Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-11-09

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coined to their home city and each was
presented with a medal commemorate
ing the occasion.
For a fortnight everything else has
been secondary in local interest to the
Homecoming Of the Fifty-first. All day
yesterday the interest of the town was
conferred in the event of the evening.
Every bulletin indicating the probable
hour Of the companies arrival was de-
voured with eager interest. NOBODY
thought or talked of anything else but
the reception for the soldiers.
Trip From Council Bluffs.
The trip from Council Bluffs was
made in excellent time, and just before
8 o'clock the train with the Des
Moines companies rolled into the sta
ton. The train with Knoxville and
Oskaloosa had come in short time
before and gone on through, the COM
panies being determined to brook no
more delays in getting home. When
the long-awaited Des Moines train at
last came in, the depot grounds and
streets for blocks were packed with
people. First consideration was given
to the relatives and immediate friends
Of the soldiers. These occupied tho
platform. When the train came
through Valley Junction a few emissar-
les boarded it. The last packing and
preparation for Decentralization was
completed in the next few minutes, and
when the train came into the station
it's passengers were standing in the
aisles and crowding the doors and
platforms. Another minute, and the
boys in the blue uniforms were In the
arms Of their fathers and mothers sis
tiers and brothers. There were greet
ings and embraces and EXPLANATIONS of
delight, occasionally a sob. and a great
deal Of laughter and happiness. 1t was
all over very quickly, for the boys
owed one more duty to the public. They
must form for the march through the
city. and to the Auditorium. where a
few more speeches were to be levelled
at their devoted heads. And right he
roically did they tear themselves away,
and turn to the serious business of the
hour. For such is war; and everybody
knows what General Sherman said
about war.
The parade started up Fourth street,
with a platoon of police leading, fol-
lowed by Troop A, sundry distinguished
guests in carriages, the local G. A. r.
posts and civic organizations. The
troops did not make an imposing APP
pearance. They carried no arms. for
these were turned in when they left San
Francisco. They did not attempt to
preserve very regular formation, for
with a score of people crowding around
each particular soldier, insisting on
pulling ct his sleeves, shaking hands
and exchanging greetings, order was
impossible. But if they were not very
military in their appearance, each SOL
der bore a certificate of character
which proved his claim to admittance
in good military society.
Wear Three Service Stripes.
Every enlisted man in the company
came home wearing three stripes on his
arm. These are significant of the ma
ture of their service, and are adopted
under a recent order of the department
The first white stripe is for service in
the Spanish war; the second,
for service in the Philippine war: above
these is gold stripe, for service out
side the United States. Thus the men
are marked as veterans of two wars
and as soldiers who have gone outside
their own country for service.
In addition to the sleeve decorations
of ENLISTED men, each man is entitled
to wear the corps badge Of the Eighth
army corps. 1t represents figure IS"
in enamelled metal. AL: the American
Philippine soldiers belong to the Eighth
corps. Officers are entitled to wear the
! corps badge, but not the service stripes.
| served In the volunteers or who vol
unteered in the regular army for SER
vice during the war only, and who re-
manned in the army beyond the close of
| the Spanish-American war. will be pre-
scented by congress with a special con-
gressional medal Of honor. The presi-
| dent in special order to the troops.
thanking them for their service in the
| Philippines, gave his pledge that he will
n 10 nv on rto 20 ha
| passage Of the necessary resolution.
| After forty-five minutes of greeting
by friends and relatives and repeated
efforts to obtain order by having the
band play and glee club sing, the
Fifty-f1rst girls give the Fifty-first
yell, and officials cry order" and at
tention" until they were hoarse Sid
ney Foster. chairman Of the evening,
mounted chair and In his deepest
tones declared in voice that could be
heard above the din that unless order
was had Immediately the programme
| would be called off and there would be
no speeches. medal presentation or any
thing else. This had the desired ef-
| feet, and in a few minutes things were
running smoothly.
Mr.. Foster said he thought the most
/ proper and fitting manner in which to
begin the reception to the returning
| soldiers was to express what every
one present probably felt. He asked
all to join in singing the long metre
.doxology. 1t was sung with a band
accompaniment and rang to the raft
ers Of the Auditorium.
| Mayor Macyicar's Welcome.
The first speaker to welcome the boys
to the city was the mayor Of the city
| John MacVicar. Mr.. MacVicar said:
| Mayor MacVicar said: Soldiers oil
| nf nn
| by which to address you. 1t Is proper
| that your last formal welcome should bt
| by your home city and by your friends
ana neignnors, Nearly TWO years ago w
] cause Of humanity and In defense OF your
aonntry's honor. You went forth chan9ed