The Portland daily press., 1898-09-09
. THE NINTH At HOME.
Massachusetts Famous Fightilg
Regiment Arrives.
THEIR HOMECOMING AN Elk
TREMELY SAD ONE.

To Outsiders 1t Was a Demonstration in
Which Enthusiasm Run Riot-To Reia-
tives and Friends a Heart Touching
Scene.
Boston, Septembe s.-The home coming
of the remnant Of the Boston companies
of the 9th Massachusetts regiment TO-
night at the Park Square station wss one
of the saddest incidents In the long series
of military happening in this oity slnOe
the outbreak Of the war. To those in the
great masses of people in and aboutsthe
depot who had no personal interest In sfse
arrival of the men who fought at Sansi"
ago, it was simply demonstration in
which enthusiasmsran riot. But to those
soldiers and who saw the unloading OF
the cars it was heart touching sight.
The special of six Pullmans came iE5
from Providence at 10. 80 and as 1t came
to standstill in the train sheds the
people cheered and cheered again; then
the crowd surged forward and for time
a large force of police held it in check,
but only for few moments. For Hthen
the friends of the men swnrmed into the
cars. An attempt had been made to
handle the soldiers through the Volunteer
Aid association, distributing such as
were sick among the hospitals and trans
porting the we'll men to their homes in
vehicl es. But the plans almost went
down before the surging crowd and even
Gov. Wolcott, personally assisting In
caring for the men was unable to do more
than get the soldiers out of danger from
too much kindness. The Boston COM
panies alone came up on the train from
quite number were Ill but the excite.
uent made the sick temporarily well and
the we'll almost giants in strength. The
ambulance corps, NJ. V. NJ, Capt. Myles
Standish, commanding. awaited the
coming of the train and its men were put
on the cars the first thing. They took
charge of the boys of the 9th, passed them
along TO the carriages and ambulan ces In
waiting.
Gov. Wolcott first took position where
he could personally shake hands with
each hero, but the crowd was SO great
that finally the governor, Gen. Dalton
and other members OF the staf turned
carriages out of the reach of the crowd
The men of the 9th who came back to-
night did not look like the g men who
four months ago marched proudly
through the streets of Boston, strong In
the first bloom of manhood, the volun-
teers at the call for men to defend the
country's flag. Most of the men were
able to walk through the depot to the
carriages in waiting; many needed the
support of stronger arms, and few were
carried to the ambulances on stretchers.
AS each returned soldier was recognized
his friends would rush forward to greet
him, and those nearby in the fullness or
their welcome would Justify cheer.
AS the men rode away from the depot
the crowds on the sidewalks took up the
cheering SO that the men got an ovation
practically to their homes. In South Bos-
ton especially the men belonging to that
district were royalty received by their
the actual condition of the men will be
known. No fatal results are anticipated.
but the reaction of the excitement OF
coming home is likely to make many OF
the men very i'll. Congressman Fitzgerald,
who came home with the men says:
'The difficulties encountered in
securing furloughs for the men and trans
portation to their homes was simply in
describable. There seemed to be state
of confusion existing in all the DEPART
mems and but for insoessant efforts the
9th would have had to remain another
week.
"Homesickness enervated the men to
such an extent that it very rapidly
brought on additional disease and 10 and and
hospital. 1t was pitiful to so through
the hospital and listen to the appeal OF
the men to be sent home. My last trip
through the detention hospital camp was
on Wednesday afternoon and 1t was gen
orally known that the regiment was
coming home, every man IN poun camps
begged to be allowed to come.
EThe inoompetency of some of those In
command Of the quartermasters depart
ment accounts for the suffarings OF the
soldiers. / have been at Montauk two
weeks. have had occasion to come I'm In
contact with all the departments OF the
Of the war department is brought to Com
gress can speak more plainly than any
other memb er of that body. This pro-
pose to do"
LOWELL'S WELCOME.
Lowell, September 8-The return at
10 40 O'Clock tonight of II mem bers of