The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-10-18
"AULD LANG SYNE" PLAYED
while LEAVING TEXAS
Shouts And FareWellS Rise From
Residents of Eagle Pass-Men
Whistle "There'S A Girl In The
Heart OF Maryland.'

Gather and of Colonel Little and
their stats, struck up The Old Gray
Mare" Nearly four months ago, or
one sweltering morning, the same
band, standing en- the same hill
played the same piece. But there
was little cheering then, for every
body had the blues.
But tonight When the initial notes
of that song, which means SO much
ito the boys of the First Maryland
rang out across the plains, a pro-
longed cheer broke out Then the
command, Forward, march," ran
along the hill and down the slope
One thousand and more men heard
that command, put their best foot
! forward and started on their journey
back home.
They marched to the top of the
hill; then they marched down again,
with the band playing merrily. Down
past the Fifth Regiment boys, thru
the camp of the Baltfmoreans they
went. The Baltimoreans cheered
their comrades from the State and
the men from the State cheered their
comrades Of the city.
I'VE hope you get home soon,
boys" shouted those of the city.
I'VE hope SO too" responded those
of the Fifth, and they all meant what
they said.
The lads of the First were elated
and those of the Fifth felt blue, but
in their citation the members of the
First were sympathetic, and in the
depths of the blues the members of
the Fifth were hopeful. Leaving
1.-THE camp of the Fifth, the First Reg
iment swung into the Del Rio road
land then down to the railroad tracks,
where the command was brought to
a halt. The train was waiting there.
Standing in the roadway the band
gave concert for the residents OF
Eagle Pass and for the officers and
men of the Fifth, Troop A, the Field
Hospital and Ambulance Corps, and
for the officers and men of the other
regiments encamped here. Most of
the officers of the Thirtieth were on
hand to wish good luck to the officers
of the First, for there has sprung up
a real bond of esteem between these
two regiments.
One of those who had come to see
all three sections go out was Major
Conley, district adjutant. The Ma
jor was one of the first to greet Col
onel Little and his men on their ar
rival here July 5. The Major is a
Marylander all over. In his speech
at the banquet held by the First Mon
day night he told again how proud
he was of the good old State. The
other regular officers who got up at
the banquet said that the Major
talks Maryland from rise to set of
sun and then continues the topic in
his dreams. That banquet, by the
way, was a corker. Much of the
credit for its success was due to
Lieut.. Frank L. Hewitt, of Company
K, who arranged it.
The men of the Fifth lined up on
both sides of the camp and let the
First pass between the columns.
They waved their hats and cheered
the departing ones. They gave
three cheers and a tiger for Colonel
Little. The whole regiment was out.
The band played "Maryland' and
Dixie" and after the last line of
the First had gone by about 200 of
the Fifth's men fell in behind Col
ELittle,s regiment whistling the se1S
Gray Mare" and singing There's a
Girl In The Heart of Maryland" and
I'm Afraid to Go Home in The
Dark"
Those leaving for home got a
glimpse of a magnificent sunset as
they marched to the train Look at
the sunset" called one man to man.
AS the First Battalion boarded the
cars the lights of Eagle Pass began
to appear. 1t was the end of a per-
feet day.
All in all, this was a great day for
Maryland and for the people of Eagle
Pass. Particularly was it great
day for General Gather, because for
the first time in his life, the regular
army of the United States fired a
salute in his honor. This salute of
IL guns was given as the General en-
tered the post in the afternoon to
take complete command of the Eagle
Pass district as successor to General
Sibley, who went into retirement to-
day.
General Sibley and General Gath
er were the guests of honor at big
dinner given at the Hotel Eagle, at
which the officers of the various units
were present Following the dinner,
General Gather rode with General
Sibley and Mrs. Sibley to the station,
where General Sibley boarded train
for Chicago. Three troops of the
Fourteenth cavalry acted as an es-
Icort The Thirtieth band played a
number of selections. Colonies Lit
tile and Hinkley, observation-disclosures
Adams and Bowie and the other Off
GERS of the Maryland units were
there to bid goodbye to General Sib-
ley
AS the train pulled out, the band
|struck up "Auld Lang Syne," and the
officers and enlisted men and the
several hundred residents of Eagle
Pass gave a great shout of farewell.
General Sibley and his wife mean
while standing on the rear platform
The men waved their hats and wo-
men their handkerchiefs until the
train disappeared around the bend
Mrs. Sibley waved her handkerchief
for a few minutes and then broke
down and cried.
Tonight reception was given to
General Gather at the post, and he
was accorded great send off when
he boarded the train. The officers OF
the Fifth were there to bid him good
luck The General has been honored
greatly since he came here. Thrice
he held command of the post, and in
the Labor Day parade he was given
command of the big procession. In
many other ways he has received
tributes of esteem.