The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-23
Crack Battalion Is Cheered
by Sunday Night Crowds
En- Route to Armory
TREATED LIKE KINGS
EVERYWHERE BY ALL
Wincd, Dined and Feted
Soldiers Return, Tired But
Happy-Will Not Soon
Forget Hospitality

One hour ahead OF schedule time
the special train bearing the Rich
nond Blues pulled into Main street
station last night At O'Clock from
Newport News. where tive hours
earlier the battalion had disernharked
from tha old Dominion liner Jetfer-
son. Only the hangers-on around the
6enat we're there 10 welcome them
home for the reason that the special
had been advertised Ia rach Rich
ngond at 10 o'clock. and thronRs en-
route to the depot In cars. automo-
lilies and foot met the returning
heroes who had this time conquered
friends instead of foes~eaE they SWING
tp Main street and FASTENED back
To the armory To greet the boys
. iaei".
The stay at homefS, Wna we're
oallcd To assemble at the artnors
III s O'Clock and march to tue depot
TO welcome their comrades back,
admit get "a start from headquarters
before the strains of the band reached
them. But tsie belaTsd greetings more
than a.6aed for ire program whf@n
went awry because of the sooner
special Al every corner on the route
10 the arsnory the boys who. though
weary from their strenuous trip
marched With the measured swing II
seasoned veterans were received
with cheers. even though II Was sun
day night.
The Welcome Home
Closely pressing the ranks As they
Tied into quarseYs-hoine once more
hundreds az friends followed. eager
la greet them, and for nm hour OF
more the armory presented anil
mated scene. As each company was
dismissed hearty cheers were given
FOR Richmond, their mmanding of
feers. the New England hosts and
everything In general II was Is
tired aud sleepy but happy crowd.
Major Edgar w Bowics. asked for
q statement ~ to the success Of the
tunkct, threw up his hands la despair
II wouldn't know how to start nor
where 10 finish" ne exclaimed II
Was the greatest trip Of nay life and
/ believe that sentiment Will he re-
echoed ilt ms men. We were wined,
dined and feted from the time w.
landed an New England's shore until
w,- teak the beat from New York at
midnight last night II was ono con i
tlnaal round Of entertainments. with
hardly tine 10 sleep. / could tell
yea enough IN praise of the hos
ptfality of those people to iii alp
your paper III the morning. TneF
simply cautdnt do enough for us. We
were entertained AT the best hotels
eeer9' sfloueni of the time. day ant
night. was provided for with dinners
sappers. lunches, tneater parties. ban
eaets aud smokers. In short We wee
overwhelmed with hospitality. You
cannot say too much for those New
England people. The South has al
WAYS had the reputa ton for hospi-
taltv, but when II comes TO ingenuity
In The art of entertaining guests and
making them feel entirely at hoire,
you will have To hand the palm TO
New England OF course We are all
glad to get back home and | believe
all of ux are tired enough to be able
"a ..lenf tunight Mithnnt rocking, hut
we certainly were sorry when We had
to part from those fine peopfe-~anU'
royal party could nave been received
or treated more magniheentiy. |
want Ia add word ton. regarding
the behavior of the men of the COM
nlaadthey are all Virginia gentle
nlen---esery mothers son of them
and they never forgot tina. fact for a
{ moment. Tire discipline Of the men
was perfect.
A Memorable Junket.
The Bitles themselves viii never for
get this junket Every one of them
WAS loaded With Soetrenirs---Ts6any OF
them on real sfftRsIa-iss- tsiltis==anfi all
a Of them worthy 4 reservation as
momentoes of the trip and the hos
pitaiity Of their hosts In every city
visited the matter IF Ir yiding these
renembrances had Naen looked LITER
and some of them iilboratsiv. Neck
tfNs, wasrh fut8s. match boxes, -oelra
cases and trihkets of every sart--aU
suitably Inscribed with the names ard
colors Of the battalion, wee provided
Everywhere Richmond's crack mili-
tars organization was given IN enthr-
siastic welcome. The governors vi
two States, the mayors OF all the cities
visited and President Hadieg, ~ Yale.
were among the notabfes wh5 extend
ed greetings. At Providence. the first
stop. which was reached last Mon
day morning, they were the guests NJ
the Providence Light Infantry ana
were quartered at the Naragansett
iretel. Tuesday afternoon thlyrrach--
ed Hartford and stopped 1T me How
ard, quests of the First Company, GoJ-
errors Foot Guard. Thursday they
were I'm New Haven. where the biggest
celebration took place. and thare
stopped mt tho Hot-f Taft a. .ss,t.sts ~
the Second Company, Foot Guard
They stayed In New Haven Until
saturday morning when they left for
i New York. a. ity Thera they had TX
,rpet~d to- rnter.3dt tasssase}<s.s W tsavr.r
own expense until time for the depar-
tt,re OF the cid Dominion hoa. for
Newport News. But the Old Guard
Of New York was on the job and wiIled
otherwise. detachment OF tho Old
3 Guard met the train. escorted ths
Blues to their elegant clubhouse where
dinner was served and then marched