St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1902-11-01
our Boys nn new Orleans.

account of the voyage from Opel
ousas to New Orleans Of Company
B, First Battalion, L. s. N. G. We
will now proceed with Art. II.
The war spirit seemed to pervade
every nook and corner or the his
toric old Washington Artillery
Hall as the Opelousas boys enter
ed, amid the cheers of the city SOL
diers and the citizens assembled in
the streets. National anthems
and martial music and the enliven-
ing notes of the bugle held sway
and stirred the boys souls. The
scene and incidents were inspiring,
and let us tell you right now that
whooping majority Of us needed
great big chunks OF inspiration or
some other sort Of bracers dn liquid
form preferred) to counteract the
doleful news that we received at
the armory, which was to the ef-
feet that all hopes of an amieable
adjustment of the strike were lost;
that the strikers and sympathizers
were armed ssto the teeth and,
under the command of W. Shotgun
Parkerson, ready to give the mill
tia boys fight Mondaylmorning. The
situation had reached a most acute
stage, and there seemed iminent
fierce and bloody battle Monday
morning, when the cars were to be
run under the protection OF the
militia. 1t was distressingly ap-
parent that the boys had come face
to face with the tough proposition
of q Slight or a foot race" with the
latter part of the proposition cut
out by Cart. Stewards propaganda
to aShoot down any man who runs"
Upon arrival at the armory the
work OF fixing up roosting places
for the night was the first thing In
order. First Sergeant Moore Gar
land was host for the occasion, and
worked hard at the task and can't
he held to blame for the fierce
events of that fierce night. A bed
spring, two blankets and mos
anito bar was the allotment to ev-
ery three men, This sounds cosy
enough, and would have been SC
had IL not been for the peculiar
construction OF the articles men.
toned. The bed-spring cot was
an ingenious eontrlvance OF tor
ture. The Stats were just In the
right place and of the correct di
mensions to make a fellow believe
he was sleeping on lawn-moWer
The blankets, seemingly all QUITO
order to cover the frame OF Lieut.
Compton, were supposed to cove
three men. The mosquito bar con
sisted-of large piece OF cheese
cloth, which you had to spread owe
you shroud-fashlon.
. The boys prepared their beds
and then joined the boys of tn
other companies, and at ten o'clocl
obeyed "taps" and went to bee
The mosquitoes, however, soon DC
clared hostilities, and as quickl,
made the attack. They were fam
iliar with every passage-way /
those bars, and soon carried tn
day. The opinion prevailed anon
the boys that these were no ordir
ary 'skeetos; they'd dive right at
fellow without a word of warning
get a bill-hold and 60 right to wori
ANY idea of sleep for that nigh
was abandoned-for that matte
there was little sleep during tn
three nights in New Orleans.
Capt. Stewart, with a militar
escort, ab oHGe "e'
Charles Hotel to meet the GoVel
nor and staff and Adjutant-Gent
raj Allen Jumel. Everything ws
excitement and suspense at heat
quarters; that is, everyone SCENE
to realize the seriousness Of tt
situation, and the then appare,
hopelessness of a peaceful setti
nent. Gov. Heard, though I
tigued from tho weeks strenuot
labor. was busy at work, asslsstt
by wise counsellors, among VINO
were Senator Murphy j. Fost
and Mayor Capdeville. The gri
old veteran, Gen. Jumel, was
hand, ready to do the executi'
work whenever ordered to do
At that time there appeared
be no way OF settling the stri'
without a conflict OF arms, al
General Jume1 was clearly of t
opiuion that the best course
pursue was to "open the ball" al
end the matter. He told the n
lltia boys that he would lead the
In person, and assured them tn
there was no doubt of the resul