The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-17
The Gallant One-Hundred-and-Fif
Eighth, with Colonel Smith, March,
es Through the City.
CROWDS BID THEM GODSPEED
ONE-HUNDRED-AND EN-
BARKS AT THE GROUNDS.
Another Day of Affecting Scenes of
Parting at the Camp-But One
Regiment Left.

Smith has conducted the affairs of the old
Second Regiment I. N. G., was never more
apparent than yesterday when the One
Misunderstanding eighth Regiment of Indi-
ana volunteers broke camp at the fair
grounds and started for their trains, which
were waiting for them at the Big Four Rail-
way, to take them to their Southern desti-
nation at Chickamauga Park. Instead of,
as in the case of the One hundred-and-fifty-
seventh Regiment, marching them through
the mud and rain over six miles of streets
to the railroad, Colonel Smith decided that
the boys would be tired enough in any
event after the long ride to Chattanooga,
without adding to their WEAKNESS by long
and useless march in the city. He, there
fore, decided at the last moment to give
them all a ride to the city; at least, over
the muddy portion. Accordingly, the Street.
railway Company was ordered to have
enough cars on hand at 80 at the fair
grounds to accommodate the entire regi-
ment. This was done promptly and the regi-
ment filed out of the fair grounds gate and
across to the street-car platform, feeling
much better than they would have done had
they been asked to wade through miles of
streets knee-deep with mud inSome places
AS the route had previously been announced
an street, what crowd was waiting to watch
the boys on their way to the city, was
gathered on that street Comparatively few
were met with on Illinois street as the
troops sped along in the Cars Exterior deco
rations were, however, much in evidence all
along the line and the occasional passer-by
helped the cause along by giving vent to
hearty cheer, to which the boys always
made loud response.
At Sixteenth street the troops were I'M
loaded and formed in battalion and COM
pany front. When everything was ready,
the command, right forward fours right
proclaimed the fact that Colonel Smith was
again looking after the welfare of his men.
Yesterday the men of the Northumberland
fifty-seventh Regiment. in marching to the
trains, were lined UP in platoon front, which
is very fatiguing on long march, as the
effort to keep the platoon in a straight line
stretched across the street is a nerve-rack-
ing one. Thus placed at their ease the men
plodded along happy and contented The
weather, after a gloomy morning, turned
out to be propitious, and the sunshine and
the tuneful music OF the band all united to
add something to the spirits of the boys as
they marched down Illinois street amid the
waving of flags and the cheering of friendly
voices The crowds along the line of march,
while smaller than Sunday, were not lack
ing in ways to make their appreciation felt.
At the head of the troops came Col. Harry
B. Smith, with his staff on all sides of him.
Then came the new Lafayette band, which
kept the boys in coed spirits by almost con-
tinual bursts of martial music. Then came
Lieut.. Col. Ed Thayer, of Greenfield, fol-
lowed by the rest of the regiment. AS Com
panies A, f and II, of Indianapolis were
seen by the crowds and, recognized, the ire
mendous bursts of applause told how much
of the pride of Indianapolis was centered in
that portion of the parade. The one feature
that in the minds OF the old-tmers, was
lacking, was the familiar face of Had"
Murphy who. for so long served as the adj
jutant for Major Ed Thayer, before the pro-
motion of the latter to the lieutenant
colonelcy. In his place, however, was an
other good man, ex-Major William B. Po-
land, who was, for a long time. the engi-
neering officer on the staff of General Nc
kee. = 9-.3
Passing south on Illinois street the process
sion swung into Ohio street, going eastward
to Alabama. Here a great reception had
been arranged for them by the courthouse
officials. The building and those adjacent to
it was a mass of decorations and the win
dows full of officials and employees of the
county, who let out cheer after cheer as the
troops passed that point and swung into
Washington street Here a larger crowd
had collected and extended a hearty well
come to the boys as they passed down to
Meridian street. Here turn was made
nortnward on Meridian street, past the mon
ument, through a throng of people who had
expected to see tie troops come from the
opposite direction. Northward on Meridian
street the soldiers marched until Walnut
street was reached. Here the procession
turned to the west and passed over to the
Big Four tracks, where four sections of
train awaited them.
After the parade of the observation-disclosures
fiftyeighth Regiment had ended at the
crossing of the Big Four Railroad at West
North street, and the soldiers were prepared
to get into the long string of cars which
confronted them, Colonel Smith found that,
instead of the thirty-three coaches which he
had ordered. giving each man seat to him
self, there were but twenty-four The
colonel. always standing out for the rights
and comfort of his regiment, insisted that
before he would allow it to be packed into
the cars as if it were cattle he would camp
~A-S ~@SS~-~SANS
order the regiment disposed itself until the
railroad company should come up to it's
agreement. The railroad officials scurried
around until they gathered enough cars to
make up the required number. and about
S:45 o'clock the regiment moved out of the
city, fixed comfortably for it's two days
trip and praising their colonel for his de-
termination. During the time that the reg
iment was waiting for its full quota of cars
great crowd gathered around and mixed
with the soldiers until the command was
given to climb into the cars.
AS the trains pulled out the crowd gave
the soldiers parting ovation as hearty as
any they had received during the parade,
and as the rear lights of the last train
twinkled in the distance the streets running
away from the track were filed with
streams of people going to their homes.
The track extends through thickly pop
ulated part of the city, and roar of shouts
of approval from crowds gathered along the
course of the trains accompanied the SOL
dlers until they had left the city behind.
re---H--
FLOWERS FOR THE BOYS.