The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-27
TO
BATTERY D

Battery D, First Battalion, California
Heavy Artillery, was visited in camp at
the Preside yesterday afternoon by a
delegation of relatives and friends, who
came all the way from Los Angeles and
Southern California to welcome the SOL
the State. The reception was something
in the nature of a. surprise and the artil-
lerymen were completely carried off their
feet by the warmth of the greeting.
The Los Angelenos swooped down upon
the camp shortly before o'clock and
overwhelming the guard by sheer forCe
of numbers, gathered their heroes in their
arms and almost carried them to the
Y. M. c. A. building within the reserva-
ton, where for the next two hours they
were fondled, Rugged. kissed and forced
shoWered upon them by the orators from
the south. Then they were taken back
to their temporarily deserted camp and
Toasted on fruits and other delicacies,
comrades of Battery A.
Colonel A. L. Crane of Los Angeles pre-
sided at the reception and made a very
brief speech telling of the object of the
gathering. Judge B. N. Smith of the
Superior Court of Los Angeles County
followed with a stirring address filled
with patriotic utteranceS and words of
lavish but well deserved praise, which
brought a flush of embarrassment to the
Drowned faces of the soldiers before him.
Then came aged Captain Cameron E.
Mayor of Los Angeles, whose two sons
are members of the battery, who well
coined the soldiers with a voice that
trembled with emotion. He was followed
by Colonel Blennernassett, also a veteran
of the Confederate army, who made
speech that vibrated with intensity OF
feeling and brought the soldiers and all
present to their feet dozen times cheer
ing like mad and as often sent the tears
unconsciously coursing down their checks.
But the climax of the reception came
during speech by Lieutenant Diss OF
Battery D when that officer referred to
the good angel of the artillery organiza-
ton Mrs. j. NJ Griffith of Los Angeles.
In opening his remarks he said:
when we learned of the magnificent
reception San Francisco was preparing in
honor of the returning California Volun-
teers we expected that naturally the First
Regiment would overshadow US. In fact
we expected to be lost in the shuttle; but
we have been found and found so well
that we are practically foundered."
Then the speaker referred to the grand
work and open-handed generosity of Mrs.
Griffith In an instant every batteryman
was on his feet waving his hat and cheer
ing like a lunatic. 1t was spontaneous
outburst of affectiOnate regard that lasted
until the hysterical soldiers. were too
breathless to continue. The object Of this
remarkable demonstration was too much
overcome to respond in words. She could
only bow her thanks while she choked
down the SobS struggling in her throat.
Later at her request, Secretary w. II.
Anderson made a short speech in her be-
half, thanking the volunteers for the
tribute.
Mayor Fred Eaton of Los Angeles, Cap
tain Clark, formerly chaplain of the
Seventh California Regiment; Major Rice,
commanding the First Battalion, and Ben
Fehnemann made short speeches and the
Mayor promised the boys an even greater
and more enthusiastic reception upon
their return than they received in San
Francisco.
The following resolutions of thanks
were adopted, after which the soldiers
and their friends from home returned to
their camp on the hillside: