The record-union., 1898-05-09
CHEERS FOR THE SOLDIERS.
COMPANY Es DEPARTURE YES
TERDAY.
Thousands Turn Out to Bid the
Volunteers Good By-Pa-
thetic Scenes.

More than one family in Sacramento
sat down to its evening meal yester-
day with vacant chair at the table,
and there were fathers who, rolled in
| their military blankets, last night lis
tened to the beating surf of the Pacific
| Ocean and wondered when they would
again hear the Good night, papa" of
their little ones and feel once more the
soft, loving arms that were wont to
steal round their necks for a goodnight
embrace.
! Such are the eXigencies of war, but
there is reason to hope that the time
will be short till the men of Company
E, who left here yesterday to be mus
! tered into the army of the nation for
active service against the enemy, will
come marching home with lighter
hearts than many of them carried
away.
| The men must have felt pleased with
the parting that the people accorded
them. 1t seemed as if fully one-half the
community were out to cheer them on
! their heroic mission, and the streets
presented a sight such as is rarely wit
messed
|
| bled in Armory Hail. and, between the
packing of kits, the rolling of blankets
and shaking hands with friends they
We're leaving behind, the men managed
to make a well-supported and success
full attack on long mess table loaded
with sandwiches and other edibles sup
/ posed to be dear to the soldier heart.
/ But there was pain in the parting,
q nd a circulated
among friends, said their good-bys and
( listened to words of encouragement,
! they were constrained and quiet, real
| izng as the time of departure drew
! near the full meaning of it all.
Shortly after / o'clock the company,
! 100 strong, fell in and dressed ranks at
| one side Of the hall. while Company G,
! the Signal Corps and the veterans of
/ the Grand Army of the Republic took up
positions in other sections of the big
hall.
The Second Infantry Band was in
attendance. and as 1.-The Star-Spangled
Banner" crashed forth the boys seemed
to straighten up and face the hour OF
parting like the soldiers they are.
| At 1870 O'Clock the line of march was
taken up, led by the band, which was
/
Behind the veterans marched the Board
of City Trustees, led by Mayor Land,
/ and following the City Fathers came
concourse of citizens Next in the line
came the staff officers of the Second
Regiment. and following these marched
the Signal Corps. Next came Com
pany G, and last of all the boys of Com
pany E, in heavy marching order. Their
appearance was the signal for an I'M
usual demonstration on the part of the
thousands of people who lined the
streets.
The march was from the Armory to
K street. on Sixth to J, down j to
| Second. and on Second to the depot.
The volunteers were under command
of their Captain, j. F. Lucey, for whom
| they have a warm attachment. j. A.
| McMartin is First Lieutenant, and
John L. Hughes Second Lieutenant.
The march to the depot was under
charge of Colonel J. w. Guthrie.
At Second and H streets the Veterans,
the Signal Corps and Company G
formed into line, and the boys who were
off to the war swung steadily down
their front Then it was that the men
who were not included in the call
showed their fellowship for Company
E. Every cap came off and whirled
wildly as great cheers went up for the
boys bound for active duty.
At the depot there was perfect
crush of humanity. No attempt was
made at speechmaking, and the troops,
without hating, filed into the cars re-
served for them Around the cars gath
cred the populace, and the hands OF the
soldier boys were wrung again and
again.
Wives, mothers, sisters, sweethearts,
brothers and toddling sons and daugh-
! tiers were in the throng to receive part
! ing hand-clasps, warm embraces or
| kisses. as the case might be, and many
| eyes were wet with tears as these part
| ing tokens of affection were exchanged.
| Among the men who were leaving TO
| answer their country's call to arms
were several husbands and fathers, and
| the partings between them and their
wives and little ones were very al
fecting. While the soldiers tried to
comfort those they were leaving behind
with the assurance that the company
would not be called away from the
! coast many fond wives and mothers
felt in their hearts that they might
never again behold their loved ones,
for they know that CALIFORNIA; present
quota of men are liable to be sent to
the far-off Philippine Islands to help
hold the land over which Commodore
Dewey had planted his country's flag.
At 2 o'clock the depot gong changed,
the conductors stentorian voice rang
out "a board!' the locomotive gave
few short, ominous puffs, the wheels
beneath the cars began to turn, and
slowly the train moved out toward the
west.
There was another round of Good
bys." and a sea of waving handker-
chiefs and hats, and then a last, long,
loud ''Hurrah for the boys of Company
e." and the train swung out over the
bridge and disappeared from sight.
The thousands who had gathered
within and about the depot began to
dispense, and as the main throng moved
away a few remained as if rooted to the
spot whence they last gazed on the
faces of their brave husbands, sons or
brothers. Tears flowed down the
cheeks of some while friends or rela-
tives spoke words of comfort to them.
One woman whose husband had gone
with the company was seen to bury her
face on the breast of friend and sob
as if her heart would break She was
10th to leave the place, and when she
did it was with a heavy heart.
An hour later large portion of the
throng were yelling themselves hoarse
over the antics of lot of ball-players