The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-07

The Ohio River passenger train ar
irving In Wheeling at o'clock was ex-
pected TO bring back the bulk of the
Wheeling contingent in the First West
Virginia regiment. and quite crowd
had assembled at the passenger station
at that hour. There was score of
the blue coats aboard, but not Wheel
Ing boy was among them; nevertheless
the returning soldier lads were given a
cordial reception, and handshaking
ruled minus any form OF introduction.
The boys soon scattered through the
crowd, seeking restaurants and hotels.
Most OF them live in Ohio and at points
above on the river.
They were gaily decorated with camp
souvenirs, consisting OF rabbits feet,
peacock feathers and commemorative
buttons. Nearly every gray slouch hat
was adorned more or less artist
ically with indeliblc ink. Private W. L.
Williams. a Bridgeport boy, had every
members name in Company NJ in
scribed on his hat. besides inscriptions.
the most suggestive being, "Spi!lman's
Rough Walkers" This had evidently
been put on in spirit of grim humor
to satirize the long tramps dealt out.
Other Bridgeport boys were J. s. Angus,
Thomas Graham, C. c. Martin and
Jonas Evans.
They We're mustered out on Saturday
morning at II o'clock. and left Colum-
bus, Ga. that afternoon at 1 o'clock, an
other section following three hours
later. The railroads taken In turn were
the Southern, Georgia Central. Louis
vile 6 Nashville. Chesapeake & Ohio
and Ohio River. Only third of the
regiment left Columbus on Saturday.
and part of these stopped off on the
way home for sightseeing at Louis
Vile, the Mammoth Cave and Cincin-
natl. From Cincinnati number OF the
boys took the Baltimore & Ohio. consc-
quently they were not in the Ohio River
delegation. AT all the stops the train
was received with enthusiasm, and this
was particularly true at Parkersburg
and Moundsville. many OF the boys get
ting Oft at the Mound City, where Com
pany NJ was recruited.
OF those who arrived in Wheeling
yesterday not all were in Company NJ,
but were recruited in Wheeling last
June BY Lieutenant Conner and were
used to fill out other companies.
Naturally they vera all glad TO come
home. but they were anxious TO remain
in the service so long as war was In
sight, and after the signing Of the peace
protocol home possessed the greatest
allurcments. individually and colcc-
lively they looked as though camp life
had agreed with them. They We're
healthy looking crowd OF boys and tan
ned by southern suns. They saw the
humorous side OF their experiences, and
they have many amusing tales stored
up to be told in coming days OF piping
peace.
The First West Virginia was dubbed
the Snake Hunters" and that they
didn't mind 1t is shown by this appcla-
ton being written on many sombreros
With the Sixth Ohio they were as broth
ers. but between the First West Vir-
ginia and the Fourth Tennessee there
was distance that lent enchantmcnt
10 the view. A Grafton boy who re-
turned home yesterday received n bad
bullet wound in his arm, and the Ten
ncsseean who shot him was sentenced
to 0ve years imprisonment at Fort
Sheridan. On Halloween night the
First West Virginia boys and the Sixth
Ohio Joined in grcasing the dummy"
tracks at Columbus, for which the
jokcrs were each fined 50. Buttons con-
tanning a suitable picture and words de-
scribing this event are worn with pride.
The reputation OF the Firs,s unbcatcn
foot ball team became general.