The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-16
HUGE CROWDS CHEER THE MEN
LINE OF MARCH PACKED WITH
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
Affecting scenes at Camp-OId First
10 Go to WashingtOn-Oth-
ers Leave To-day.

/ VIII get away Inc One-NuDuTeu-dHQ-
sixtleth formerly the FirsD. under com
! mand of Colonel Barnett, will remain in
camp awaiting orders.
weary march of six miles faced the
| boys of the e-hundred-and-ffty- seventh
| Indiana Volunteers and of Battery A. of
| indianapolis, and Battery E. of Fort Wayne,
as they passed out of the big gates of the
| fair grounds and set their faces to the city
| under clouds that let out a sprinkling rain
and threatened a downpour. In front rode
| Police Superintendent Quigley in his buggy.
| and behind him the regimental commanders.
| a wall which turned back the broad stream
| of carriages and bicycles which had gone
1 out to meet the parade. The crowds of
| spectators grew stronger and stronger until
| the column turned into Meridian street,
when the soldiers saw on either side of their
| path solid banks of men, women and chill
| dren of all ages, who started deafening
! cheer at the first sight of the army blue
| which waved and resounded down the
! streets in advance of the column and ended
! not until the trains which bore the soldiers
| pulled out of sight from the yards at South
| street.
Behind the banks of people at the sides
| of the street the houses and the yards
| cleaned with the red, white and blue hung
| from windows and roofs, floating on STATS
| and waving from sticks thrust into the sod
| of the yards. Fluttering with the flags were
| the handkerchefs of ladies and the hats of
I men, At every street crossing carriages and
| bicycles were packed between the people on
| foot.
AT steady swing the boys in blue
/ stepped square after square, the music
| of the band in front deadened by the heavy
| atmosphere. The heat became almost unen-
| durable. The boys blouses were buttoned
| tightly from throat to below the waist, the
| heavy knapsacks and blankets rolled on top
| pressing down with a dead weight which
| grew at every step. Backs and legs grew
| tired, but hearts were buoyed by the praise
| unending which came from the crowds and
| the pressing of comrades elbows on each
| side.
People and people, indistnguishable in
their vast numbers, were photographed on
| the eyes of the soldiers as with faces
! straight ahead they followed the ranks in
| front. The boys of the Third and the Fort
| Wayne battery knew but few and saw
| none in the crowd unless a friend pushed
| to the front and shouted at them. With
| the boys Of Battery A it was far different.
| On every side they saw fathers, mothers,
| sisters, brothers and sweethearts. Many
face in the lines of the battery paled under
| the sweat and flush of the heat at sight of
| those dearest to them in the crowd, and
the agony of seeing their tears and drawn
| faces can never be described. The adula-
| ton of the crowd was sweet to the young
soldiers, but some of them as they swept
| along saw the worst that they can see ex-
| cept in the fiercest battle, the anguish of
| those they loved.
The heavy rain which had threatened all
| the afternoon came head Of he
| column reached Vermont street, and the
| boys bent their faces under their wide hats
| to escape the beating drops. Then high
| above the shouting of the crowd pealed the
| chimes of the Christ Church bells in a
solemn hymn. To the right the statue of
Schuyler Colfax in the center of University
| square looked down on the boys as they
| passed AS the bells chimed on a phan-
| tom procession assed north. 1t was Me-
| mortal day, and behind the banners draped
| with crepe the muffled drums sounded the
| march. Old broken white-headed men
marched at the sides of straight and sound
| ones. The phantom crowds of spectators
were silent as the tomb. The phantom pa
| rade passed on TO a cemetery orator
| told of the deeds of those that had fallen in
| battle or had died since the war, flowers
| were laid deep on graves, prayer, and the
phantom vanished at the sound of
America from the chimes in the tower OF
| the church.
| Two more squares the procession of young
soldiers marched until the soldiers and
| sailors monument blocked their way and
| carved in the great stone tablets were the
! dates and numbers of Indiana soldiers in
| the war with Mexico, the war with the
British and the capture of Vincennes, and
the wars with the Indians. Around the
| Circle the column cured, and as it again
| struck into Meridian street. at it's back was
another tablet on the monument that told
of the number of Indiana men in the war
| for the Union. The last line said KILLED
and died-land forces-2441S," and below
there was a blank space-would it be filled
| after the end of the war with Spain with
numbering of the dead which now marched
past in the prime of life? Just then a great
concerted shout arose from section of the
| crowd Boys, remember the Maine and
an asserting cheer from hundreds more
| chorused it, A cannon shot rang overhead
| followed by others as fast as men in win
| dow high above the regiment could load and
fire.
| South Meridian street felt the tramp of
| the hundreds until South street was reached,
| where the column turned to the east and
| halted as the first ranks stood on the Penn
| sylvania tracks. and the policemen fran
| tically pushed way through the crush of
| lookers-on for the troops to reach the cars
| which were to bear them South. An old
| woman with gray hair flying burst through
the arms of the policemen and threw her
| arms around the neck of one of the sol
! diers. Sobbing and moaning. she kissed
him again and again. and his comrades
looked with plying eyes. a boy from
the crowd who evidently was another son,
| took the mother by the arm and gently
pulled her away. and bid his soldier brother
tremtilous goodbye as he led the old
| woman away.
The train which stood ready began filling
up with the troops. The boys no sooner
were in the cars until the windows were
! raised with a bang and their bodies shot
] half way out to watch and talk with the
! crowds. Their hands were grasped by peo-
! pie whom they never before, and they
heard from voices of strangers, Take care
of yourself: good luck to you" A boy
perched high on telegraph pole yelled
| three cheers for the Indiana soldiers" and
| the hearts OF the soldiers sweled as from
/ the thousands which pressed against the