Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-24

boys of 81 Turn Out and Call Upon
Admiral Schlcy.


To the veterans of the rebellion fell the
honor of paying final tribute to Admiral
Schley and their call at the residence of
General Manderson just at the dinner hour
Tuesday night was a fitting elimination of
the succession of receptions that has occu-
pied much of the admirars time since
he has been in Omaha The boys of 81,
grey and bending under their years, marched
from Jefferson square to the residence and
there they united in a rousing greeting to
the hero of '9S. The admiral was somewhat
fatigued by his recent experiences but the
cheers of the old soldiers seemed to reach
his sympathies and to no one has he given
a more cordial greeting than to the vet
Grams who had been fighting under Grant
when he was running the batteries with
Farragut.
The affair was under the auspices of the
Union Veterans union and, acting under
orders from Commander ]. II. Driesbach,
the soldiers assembled at jefferson square
at $50 o'clock and began the long march
to the Mandersun residence. There were
over 200 of them in line and, with the addi-
tion of a miniature army of small boys who
were magnetized by the stirring music Of
the drum corps, they formed formidable
array. 1t seemed that about three-fourths
of the Juvenile population of the city Joined
the procession and when it wheeled around
the Henderson corner the street was blocked
in every direction.
The veterans fell into open order, facing
the residence, and when Admiral Schley ap-
peared, accompanied by General Manderson
they voiced a succession of cheers that were
reminiscent OF their fighting days. Com
rade Lee Estele presented their respects to
the admiral in particularly graceful speech
He assured the admiral that, while this was
the last body to formally welcome him to
Omaha the greeting was not the least sin
Cere. There is no Comradeship like that
which comes from drinking from the same
canteen, unless it be that which comes from
sitting around the same mess table. He
declared that the history of the American
navy is that of unparalleled heroism. John
Paul Jones set the pace when he assured
the enemy that he had not begun to fight.
Talks to the Veterans.
Jones had a worthy successor in the gal
liant commander of the Constitution, who
said, Don't give up the ship" another in
Perry, who said. I'VE have met the enemy
and they are ours" another in Farragut,
who said "D-n the torpedoes;" another
in Dewey and another in the man who swept
Cerveras fleet from the sea in Santiago bay.
This was followed by three tremendous
cheers for Schley and three more for Cen
eral Manderson In response the admiral
spoke briefly but with apparent feeling.
He said that he knew of no more endearng
term than that of Comrades" They all
stood together for this great and glorious
republic. There is no knshp so close as
that which comes from association in de-
Tense OF common country.
II never meet a man who wears the but
ton of the Loyal Legion or the badge OF
the Grand Army of the Republic" added
the admiral, but | feel like taking off my
hat to him. If / was a judge on the bench
and one of them came before me l would
not have the heart to punish him, for he
has earned all the repreve that his country
has the power to grant There Is nothing
in the world that touches me more deeply
than the love Of my comrades. Fresh from
the recent war We try to be true to the
traditions of those who stood by this re-
public when it needed defenders. God bless
you ALL"
After renewed cheering, General Mander-
son spoke briefly, largely for the purpose
of excusing the admiral from a further
task OF handshaking that day, He said that
he induced the admiral to come to Omaha
by promising him a season of rest and re-
pose and ever since he had been busy try
ing to convince him that he is not a COM
mon prevaricator, but has himself been
deceived. He did not realize the depth OF
the love of the people of the west for their
hero, and as a result nearly every hour of
the admral's stay in Omaha had been oc-
cupied. He referred to the reception at
Council Bluffs during the day and the en-
gagement at Boyd's theater in the evening
10 excuse the admiral from further cere-
mony, but he was vetoed by the admiral
himself. who proceeded TO step down into
the street and pass between the two lines
of veterans to shake each one by the hand.
Then General Henderson called for three
cheers for the men behind the guns. They
were given with a will and the veterans
began their homeward march, while the ad-
miral went to make hasty preparation for
the theater.