
the Volunteer Southrons bringing up the rear.
They marched up the hill into Washington
street, and up Washington street to the armory
of the VickSburg Rifles (who had rendered the!lse
Of their armory to the West Point Rifles during
their s0jOurn In the city. After stacking arms
and divesting themselves OF their ac~coutrements
here, they were next escorted to the Washing
ton hotel, where they were assigned to quarters.
After liberal time had been given for refreshing
themselves and making their toilets, an INVITA-
ton was i'll in order on the programme Tor them
to again fall in and, preceded by the Dand ana
followed by the SOuthrOns to proceedt0 the Mag,
nolia Club rooms and partake OF a lunch ana
punch, which had been p epared for them there
by tie Southrons. Good cheer reigned
supreme, and a hearty toast Of welcome
was drank by all to the Rifles, which was re-
sponded to by their commander, Capt. Levy,
who expressed the pleasure and thanks OF him
self and men at this enthusiastic ovation and
reception at the hands of the people Of Vicks-
burg; said that in the coming contest should they
loose the hOnors, he knew OF none to whom they
would more gracefully yield them than theVlolun-
teer S0uthrons, upon the other hand, should his
company succeed in. plucking the much-c0veted
blue ribOn from the brOm OF the Southrons, they
would wear them with becoming m0desty; but
let the hOnOrs rest where they might in the end,
he would assure them Of good will between, all
concerned, and closed by saying that they had
come there not to make speeches but to eat and
drink, and holding a glass of sparkling punch
high in the air, moved that they proceed to bus.
mess. After an hour thus spent they returned
to the hotel and retired to their quarters until
evening, when the Southrons called for the
Rifles in carriages II rode them
through the principal streets OF the
city n to the National Cemetery and back
and thus ended the first days programme.