New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-23
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE ASTOR BATTERY HERE
HEROES OF THE MANILA FIGHT REAcH
THE CITY.
BREAKFAST ARRANGED BY FRIENDS AND
RELATIVES THE MEN ALL IN FINE
CONDITION TO BE MUSTERED
OUT sOON-PARADE TO-DAY.

who were equipped by Colonel John Jacob Aston
have won laurels for themselves and have
earned a distinction for bravery and patriotic
service that IL not surpassed by any other
regiment that faced the music Of bullets In the
recent war with Spain They return 20 this city
with splendid record in every way. In the
sault upon Manila the battery led the attacking
column. and when az length the conditions under
which they were nghiing precluded the possi.
billty Of advancing with their artillery. they
charged the enemy with pistols and swords and
succeeded IN forcing the Spanish defenders from
their positions Their behavior throughout the
Manila campaign was such as 10 receive the
highest commentator from General Macarthur
under whose command they were.
LOST SOME MEN.
When the battery marched from this city on
June IL there were nnety-nlne men and three
officers They returned with one officer and
eighty-two men. The lose from death was i've
three dead in action and two from sickness
Six were sent home invaded. and six were dis.
charged FOR one cause or another Two officers
remained behind with the regiments from which
they had been detailed FOR service with the bat
terry one In Manila and one az the Rock Island
Arsenal Three others left the train befors
reaching this city.
The battery arrived AZ the Grand Central sta.
tlon at 6.3O a. m. owing 90 the hour the crowd
10 receive them was less than had been er-
pected but there was no lack ~ enthusiasm
among the thousand or more who thronged the
sidewalk without the station when the train
rolled In. Acting Captain Brennan. of ths
Grand Central police station. with one hundred
men from the East fry and the East
Thirty -hfth-st. stations was on hand 90 handle
the crowd but there was little or nothing for
him 20 do
The tran-a epecial - two seepers and Q
baggage-car-eft Buffalo Saturday evening.
AS soon It reached the Grand Central Station
the waiting men. women and children rushed
past the police lines shouting. cheering and wav-
ing flags and lunches Of flowers. Some Of the
women were weeping from sheer excitement
Discipline among the soldiers was relaxed for
the moment, and the men jumped from the cars
20 disappear into the arms OF fathers mothers.
wives and sweethearts.
committee representing "the parents and
friends OF the soldiers had arranged 10 enter
tain the men at breakfast, az a nearby hotel.
and Colonel II. c. Blair. the chairman, er-
plaiued the programme 70 Captain March. The
platform was cleared the bugler sounded the
assembly. the men fell into line. and al the
word Of command marched out ot the station
fast was awaiting them. Private swentrel had
charge ~ the fox terrier Boojum. which has
been considered the mascot Of the battery sncs
his owner. Sergeant Marcus Holmes. was killed
in the famous pistol charge In Manila,
~ GOOD CONDITION.
The men looked well. a little thin. perhapa
but Il was a spareness Of superb physical con-
dltion and not Of deprivation or overexertion.
Colonel Blair presided at the breakfast and
at the end of the repast he made brief ad-
dress
Captain March and officers and men of the
Astor Battery" he said. we welcome you 20
your homes. From the day you left New-York
until to-day our hearts have followed you. and
I doubt not that FOR some ~ US your absence
has been harder to bear than FOR you your
selves We thank you. Captain March. In par
ticular for the manner IN which you have
brought our men home Some died the glorious
death - the soldier. Some were sick hut the
sickness was small. and We cannot but thank
you for your work"
Captain March. I'm response. sad that speech
making wa. not IN his line. but that he was
glad 20 have an opportunity 20 take exception
To- something which had just been said Colo
mel Blair had said that the Astor Battery men
assumed the life Of common soldiers. lie wished
to contradict that. They We're most uncommon
soldiers he had been fourteen years In the
Army. aud would sooner command the Astor
Battery than any body ~ men he knew or In
the walks of nfe from which they came they
knew little of military tactics. but to-day they
were as good soldiers any In the United
states Army. and the people abroad knew that
the soldiers of the United States Army were the
finest Ia :he world
Major Robbins and Richard sheridan, who
have sons IN the battery. spoke brieny and then
First Sergeant Joseph W. Beacham. jr. former
captain ~ Cornell University football and base
hail teams responded 10 "A call. and made a brief
speech.
Three cheers were given for Colonel Astor ana
his representative. Mr. Ely. and Professor Ben-
iamin Ide Wheeler. OF Cornell University. said
wben called upon for speech that be wn
proud to l"au the Cornell men IN the pAt.
terv had been animated by the old Corneh spir't
of devotion 20 duty and love OF country Ana
AT" A. the close of Professor wheeler's brief
speech the DoNology was sung. ana then ths
bugle sounded for the soldiers % fal IN by
,bis limo A large crowd had collected about the
hotel and the police had 70 clear the way for
the soldiers o. reach tho roadway They pa
raded before Captain March, ana ne led tnetn
hack tn tha railway station 20 unload the bag
pare.car ~ their train The goods we're loaded
ON waiting trucks. and word was given 10 pro
coed 90 the list Regiment Armory Inc cIowo,
augmented AT every street corner cheered the
men vigorously as they marched squad or
mounted police kept the roadway clear Tor thetn-
AT THE SEVENTY -FiRsr's ARMoRY.
The ba-ery marched directly onto the floor or
the armory. greeted with cheers and applause
- their friends. who sat IN the gallery above
They lined up and answered roheal, ana st,er
being assigned 10 cots were dismissed 70 tns
attentions ~ their relatives. Some ~ them VIII
be kept on duty as guard until the pa"eV
,s mustered out. Captain HIS. Of the oth AZ
- ..,, has charge Of the mastering out.
Va, a. would be done some day this week tnul
90 90 contstn March announced. he would be az
liberal as posslbe with !eave ana AL tne a mn
not wanted for guard duty would oe pe'h'eD
=, -, A. home N they wished 10.
All the men had stories Of their experiences 70
,eli hut rome had any complaint 10 mAhe OF
~ ,reatment by the Government or any crit