South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-25
Crowd of twenty-five ThouS-
and Bid God Speed to First
of the United States Soldiers
to Leave For Mexico.
CHEERS DROWN The
SOUND OF WHISTLES
News of Federal Attack at
Laredo, Texas, SteeIS the
Hearts of Wives and Moth
ers at Galveston Pier.
BY Il. II. DUNN.

GALVESTON, Tex, April 25.-A
crowd Of $4,000 cheering them on
the wharves OF Galveston with bands
playing AUD Lang Syne". and 1.-The
Girl l Left Behind. the four trans
ports bearing the Fifth brigade, Sec
ond division. the first unit of the
American army TO be sent into Mex
leo, left this port Friday night.
The Sumner was the first to get
away, leaving pier IA at Asp. Then
came the Mcclellan at sos and
thereafter the Fitzpatrick and Meade
at half hour intervals. The torpedo
boats Flusser, Preston and Reid,
Lieut.. William Ancrum in command,
left shortly afterward to act as con-
voy to the transports. On board the
Fitzpatrick was Gen. Funston and
staff and as the Fitzpatrick drew
from the pier. so prolonged and loud
was the cheering that the whistles
blowing throughout the city could not
be heard.
For hours thousands had stood in
the blazing Texas sunshine chafing,
smiling and seeing the humOr of
situation that TO many was filled with
yelling tears. But when the great
white prov OF the Sumner shook free
the worrying tug that dragged her
from the wharf apron and headed
seized the crowd. Hands swung
aloft in salute. Hats SCARED through
the air hopelessly lost The hoarse
note of an unOrganiZed cheer tore
from $4,000 threats as with one
voice they shouted farewell encour-
agement to the soldiers
They're on IS Cry.
They're off for Mexico"-that was
the one coherent sentence that was
heard in a ShrilI feminine voice that
thrilled a throng as no Galveston
crowd had been thrilled since the day
the famous Galveston immune regi-
ment set out for the Spanish war.
Even the blare of the Fourth Infantry
| band on board was for the moment
merged in the wild yells
The rigging of the transports was so
| filed with regulars in brown uni
forms that they seemed like huge
swarms of bees let loose upon the
| harbor. AS tugs laid hold on the Kill
patrick to pull her into mid-stream
the band began to play ''Everybody's
Doing IT, and the soldiers began to
tango on the decks. There were tears
on shore, but only the song of battle
| in the hearts on the transports.
! Then came a moments lull. Slowly
| the Sumner gathered Roadway.
Across the waters fioated the rollick
| ing but plaintive bars of:
They dressed me up in soldier
clothes; they treated me so kindly
! But yet [ never will forget the girl
1 left behind me-
! ShriIl Notes of 'Dixie"
Another momentary pause. Then
the shrill notes of Dixie" came to the
waiting crowds and the girls they
left behind them forgot the choking
of tears suppressed and joined in the
frantic ecstacy Of patriotism that was
the last American scene imprinted on
the minds of the men who were the
| first 10 leave for the front.
News of the Mexican federal attack
! on Laredo, Tex, steeled the hearts
of many wives and mothers who 9TH
erwise would have broken down at
| the leave taking. A sort Of deep
/ belief that a great task had been laid
upon the United States and that these
] the sons of the union, must perform
| that task seemed to have turned the
hearts even of the women and made
! them seem love to send their men to
! battle.
In the areaway back Of the bulk
| head on which pier IA shuts were
| packed nearly 1000 automobiles.
every one loaded with women and
| girls Never has Galveston seen such
a gathering of women in 50 limited an
area.
Pier IA swirled and shifted in a
kaleidoscoping play Of colors that
| have never before been seen on the
( WharveS Of the great cotton port.
/ Negro roustabouts in cotton jumpers
stood packed beside women faultless-
/ " frOcked in snowy linens. Gorge
Gus parasols doomed above heads like
/ great butterflies.
! Slowly through the mass Of human
| ity wOrmed its way single khaki
| line of soldiers marching on board.
Along the rail smoking the inevitable
! cigarets with an air of nonchalance
stood the immaculate "shaveta1ls",
/ whose West Point days were fresh
! upon them. One graY-haired in
| fantry sergeant OF the TwAnty-eighth
! fingered TO the last, holding in his
| arms a red faced mite OF a baby only
a few weeks old His wife weeping
/ quietly stood beside him. On the rail
of the Fitzpatrick nearby stood gray
haired veteran Col. Daniel Cornman-