Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-02-11

III red nre. Never was homecoming
regiment given such demonstration.
On the City Hall steps were Mayor
Van Wyck and the officials of the city
government, surrounded by as many
people as could secure foothold.
At the head of the regiment was Col.
Duffy, his short. rotund figure sitting
snugly on his warhofse, his staff officers
grouped about him. Then came the men
marching in columns of tours.
They wore the familiar light SLOUGH
hats. Their gray Blankets were slung
across their shoulders. The tin cups
jingled at their sidesIas they swept along
steadily, bringing tlieir guns to salute,
but making no pause
Their faces were tanned by the fierce
Southern sun. Their forms were lean
and sinewy, like those of athletes in
training.
The cheering mingled with the smash
ing, vigorous tunes played by the bands,
for nearly every organization had band.
In these lulls were the shouts of men
who recognized friena IS in the regiment.
All traffic was stopped on Broadway.
Those in the cable cars bound down
town had the best view of the parade.
Every window was Rblaze. Flags were
flying, but the darkness robbed them OF
effectiveness. Yet there was never a
procession that was more picturesque.
Electric lights glinted on the rifles.
From City Hall to Houston street the
greatest noise was made by the thousands
who were in the windows of the buildings
Those in the street and on the sidewalk
seemed too busy trying TO recognize
some friend Z to keep from being crushed
to do much cheering
The Sixty-ninth could preserve a cor
rect formation only with difficulty, fol-
every few minutes a man or woman
would dart in and hug some one and in.
sist upon marching with him until the
police interfered.
Each minute the crowd seemed to in
crease. There was a deal of cheering
from the Broadway Central Hotel and
the Sinclair House. The Morton Honse
was ablaze with lights and gay with bunt-
ing.
Around Union Square the procession
moved, and there the police who were on
duty went wholly to pieces.
There was a great crush about Madi-
son Square. AS soon as the regiment
struck the asphalt il braced up. The
men seemed to forget the long. tiresome
railroad journey. They marched sixteen
abreast, with their heads in the air and
that long, steady, regular stride which is
one of the results of many hours of drill.
The enthusiasm which the march of
the regiment aroused was greater, in
ratio to the numbers, through Fifth ave-
nue. than it was in other parts of the city.
Men thronged the steps and the windows
of all the clubs.
There appeared i'll the windows and
on the steps of the fashionable Fifth ave-
nue. homes men in evening dress, who
clapped their hands and joined in the
cheering, and women in beautiful gowns,
with gorgeous opera cloaks thrown over
their shoulders, who waved handker-
chiefs.
1t was expected that Archbishop Cor
rigan would review the troops at St. Pat
rick's Cathedral, but owing to the late
ness of the hour he could not be present,
and Father NJ. ]. Lavelle stood in his
stead with uncovered head on the steps
of the edifice and watched the boys go
by. At Fifty-6rst street the procession
marched east to Madison avenue, and
down that thoroughfare to Thirty-fourth
street, and east again to Park avenue,
and then along Fourth avenue to the
Sixty-ninth Regiment Armory,
An enormous crowd had packed itself
around the armory, and there was a rush
for the doors by friends and relatives as
soon as the men had entered. Chief of
Police Devery was at the door with a
squad, and as soon as he saw that the
place was filled and that there was danger
in admitting any more, he gave the order
to clear the street in front of the armory.
This only served to complicate matters,
and the policemen had finally to draw
their clubs and by main force push the
mass back into Third avenue. 1t was all
splendid and tremendous, for no regi-
ment coming home crowned with the
honors of war, with the record of mighty
battles, was ever so greeted as was the
Sixty-ninth, which gave nine months of
time and spirit that longed for fighting
to the United States.