The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-21
TROOPS PARADE FOR LEE.
THE ARTILLERY SALUTE IN HONOR
OF THE GREAT COMMANDER.

Crowds Witness the Display IN the
Park Extension Interesting
Events Follow the Parade.
The parade yesterday afternoon in honor
Of the memory OF Gen. Robert +. Lee
was one Of the best ever made by the
Savannah military.
Each of the last half dozen or more pa
rades has appeared TO be better than any
that had preceded #. That was the case
with the last parade. 1t could hardly be
said to have been any better that the pa
rade last November in honor Of the I'M
nois military. but it was equally as good.
The feature about it was that every COM
mand urned out with fun ranks. There
was not a company with less than forty
men in line, and the average was over
fifty. The total number Of men in line
was nearly 600
The commands assembled promptly. the
usual order being observed, as follows:
The First regiment.
The Savannah Volunteer Guards bat
talon.
Chatham Artillery.
Georgia Hussars.
The First Regiment band headed the
line. Col. W. W. Gordon of the First
Regiment Of Cavalry was in command.
capt. Aeneas Way, adjUtant, and Capt.
j Q. Postell, inspector of rifle practice of
The First Cavalry, served on Col. Cor
don's stan. At Col. Gordon's request TO
the other commands TO detail an officer
from each to serve on his staff, Capt. J.
q. farrell Of the First regiment infantry
and Lieut.. w. r. Leaken of the Guards
battalion, were detailed for duty.
The First Regiment of Infantry. Geor-
ga volunteers, was commanded by Maj.
Edward Karow, Capt. John Flannery TAX
ing Maj. karow's place in command of
the First battalion of the regiment. Mai.
"A. X lsaWtOn. lf, was in command of
the second battalion. The staff officers
of the regiment We're Capt. r. G. Call
ard, adjutant, and Capt. w. n. Nichols,
inspector of rife practice.
The regiment made a splendid showing,
each company appearing with full ranks.
The number Of men with each company
was as follows: First battalion, Capt.
Flannery commanding, Irish Jasper
Greens, Lieut.. Gleason, Is; German Vol
unteers, Capt. Kolshorn, 40; Republican
Blues, Capt. Dixon, 81; second battalion,
Maj. Iawton commanding, OglethOrpe
Light Infantry, Capt Rockwell, SO; Sa-
Vannah Cadets, Capt. Brooks, 6S.
The Guards Battalion turned out 1S4
men, Lieut. Col. William Garrard com
manding. The company commanders re-
ported the following strength: Company
Il, Capt. Screven, AZ; Company c. Capt.
Cam, Al; Company d. Lieut.. West, Al
Company A, Lieut.. Huger 43.
The Chatham Artillery showed up
splendidly. The company brought out six
guns with 6S men. Honorary Capt. John
u. Wheaton and Honorary Lieut.. r. f.
Harmon We're out with the veterans de-
tachment. Capt. Walker was in command
of the company, with Lieuts. Cam and
The Georgia Hussars made a splendid
showing and looked very handsome,
though they wore the regulation and not
the dress uniform. A New Yorker who
saw the parade remarked that the Hus-
sars looked as If they meant business.
The Young Hussars also turned out on
the parade "a strong, and made fine
showing. All the boys want now is their
horses. Capt, Charles Edmondson was in
command, with Lieuts. Beirne Gordon,
Jr., and Ralph Meldrim.
The line moved shortly after o'clock
the march being out Bull street to CASTOR,
TO Drayton, and thence to the parade
ground. The line Of march was shorter
than usual, but this gave the commanding
officers more time to exercise their com
mands on the parade ground after the
dismissal of the parade Thousands of
people viewed the parade along the line
of march and at the parade ground and
expressions of pleasure at the fine show
ing made by the troops were general At
the parade ground the line was formed
with the infantry on the west side and
the artillery and cavalry on the north
side. After the line had been reviewed
by the commanding officer the artillery
was directed to fire the salute in honor
of Gen. Lee, which was done in good order.
After the general parade was dismissed
the commanding officers took charge of
their commands. The Guards battalion
was marched across the field and back
to the arsenal, where the battalion was
formed in the drill hall and addressed by
IL
the battalion on the fine showing it made.
Among other things Col Garrard remined
the members of the battalion that it was
their duty to obey orders not TO discuss
them, and that every order issued by the
proper military authority must be obeyed
without question.
Majors Karow and Lawton put their
battalions through an extended drill, af-
ter which there was a dress parade and
review of the regiment, which was in
good style.
The Hussars were put through the sa-
Der exercises by Capt. Gordon. This is
a drill not often seen, and was very much
enjoyed. Capt. Walker took advantage of
the fun turnout of the Chathams to give
the battery a thorough drilling with the
guns. This was also something new to
the crowd, and was watched with great
deal of interest. After the drill the Chat
hams dismounted and marched to the
residence of Capt. F. G.. Strachan at New
Houston and Drayton streets and made
him a complimentary call. 1t goes with
out saying that they were given hearty
welcome The artillerymen gave three
cheers for their host before returning to
their guns.
The day with the military was a most
successful one throughout and showed
the military of Savannah TO be in better
condition than ever. Col. George A
Mercer, who has recently rendered his
resignation to the governor as commander
of the First Regiment, viewed the parade
from a carriage. Col. Mercer was given
a pressing invitation by Col. Gordon to
review the troops on the ground, but de-
clined his physical condition being such
as to prevent his mounting on horseback
and being too much of a military man
to think of conducting a review in any
other manner
After leaving the reception rendered by
Col. Gordon to the military officers of the
city last night the officers of the First
regiment, marched in a body to the res
idence of Col. Mercer on Whitaker street,
headed by the First Regiment band. for
the purpose of paying him their respects.
They were given a hearty welcome by
Col Mercer and an hour was spent very
pleasantly. General regret was expressed
. by all the officers that Col. Mercer should
have felt it to be his duty to tender his res
ignation TO the governor, after having for
SO many years commanded the regiment
with such success. The numerous pleas
ant associations of the past were recalled
The occasion was entirely informal, and
there were no set speeches. Judge Faln-
giant who accompanied the party, made
some touching and appropriate remarks
in his usual happy style. Col. MERGERS
response was fun of feeling, and showed
his appreciation of the. sentiments ex-
, pressed. 1t can be said that Col. MERGERS
retirement from the volunteer service is
deeply regretted. not only by the officers
and men of his own command, but by
those of all the other commands of the