The sun., 1917-08-21
Crowds Applaud Fighting
Regiment and Weep
After 1t Passes.
MOTHERS INVADE RANKS
Bid Brave Farewell to Valiant
Sons OFF for "Greatcst
Adventure"

Fifth avenue. one hand clasped In his
mothers and the other waving American
and Irish flags, shouted In his shrill
small voice. "Vive r1reland."
Though his pronunciation was not
Partisan his boyish heart was right, for
while he knew little OF the Emerald Isle
he knew a lot about some OF Its sons and
srandsons, now fine American citizens.
among them his big buddy" who were
passing at the moment up the avenue.
II was the gallant old Sixty-ninth
nobody thought OF II as the 165th),
swinging on its final jaunt through the
city until the world once more is free
from unspeakablo slaughter and human
liberties are no longer menaced by the
sinister influence OF German autocracy.
They will parade again. those brave
fellows. but when they do some Of the
present personnel will be MANNED and
halting, while others will have unma rked
but honorable abiding places In the no
mans land OF France and Flanders.
and doubtless in Germany, too. for
they're on for Berlin to Can the
Kaiser"
This thought seemed uppermost in the
minds Of the thousands who jammed the
though they struggled bravely In an at
tempt at boisterous cheering their voices
we're strained and their throats became
lumpy, making the effort exceedingly
diffcult.
"Bring Back the Kaiser"
A group OF women standing opposite
the Public Library, who seemed to know
many OF the departing troopers by name.
fra tan1l.
,hlefs and shouted cheering messages.
Their efforts to be cheerful were even
more moving than those Of other women
who made no secret Of their weeping.
you'll bring back the Kaiser. won't
you?' cried one, smiling the while as
she thrust forward her little green nag
at an outstanding Gaelic member Of
Company q. The soldier turned and
smiled and passed on. Then the woman.
unable longer to bear up under the
mockery of her laughter. quickly abbed
her handkerchief to her eyes to stem
the rising tide Of tears.
Time after time the crowd attempted
to cheer and shout godspeed to the sun
tanned guardsmen who were leaving. but
their voices broke until finally they re-
'sorted to handclapping. 1t wasn't much
Of a parade as parades go. but it's sig
nincance was infinitely great 1t repre-
.
sional soldiers to defend that freedom of
thought and action dear to all true
Americans
New York. at least that part OF 1t
which saw the boys on their way
and 1t was a goodly part-was thrilled
and stirred in a manner It has not
known since the days OF the Spanish
American war. The sight OF those un-
nnching marchers. largely OF Celtic de-
~ l>hH 10 md
fathers and sweethearts nobly giving up
their most priceless possession g-ipped
the ina gination and tugsed at the heart
strings as nothing else could do. Ones
thoughts turned involuntarily to Eng
land and France, especially France.
which is already bled Of its finest man.
hood. and wondered how these nations
have survived the sight Of millions Of
their sons travelling similar road
Blessed by Bishop Hayes.
Streets all the way from the armory
at Twenty-sixth street and Lexington
avenue to the wharf of the Long Island
trais ferry we're packed with men,,
women and children anxious for a last
peep at the doughty warriors. Fifth
avenue from Twenty seventh to Forty
NTH street swarmed with people, while
in every building along the route en-
ployees quit work to rush to the win
dows and wave and yell good-by and
good luck. Crosstown thoroughfares in
this section were lined with automobiles
and carriers OF every sort, from which
watchers waved until the last man had
passed.
Long before the hour OF the parade the
district adjacent to the armory was so
alive with relatives and friends that
Capt. Sexton OF the Twenty-second street
station. who had charge Of the police ar
rangements, ordered traffic cut off from
Twenty-hfth to Twenty-seventh street
between Third and Fourth avenues.
Relatives had no chance to say a word
OF farewell to the men In the armory.
Every man who could be spared from
guard duty had been permitted to re-
main home on the previous night. Early
during the morning 1850 men under
command of Lieut.-Col. Latham Reed as
sembled on the floor ready for the de-
parture. and at 0 40 o'clock were blessed
by the Right Rev. Patrick ]. Hayes.
Bishop of the diocese of New York, at
the special request of the soldiers them
selves.
Prior to this ceremony the men were
deeply touched when this cablegram
from Col. Delanzier. commanding officer
~ the SiXty-ninth Regiment OF France
was read:
French comrades, officers and soldiers
~ the Sixty-ninth Regiment. very much
touched by your congratulations. send
their heartiest thanks to the officers and
soldiers OF the Sixty-ninth New York
Regiment They are certain that from
the common effort will arise the decisive
victory"
Great Cheer At start.
The message was q reply to a con-
rratulatory cablegram from Lieut.. Col
Reed to the Colonel of the old Irish units
namesake In France.
As the men were drawn UP on the
floor awaiting the order TO move II wal
announced Lieut.. Col. Reed would rec.
Ommend to the War Department that a
certificate OF merit be awarded Private
Martin ]. Reed who on August at the
risk OF his life Jumped in the East River
at the foot Of Forty-seventh street and
rescued a child.
By this time the crowd outside had
grown impatient. They wanted to zee
'heir favorites among the soldiers Of the
city. Exactly at VAS the order wai
eiyen and the old Fighting sixty-ninth
Couffnued 0n Third Pa0e.