The herald., 1897-08-15
THE BOYS in :BLUE
BROKE CAMP AND CAME HOME
YESTERDAY
Man Hanged in Efigy and Mock Bur-
ial-Private Meachan Won
the Prize Medal


Correspondence With colors flying,
the band playing and last cheer, the
members Of the First brigade, N. G. G.,
struck" their tents and marched away.
1t was just o'clock yesterday morning
when the sunrise gun was fired to waken
the men for the last time. Inside OF ten
minutes they were hustling around get
ting their personal baggage strapped
up and by the time this was done break
fast was served, earlier by thirty min
utes than usual, that the outside com
panies might make connections in Los
Angeles with the trains which would
take them to their respective homes.
AS soon as breakfast was over there
was once more the orderly confusion OF
at least 600 men getting ready to leave
for home. Tent floors were taken out
and piled in the company streets, cots
were folded and tied in large bundles,
and by $3.50 everything was In readiness
| for the striking of the tents Two men
we're told off to take care of each tent,
all of the guy ropes were loosened, the
four corner ones tied to those or the
tents on either side and the center ones
| tied up. The firing of the first gun or
the national salute was to be the signal
| for the tents to fall There came a puff
Of smoke followed by a report, and in
side of fifteen seconds what had been
,ity of some 200 tents was nothing but
| a fiat piece of land with men in blue
coats wallowing around in great piles OF
dirty gray canvas.
| The work of rolling UP the tents and
| G,ic hl n a
minutes and the men then gathered III
crowds singing, cheering their favorlte
| officers and. telling each other how sorry
they were that the encampment was all
over. In a few minutes fourteen wagons
arrived, were loaded and started on
their way to the depot.
| While awaiting the return OF the
| wagons a crowd was seen to gather al
| The foot of the flagpole, and in another
minute the figure of a man was swing
| ing where "Old Glory" had always been
supreme Most all of the men started as
| fast as they could to see what 1t all
| meant, and one of the officers ran all the
| way from headquarters to find that II
was only dummy. Shortly some one
suggested holding funeral over the re-
mains; the idea took, and While some
started for cot, to serve as stretcher
the rest fell into ranks as perfect IN
alignment as if they were going to dress
| parade. In a moment those VINO mao
| started for the cot returned, the hSure
was laid upon it, and, with bugles and
muffled drums playing the dead march
| they marched up one company street
and down another until they came tC
where a bus filled with officers was
standing. There they halted and called
upon Capt. Dodge of Company B to
preach a sermon over the remains. He
replied with some remarks which were
certainly original as used for buria
Sermon The meEdfhau mmesEdfhausifers % COOK tSo ouse
stood, the dummy was laid on the
ground, a volley fired over it and the
| escort broke ranks for their own COM
pany streets. The wagons soon arrived
and were loaded with the balance of the
| camp equipage and Started again fol
| the depot
| The battaHens were formed and drawn
up in linej when Gen. Last rode up, and
after acknowledg the salute, stated
| that he again wished to thank the men
| for the Interest they had taken and for
| their conduct while in camp and at
Santa Monica. He read a portion of a
| letter from Gen. Barrett, who compli-
mented all for their excellent discipline
and coincided with Gen. Last in saying
that it was the finest brigade encamp-
ment ever held in the state
Col Berry then made a few remarks
In reference to the prizes which were
given during the encampment, and
Private Meacham of Company M was
requested to come to the front. In few
well chosen sentences he presented him
with the brigade medal for the best
score made during camp. The medal
has to be won three times in succession
to become the property of anyone. Pr-
vate Meacham's score was 81 out of a
possible rs. The march to the depot
was taken up. There We're many people
on the sidewalks to see the last of the
boys in blue, including some young
ladies who have made many friends
among the soldier boys.
Many flags We're shown in honor of
the last day." and as the command
passed each one the rifles were brought
to a port in salute. AT the depot a long
train of cars was waiting. They We're
quickly filled, and as the last man
stepped on board they started. The last
the citizens of Santa Monica saw of the
boys" was a long line of heads poked
through open windows, al with q hearty
cheer the First brigade bade goodbye
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