New-York tribune., 1916-07-12
Held Up by Rain at Final
Moment, Irishmen Get
Away for Border.
CHEERED EN- ROUTE.
FEAST ON CHICKEN
No Time for Weeping as the
Famous Regiment Takes
Train at Camp.
trrom a san @ respondent Of Tho Tribune.

tFrom star CO respondent Of Tho rribune.l
Maybrook, y. Y, July IL con Board
Goth Regiment SpeciaD Colonel Louis
d. Conley and his fighting Irishmen
are forty-seven miles nearer Mexico to-
night than they were this afternoon.
Not in the memory Of the oldest inhab
liant of this village has any kind of
vehicle carried as noisy a crew as the
Goth. Harmonica artists are rendering
such solos as "Tipperary," Spring
Song" and "Goodby, Good Luck, God
Bless YOU The songs of Ireland are
being dinr ed into peaceful ears.
All the village turned out to greet
the famous 69th. What Maybrook has
done Hopewell Junction, Fishklll and
Poughkeepsie did. Even when the
three sections of the 69th special
passed over the Hudson River on the
high bridge connecting the two shores
the tug boats and small craft struck
I'M chorus. And Colonel Conley's
boys whstled back.
The lighting Irishmen" were sched-
uled to leave at noon. But the ram
clouds opened up early this morning
and the seth crawled back into shelter
tents. Every time the men got ready
to roll up the camp equipment they
were forced 10 retire before inc per-
sistent enemy. The sun came TO tnelr
rescue at noon. but Major waiter Car-
lin came along at the same time. -.
"All streets must be pollced again,
he ordered. go,
thunder was the answer from l,oOO
men. Every speck OF paper ana plt OIL
wood disappeared into huge, roaring
bonfires.
Cheers for Everybody.
In one corner OF the camp Colonel
Conley was comforting with his ON
GERS. The men listened in amazement
as their superiors began cheering the
colonel. From that time on cheering,
shouting and yelling was the order Oh
the day. The seth cheered when II
was handed large chunks OF water
melon for field mess. 1t cheered wheh
n rabbit darted into the camp from
neck of woods. II was still cheering
when the order TO march came.
The Irishmen rushed into line, slung
their blanket rolls over their shoulders
and grabbed their rifles. Drum Major
Mullins twirled his silver stait and
the corps struck up Retreat" Down
the muddy road the regiment marcned'
long string of day coaches was
waiting on a spur.
Mrs Conley and her four children
moved 70 the side OF the colonel VINO
bad detached himself from the man
bodv TIE commander of the o9th
stopped and kissed his wife, then drew
mn his six-year-old daughter ana
5baddy." one of his small sons
cried. don't forget! Don't let those
Mexicans catch you. You eaten them
A few feet away Captain Rupert
Hughes was bidding goodby to his
mother. wife and two children:
Yes, yes he was saying for the
hundredth time. "I'll take good care
of myself. A letter every day
"And don't stay out in the sun, my
boy his mother added.
"ITl be in San Antonio in probably
ten days" said Mrs. Hughes.
CAPTAIN Felix Donnelly's mother was
CRYING, but she followed every HV'c Va
the regimental adjutant.
No Time for Tears.
Other women folk were embracing
their loved ones. But the 69th was
too happy to care much about the SEN
timent attached to leave-taking. The
fife and drum corps was still playing
retreat"
The boys marked time in their i'm
patience. "Fa'. in" came the order.
The baggage and detail of thirty-tve
travelled on the first section. Colonel
Conlev. his staff officers and the rest
of the Goth moved on the second sec
tion. On the third were the 700 recruits
Of the eth, 18th, 14th and 23d regi-
ments.
The first thing the fighting lrishmen
did was to relieve their feet. Then
each coachfu struck up separate
tune. Finally they agreed on Were
ON Our Way to Get Pancho Villa" to
the tune of "Tipperary." Hot coffee,
ham and chicken sandwiches and cake
were on the menu for the first mess on
the train. >,
At 10 o'clock, just as taps was
sounding. the famous 69th pulled out OF
the crowded station at Maybrook on
/ - - 4 L. ~ ,.- trim m rho hOrdpr