The Topeka state journal., 1903-04-30
PARApE oF MILITARY.
Eleven Thousand Men, Regulars and
Militia. in Line

Militia, in Line
St Louis. April s0-The great mill
tary parade which was designed to be
distinctively the show spectacle of the
dedication ceremonies was held this
morning and it proved to be all that its
promoters could wish and all that the
regular army officers who controlled it
could hope for. There have been many
military parades that revealed more men
in Hne-there may have been some that
We're as gorgeous to look upon but it
| is doubtful if there ever has been any
that were more carefully handled or
more superbly managed than the one
of this morning A heavy rain which
fell at O'Clock in the morning disposed
of the dust and save the one feature Of
a high wind all things were favora BILE
to the success of the parade.
The sight of the marching thousands
from the point occupied by President
Roosevelt's reviewing stand was one
long TO be remem bered. For a half
mile to the Ieft-for an equal distance
to the right-the winding column was
in complete view. The swinging ranks
rising and falling in perfect time were
moving rapidly on. while the flashing
steel the glittering buckles and but
tons, the tossing plumes. waving ban
nerS. and martial music made a picture
of the bloom and the beauty of battle,
the sDlendOr of war that could not be
surpassed To a man with q soldiers
soul there is no sight so fascinating
as marching army of well trained men
and the president watched the march
past with ca ger attention Every we'll
set rank and nearly all were so. every
accurate formation and very few were
not accurate, ELECTED his hearty COM
mendauon. From end to end of the
line of march the cheers of the immense
ROOsevelt's approval. The parade in all
features was a most beautiful and i'm
posing Inaugural Of the ceremonies. Al
though Adjutant General Henry G. Cor
hi in +Le }, 4 ,o 0ffoF
figure of the parade the active work of
organizing the columns. and managing
the parade was done by Brigadier Cen
eral John A. Johnston, II. S. A. and
Lieutenant Colonel z. A. Goodwin,
Ninth United States cavalry, General
COrbin's chief of staff.
1000 MEN IN LINE
There were 1000 men in line-3100
regulars and 1900 of the National
Guard, New York being represented by
I 900 officers and men; Illinois 1000;
Iowa 9G0: Missouri 5000; Oklahoma 200;
Ohio 00C
The formation throughout was in col
umn of platoons of all arms at half
distance, the infantry marching sixteen
files. and the cavalry twelve troopers,
front. The regular division was ordered
+ by General Corbin to be in position on
the main drive of Forest park at 8:15
a. m. It was there to the minute. The
] division of National Guards was to
form in rear of the regulars, Some OF
from ten to fifteen minutes late. All,
I however, were ready to move long be-
/ fore the time appointed.
While the regulars and National
Guard We're wheeling into line with the
( precision born OF IOns acquaintance
with the tactics over at Grand and Bell
/ avenues, the sixty-four aides Of the
{ grand marshal were forming with care
ful attention to questions of chronology
+ and geography 1t was the intention
T that the aides be arranged in each
platoon from right to left and from the
] head to the rear OF the column in the
order in which their states ratified the
constitution or were admitted into the
union or were organized as territories.
Lieut.. Stuart Heintzelman Sixtieth
! T. :. cavalry. was the composite in
structor in cavalry tactics. chronology.
! ana geography-and it is safe to say
/ that throughout the entire dedication
ceremonies there VAS no more difficult
! task than mis-. Among the 81 aides
I there We're Is generals. 30 eoIonels eight
/ lieutenant colonels, six majors, two cap
! tains. TWO first lieutenants and one sec
! cnd heutenant-and in all that array OF
martial possibilities there were not five
I who had any claim 10 stand above the
loot of the chronology class No sooner
4 did the formation commence than the
trouble started. The generals from new
western states yiel64d in precedence to
! lieutenonts from old commemorative.
HE DREW A BLANK.
One ancient commander who drew 4
military blank in the shape IF a left
nand place. in q. rear rank, where Pres
! ldent Roosevelt never could see him.
ventured a protest, saying he would
like to ride with those fellows up
/ there. waving his hand toward a rank
OF military interiors and chronological
superiors.
When did you come into the union-''
( asked the Lieutenant
IT was born in it," was the emphatic
! re5oinder.
The lieutenant consulted his authori-
( ties and announced. 'YoC are in your
! proper place now. general
i may be IN my place, but I'm NOT
4 where ] belong" declared the general.
with a Wrathful eye on his military in