The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-03-05

| troops were detachments of the ma
| tional guards of Connecticut, Florida
Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Mary
land Missouri, Minnesota, New York
| New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Virginia. Some of the more distant
states sent several companies of their
guard, while most of them were repre-
sented by regiments and Maryland and
Pennsylvania by brigades.
The famous Troop A, of Cleveland,
Ohio, a national guard organization,
constituted the special guard of hon
or to President Taft, as it had to the
late President Mckinley. Maryland's 8
representation included the historic
Fifth regiment of Baltimore, and Vir-
ginia had in line the Richmond Blues,
a light infantry organization that rem
dered conspicuous service on many oc-
| casions. During the civil war it rem
dered service to Lee and Stonewall
Jackson for the confederacy. 1t was
mustered in for the Spanish war, but
did not get to the front.
Among other noted military organ
ization in the parade were the Rich
mond hussars, a cavalry command of
Augusta, Ga, and the cadet regiment
from the Virginia military institute,
popularity known as the West Point of
the SOUTH" which supplied many of
the high commissioned officers for the
confederate army in the civil war
Following the military divisions
marched the civic organizations, with
the Americus club of Pittsburg-a uni
formed club noted in a score of cam
paignS-as the special escort of Major
Thomas P. Morgan, marshal of the
civic division. This part of the pageant
was >heralded as the Prosperity bri-
gade,' and included in it were many
organizations which for years have
been regular attendants upon national
conventions and inaugural ceremonies
Some organizations were in line, how
ever, that never before had visited
Washington and their clever marching
and attractive uniforms caught and
held the fancy of the throngs. Among
these were the "Pickaninny band"
composed of colored orphan boys Of
South Carolina, the Sherman scouts"
Of Utica, N. Y, carrying at the head
of their line a huge oil painting of
their neighbor, Vice President Sher-
man, and leading at their rear a gaily
caparisoned billy goat; an Alligator
band" from Louisiana; a "Possum
club" from Georgia, and Taft club,
500 strong, from the same state; the
New York republican county commit
tee, 1000 strong; the Columbus, Ohio,
Glee club, 100 men, probably the best
political musical organization in the
country; an Uncle Sam club" or Buf-
falo each of it's 1O6 members attired in
the conventional Uncle Sam costume;
the Bug House Hose company, of Long
Island; President Roosevelt's neigh
bors, and many others.
The Minneapolis Flambeau club, one
of the most spectacular organizations
in the country, also appeared in this
division of the parade; and not the
least important feature of the civic
division were the representatives of
several camps of confederate veterans,
now grim and gray. some of whom
wore their old-t time uniforms and car
ried their shot ridded flags.
Four years ago conspicuous feature
of the inaugural parade was made up
of rough riders. Today their place was
taken in the pageant by contingent
of gentlemen riders from the fox
hunting districts of Maryland and Vir-
ginia, all clad in regulation pink coats
and black caps. They were mounted
on the finest horses that were shown
in the parade, all thoroughbreds, satin
coated and handsome.