The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05
II staff in his resplendent col

army chief of staff in his resplendent COL
oneFs uniform.
Behind in two long rows rode the aids
their blue silk sashes lending to ordinary
apparel the effect of uniforms.
The regular army-what a hush came
over the crowd as it came into view. 1t
had formed on Drumm street with the
qulckness and certainty which comes from
long experience, and Colonel Shaftert and
his staff rode at the head as unmindful of
| the curious and admiring glances they
received as though the parade were long
march to the Yosemite Valley and the
hundreds of people standing by merely the
trunks of redwood trees. There was that
In the men-a prouder carriage, a springier
step-which showed that they understood
the occasion and were interested as no Or
dinary routine change of station could in
terest them.
The marines and sailors, too, from the
cruisers marched with the rolling gait
peculiar to those who go down into the sea
in ships. Four pioneers. with pickaxes,
led the way, and caused the often-repeated
but unanswered question, "What on earth
do sailors want with those things?" The
men-o'-wars men returned the curious
glances of the crowd with interest, and
evidenced the fact that this trip on shore
was for them pleasant experience.
But the Continental army was the feat
ure of the first divioion, which caught and
held the crowds attention. Drill Master
Florence had conceived and successfully
carried out a novel idea. Wigged and
powdered men rode at the head and
marched in the procession. Washington
and his generals were there, the very face
of the Father of His Country being repro
duced on his living representative by the
skill of the makeup artist. The quaint,
long-skirted coats, the knickerbockers,
even the curious fashion of dressing the
hair, were faithfully reproduced, and the
effect was as though an old painting had
been endowed with life for San Francisco's
celebration.
Mr.. Florence, in the character of Gen.
eral Warren. commanded the army. A
\ Yapkee-Doodle squad of three followed,
the piper with his head bound in bloody
cloth
The Continentals before the war, or at
its beginning, were picturesque set of
men. Those who had been through one
campaign looked sterner and their uni
forms were not so bright. The ragged
army of Valley Forge told we'll the story
of the sufferings of those who fought for
Americas freedom.
The second division of the parade was
composed exclusively of organizations of
the National Guard. The State soldiery
assembled at the various armories and,
marching down Market, New Montgomery
and Howard streets, took its appointed
station on Main street.
When the procession started it fell into
line at the proper interval, with Brigadier-
General Warfeld in the lead. Along Mont
gomery, California and Kearny streets it
marched in that order, but near the arch
on Market street the crowd was so dense
and pressed SO closely on the soldier boys
that further advance was impossible. The
police were of but little assistance, there
being too few of them to make any per-
ceptible impression on the throng. Fin
ally, the cavalry was summoned from the
re ar of the division and set to work clear |
ing passage through the streets. From |
that point to Van Ness avenue the advance
was a slow one, the horsemen having |
almost to fight back the spectators at every |
step. As result, the first division got |
lead of seven blocks on its successor in |
position and halt of nearly half an hour |
was made to enable the following divisions |
to close up.
The third division was a little late in
forming. The men who were to march in
the line, however, had not been late in an
Swering to their country's call in the |
stormy days of '61, and they jocularly ex-
cused themselves for the harmless tardi-
ness by humorous references to the tide of
years that had swept onward to whiten
their locks and stiffen their steps. And |
the Exempt Firemen-the boys who were
boys when the Twin Peaks were holes in
the ground and who ran with the hose
when tire-fghting was aided only by cour-
age and water, and very little of the lat
ter-appeared ON the scene in slower time
than had been their wont in days gone by.
There were over fifty of them, and although
President George I. Bohen was too i'll to
march in the line, he smiled on his COM
rades from one of the carriages, while An
drew J. Jessup managed the foreman's
trumpet.
George H. Thomas Post G. A. R.,
seventy-fve strong, 7. K. Stateler COM
with drums beating and flags
flying, marched down Market and swung
grandly into Davis street, where Marshal
Stevens and his aids saluted and received
them. Following quickly after came
Lincoln Post, with 100 veterans, JOS
seph Steele commander, making very