Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-10-21
RETURN OF OUR voLUNTEERs.
Their Reception at Home, and Q Brao
History Of the Company.

Vuoff deceptlon at Home, ana o Hx1o1
History Of the Company.
Now that the soldier boys are safe al
home, ningling with those whom their
hearts hold the dearest, and partaking
of the good cheer Of their friends who
welcome them 30 gladly, it is not out OF
place, to give brief review of their ont.
going and their incoming, and some.
thing Of their travels and history in the
tented field.
It will be recalled in the memory OF
cur readers that early in May, 1898
there was a call for volunteers to go to
Cuba to fight for the libeIty of those
people who had 30 long suffered under
the cruel oppression of Spain 1t will
be remembered with what enthusiasm
the whole country answered to the call,
and went pouring forward with i'm.
petus speed and swiftly forming in the
ranks OF war" In this forward move
ment company I of Custer was not be-
hind. They gathered at Sioux Falls
(tbe rallying point and were mustered
into service May 18th, 1898, and lef. for
San Francisco and the Philippine Is
lands (alas not Cuba,) on May Goth, ar
irving at camp Merritt near San Fran
cisco on the End Of June. Here they
were held in camp until the 23rd of
July when they embarked for Manila,
arriving at their point or destination on
August 20, just one month, a long and
monotonous one, ploughing the waves
of the broad Pacific. Next day they
were landed at Cavite, where the regi-
ment remained about weeks when
they were removed to Manila, doing
outpost duty until the war with the
philippines broke out Feb. oath, 1899.
At this time they were sent to the front
and were kept on the firing line (Which
was q shame) until June 10th, 1899,
when sick, eshausted and worn out the
survivors were permitted to retire for =
little rest, the most Of them under the
tender care Of the hospital nurses, who
are still held in grateful memory by our
then fever striScn soldiers. The resi-
ment left Manila homeward bound OH
the transport Sheridan, August 18th.
Their route homeward was by way OF
Nagasaki, the open sea, Yokahopa,
Japan, at which points they touched,
making the return passage far more
enjoyable one than that which they ex.
perienced on their outward trip. The y
arrived in San Francisco Sept. 7th. and
remained in camp at the Presedio until
they were mustered out on Oct. 5th,
1899. Their trip home over the North
ern Pacific and b. Il NJ. railroad was un.
eventual until they arrived in the Black
Hills Oct. l4th, reaching Deadwood at
1890 a. m. Here grand reception
awaited the b lack Hills boys, which
consisted of Co. / Of Custer, Co. L OF
Spesrfish. and Co. NJ Of Rapid City. Our
space will not permit us to give'in de-
tail all of the features of the reception
at Deadwood, but suffice it that nothing
Was left undone that laid within the
power of grateful people to show their
appreciation of the faithfulness and
valor which the boys had manifested IN
the hour that tried mems souls on the
field of battle in far off country. We,
however, clip from the Pioheer-Times
of Oct. 18th an extract from an exten-
sive write.up Of the reception, which
will give our readers an idea OF what
Deadwood ls capable when SHE starts
out to do the hon onors:
with a score of shfieking whistles,
clatter of bells and booming OF artil.
lery that made the mountains tremble,
and deaiening huzZas OF thousand, the
Black Hills contingent Of the First South
Dakota volunteers was ushered into
DeRdwood yesterday forenoon, to par
take of the hospitality of u grateful peo-
Pile. The train bearing the volunteers
reached this city shortly af, or half past
ten, its approach being heralded by a
pre- arranged artillery salute, one gun
announcing that the train had pulled
out of Englewood, two guns the depar.
ture from Puma, the last station before
reaching Deadwood, and the national
salute of fortyfve guns telling that the
train had reached its destination The
train stopped at the Sherman street
crossing, where the troops mbarked
had come from all parts Of the Black
Hills. After the volunteers had ex-
changed greetings with them and had
been made the recipients Of numerous
sweet tokens, the three companies form
ed in solid column Of companies, and
began the parade Of the city-passing
for the review of the populate, with a
tremendous escort.
1.-THE column was marshaled by Cap
tain Wainwright. of the First cavalry.
and was headed by squad of mounted
police. Then came the First cavalry
band, the marshal and his aides, consist
ing OF Lieutenant Craig Of the Fl st cav
airy, Captain George +. Hair, of the late
Grigs y's rough riders. Walter s. Simp
son, Captain 4. Hammou, also of the
rough riders, and James w. Meyers.
After this came the mayor of Uesdwocd
and neighboring cities. Gen. A. X. Ar.
mold, Col. w. K Steele. c. B. Clark. and
distinguished visitors in carriages. Then
came the First division. including the
Grand ARMY posts. troop Of the First
cavalry, and heroes of the day. the rem!
nant of Companies 1, l. and NJ, First
South Dakota volunteers, in command
of Captain F w. Medberry, the senior
officer of the battalion. Following the
volunteers came the Belle Fourohe band,
then a squadron Of Grigsby's rough
~; doro cn,,i ~, n n Il a1 hv "a pfain Safh Rul
lock. Then came A troop, South Dako.
to National Guard. commanded by Cap
tain Homer Bostwick, the Red Mems
band. the Uniformed Red Men under
Captain Sofen Jensen. Nett came the
fire departments Of Deadwood Central
and Terraville, and citizens