The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-15
JOYOUS VETERANS
Battles and Victories Are
Recalled.
Reunion of Old Soldiers Around the
Festive Board Amid the Most
Pleasant of Surroundings.

Around the banquet table at the Hotel
California last evening were seated sixty
two vett rams of the Mexi'an War and
number of invited guests. The occasion
was the celebration of the forty-seventh
anniversary Of the entrance of the Ameri-
can army into the City Of Mexico, by the
Associated Veterans of the Mexican War,
and it may safely be said that never IN the
history of the organization was there ever
so enjoyable reun on as that which took
place last evening. E ght O'Clock was the
hour set for the banquet, but long before
that time the old soldiers began gathering
in the corridors Of the hotel and passed
the time pleasantly in recalling old scenes
and refighting past battles.
The banquet was by far the most sue
cessful in the history CT :he Associated
Veterans of the Mexican War. and 1t was
| indeed an imposing scene to gaze upon the
long line of tables lined on either side
with the former comrades of Generals Scott
and Taylor and the now griZZl d warriors
/ who assisted so materially in the acquisi-
| ton of such vast and valuable territory
to American dominion.
They were present in force, and the
| Handwriting and congratulatiOn was one
| of the features of the event. Not the
most important by any means, for the
! hotel management evidently exceeded all
previous Efforts in its eudeavors to do
! honor TO the distinguished veterans. The
| parlors on the second floor were used as
recepti0n-r0oms during the early part of
the evening. and al the appointed hour a
double column was formed, headed toward
the handsome banquet-hall.
Comrades, forward. march" was the
signal given by the gray-haired marshal of
! the occasion, and even the veterans them
selves could not help but smile pleasantly
at the warlike tone of the comm nd issued
amid such pleasant surroundings.
They obeyed orders, with the secretary
| of the association, Captain w. l.. Duncan.
and Governor Markham leading the way,
arm in ann.
pleasing sight it was which greeted
the gaze Of the veterans. Tive lines of
| tables were placed along the sides of the
banQuet-IoOm, and across the north end
was placed another, at when the officers
and distinguished guests of the evening
were placed. Governor Markham Occu-
pied the center, while ON either side were
seated: General W. II. Barnes, Colonel
| j. q. G. Lee, Colonel j. Stuart, Colonel j.
P. Irish. AT The head of the remaining
two tables were seated the chaplain, Rev.
Douglass o. Kelly, Irving NJ. SEQ t, Colonel
| w. K. Smed berg, Judge +. Adams. Hon.
| c. w. Cross, Judge w. G. Barne t. Horace
G. Platt aud Colonel A. Andrews. The
| latter favored the gathering with a song
| toward the close of the banquet, and, as
usual his vocal effort. in spits of the per-
ceptible effect of the fog upon his voice,
was papable bit. The colonel has evil
IDENTIFY been singer in his day.
Miss Constance Laurence, handsome
young woman who was made an honorary
member of the association when she was a
miss IF 10 years OF age, occupied a promi-
nent position at the head of one of the
| tables, and TO say that the veterans were
proud of their daughter of the regimen"
would but family express their feelings.
Major Sherman was present, as were ais
| Captain S. j. Loop. Colonel Mcdonald
and William Ruddick. one of the youngest
veterans of the Civil War. Major Sher-
man, by the way, was not always soldier.
In the year 1914 he was the first repnr er
To work on the Chicago Evening Journal,
and one of the first assignments
was to report raiiicat on meeting over
the nomination of Henry CLAW. After a
lapse of so long time he still possesses the
| jnurn listc instinct, anu did not hesitate
to give the benefit of his early experience
to the laiter-1ay sclibps of newspap erd0m
who were present. His pointers" need
| less to state, were valuable and acceutable.
The menu was without doubt one of tie
most elaborate served in the city. Rare
wines and triumDhs in the culinary art
were furnished from beginning to end.
and thoroughly were they discussed and
enjoyed by the banQueters.
Governor Markham was the first TO make
an address. and his toast to the State of
California aroused volleys of applause
He said he had Cancelled all engagements
to be present at the banquet, and be
| named California as the land sought after
| by the ancient navigalOrs.
Colonel Irish responded to "Our Country
and Its President" and paid glowing
tribute to all who had occupied the chair
| of the chief magistrate of the nation.
General Barnes in response to "The
Day We Celebrate rendered q mastery
effort aud commented particularly upon
the glorious achievements of the handful
comprising the American army in Mexico.
The remainder of the toasts and re-
spoDses were as follows: 1.-The Army of
the United States" Colonel j. g. G. Lee !;
1.-The Navy of the United States" Irving
NJ. Scott Esq; The National Guard"
Colonel w. X. Smedberg; "The Press"
w. NJ. Bunker. ESQ.,; Territory Ac-
uuired," Judge Fred Adams "Our Invited
Guests" Hon. G. w. Cross; Our De-
parted Comrades" w. &. Burnett Esq. !;
.'The Ladies'" Horace G. Platt ESQ.