The Opelousas courier., 1902-10-18
The Opel0usas Guards.
THE BOYS RETURN HOME COVERED
WITH GLORY.

THE BOYs RETURN HOME COVERED
WITH GLORY.
Co. B, lst Battalion, State Ma
tional Guards, after being held
under marching orders for sew
eraI days, received orders to re-
port to Gen. Jumel in New Or
leans last Saturday morning after
9 o'clock, and at 1920 every man,
excepting the sick, was at the de-
pot fully. equipped for The cam
paign in response to the Gov
ernor's call, and boarded the
1898 train for New Orleans.
Notwithstanding the short notice
an immense crowd was at the de-
pot to see the soldier boys off and
bid them adieu on their errand of
duty, with the proud conviction
that the Opelousas Guards Of
1902, like their namesakes of
1861-5, would be true to every
requirement of patriotic duty to
Louisiana, to Opelousas and to
themselves. When the COURIER
published the names of the Off
GERS and members of this Co. on
June 81, 1902, we said: 'sThe
Company is composed Of splendid
material, and we doubt. not, will
do honor to the town and State
as an organization" Our predic-
ton has been fully verified, as
will be seen from the following
extracts from the New Orleans
press, which includes expressions
from every daily paper of that
city:
In obedience to orders, two
companies Of infantry of the
State Militia reached the city last
night and were marched to and
quartered in the Washington Ar
tillery armory. They were Com
panies A and B of the First Bat
talon. The former came from
st. Francisville, while the latter
is from Opelousas.
Large crowds we're at the sta
tions to witness the arrival of the
soldiers, who were cheered as
they passed through the streets.
The companies were composed
mostly Of young men. They were
in excellent spirits, They arrived
with supplies such as soldiers
generally have, and their conduct
was such as characterize good SOL
diers; during their marches last
night they looked exceedingly for
midable and military.
Before reaching their quarters
both companies stopped at the
Victoria Hotel for supper. The
ride on the trains had given the
soldiers q good appetite, and they
ate heartily. Sunday Times-Dem-
ocrat.
The Opelousas Company is just
| ly the pride Of st. Landry. It is
undoubtedly the strongest COM
pany in the State service. There
lare 65 names on the roll, and of
| this number so were answered to
at roll call. There are other COM
panies that carry as many men, on
paper, but it has been q long time
since any local company actually
mustered that number.
/ Five of the men were unable tic
come because of illness, but every
member, with the exception oi
Ithose Eve, was present, and i
wasn't necessary to send ouf
squads, either. When the new:
lspread through Opelousas yester
day morning that orders had com,
every man who belonged to th,
lcommand reported at the armory
and, like the st. Francisville Co.
an hour after the receipt Of or
ders the command was ready t,
depart. Sunday Pieayune.
Company B, of Opelousas, ar
rived at the Southern Pacific sta
! tion at 6:10 p. m. If anything
! they presented the appearance 0
! regulars more than the first con-
: pany to arrive, being in heav
! marching order, with blanket
strapped to their backs and wit
knapsacks and canteens at thei
sides.
Like the first company to ri
lrive, they were escorted from th
s station by the squad of cavalry
: the Victoria, where they wei
! given supper. Bringing up til
rear of the company was a colore
servant brought from Opelousf
81 by one of the officers. Even viii
: staggering under the weight of q
d enormous valise he found time
I take in the shower Of compl
/ ments thrown at the men, and b
mouth stretched from ear to 9.
as q young lady passing by the 81
d trance of the hotel said that Il
!. Imen were sgood-looking boys.
Sunday States.
isl information is had that Bate
b B, the famous military organic
tion of Opelousas, is now in M