The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1897-10-29
COLOR ESCORT.
u THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OF
ALL MILITARY oBsERvANcEs.

~ THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OF
ALL MILITARY OBSERVANCES.
Ceremony In Honor of the Stars and
Stripes That Touches the Patriotic Chord.
4 The Respect For the Flag Which Is
shown by Men. Women and Children.
There is nothing that more conduces
30 make good, true and loyal soldier
than to inculcate in him love and re-
spect for the flag he has sworn to up
hold and defend To bring about this
end, there are certain ceremonies in the
army that are Intended to impress the
wearers of the uniform with the dig
nifty of the flag One of these ceremonies
is called the escort to the color Z" and
lit is the finest and most impressive of
~ all military observances Every regi-
ment carries two fiags-one national,
the other the regimental, which carries
the number and name of the regiment.
These flags are kept at the residential
quarters of the colonel or at his Office,
where they are zealously cared for 1t
is when the regiment parades. and these
that the escort to the color is carried
hs1ethe regiment has formed line
Trade, the colonel details com
.g1fiy g bring the colors and escort them
to their place in the line. The company
marches in column Of platoons, headed
by the band, which does not play as
the march down the front of the line is
made. The two color sergeants, old and
faithful soldiers appointed to these de-
sired places by reason Of long service
and military bearing, march between
the two platoons. Upon arriving in
front Of the building where the flags
are kept line is formed, the band stand
ing on the right of the escort
The first lieutenant with drawn
sword, followed by the two color SER
geants. who are followed in turn by a
sergeant armed with rifle, enters the
building and receives the flags When
the color bearers appear, followed by
the lieutenant and the sergeant, they
halt at the entrance and form line, fac
ing the escort Arms are presented, and
the field music (the trumpeters) sound
atArilHng call named ITO the color, !"
during the sound of which all stand mo-
tionless, with arms at the present After
the sounding Of the color has ended
rs are brought to the order, and then
mn of platoons is reformed, the
NJ color sergeants taking places be-
pa the two platoons, and thus guard
the march is taken up, the band
ing spirited air
ound the shady main avenue of the
marches the escort. each soldier
and appearing as if he felt that the
gere intrusted to him alone in
to the company of which he
small a part. How each man
"a to the strains of the march,
Sousa' S inspiring "Stars and
prever " Down past the Off
ers, the porches Of which are
the wives dAnghtars and
sweethearts of the officers parading
goes the escort.
The respect for the flag is not con-
fined to the wearers of the army blue,
for as the escort passes each house
these true and loyal women cease their
talk and stand quietly till the flag has
passed, when the interesting discussion
or the latest news is resumed. Past a
group of enlisted men not required to
attend the parade marches the escort
Each man stands attention, - and re-
moves his cap. A group of small boys
at play is next passed. Every one, a
true soldiers son, stands, cap in hand,
till Old Glory has passed. have seen
this same small boy grow up, pass
through the Point and command one
of the platoons in the escort after grad
nation and maybe in the same company
commanded by his father. This march
around the post has at last brought the
escort opposite the right of the line of
paraded troops, when the colonel COM
mands attention, and down the line
passes the glittering guard.
On reaching a point in the front of
the center of the paraded command the
escort forms line facing the regiment,
the two color sergeants marching to the
front till IL PAGES in front of the colonel
and his staff. Arms are then presented
to the flags by command of the colonel,
and while the trumpeters again sound
ito the color" the flags are allowed to
fly to the breeze, the lances are lowered
in acknowledgment of the present, :"
and now the moment is one to fill the
soul of every lover of his country with
thrill that is indescribable. The silk
and tasseled flags, caught by the rays
of the sun, shine and glisten in front of
the solid ranks Of blue and gold uni
forms massed across the deep green
sward of the parade ground-a picSre
difficult for any pen to portray.
After the sounding of the color the
two sergeants march to their places in
the parade, and the escorting company,
having faithfully carried out it's sacred
duty, now wheels into column of pla.
toons and, headed by the band with in
spring music. proceeds on down the