Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1919-05-23
ll6TH REGIMENT
is BACK HOME
Virginians Who Distinguished
Themselves in France Given
Rousing Welcome at New
port News Tuesday.

ever saw took place when the 10th
,ninntry, which was tho old Virginia
Nntionnl Guard, First, Second md
rourth Infantry, arrived from Francn
on the transport Niatsonin There
! were men in the outfit from every
section OF the state, including Tazc.
wei and the surrounding country.
roftH thousand people crowded the
siuewaiks ana the streets, hung out
oL windows, climbed telegraph poles.
snlnned up the sides of buildings, and
perehed thcm,bclves in every con-
.gfiivhDle place and posture to get n
rams when they should come.
In front of the Arch of Triumpb
II beautiful monument built i'm honor
"i All of Americas heroes of the wnr
nnu particularly of those from tho
Mother Stntc, II hurriedly construct
ed speakers stand was grnced bv tho
presence or the Governor and his
wile, the mayor of Richmond. Lynch
purg' konnokc, this city, and MANY
other officials from all parts of tho
state, together with the military do
hitnrics of this port. Also, there wore
scores oi prominent people on Tho
stand, who waited there two hours
until the first contingent of the khaki
| Soluiiin came INTO view
me streets "aro ropcd off, md
every building was literally covered
WIN rags and banners of all kinds.
long before the ship Ind come into
,he docks nirships and observation
uniio"hs had SKINNED and flontcd
ovc' the harbor, dropping on hoard
the incoming shin flowers. vnod
things to cnt, and messages of vel
come and cheer
me men dcbarked to tho sounds
oi music from several bands, and in
lne echocs OF cheers from thousands
oi Vioces. Relatives and friends of
thc home boys" crowded and packed
close to the pier gates, eager TO get
the first glimpse OF some ioytd ono
Mounted soldiers pntrolled tho
streets, keeping the main thcrouvh-
'9rea securely roped off and clenr
OF people. The shipyards with its
lo,ooo employees. closed down and
sent band to join the other musi-
c'ii-and noise mnking-aggreRa
IONS. Every store is the city "shut
up shop'' and practically every man,
wvomhh ana child of the entire local
ity wns present and waiting.
Finally, about $50, nm army am-
buinnce hove into sight, and tho first
OF the Old Virginia Guard had come
back from war.
Another ambulance came behind.
and the cheers that went up threat,
ened TO split the eur drums of tho
cheering and the listeners.
"a hugc army truck, converted for
the time into n float, was loaded
down with Flowers Of every dcscrip-
ton, and n bcvy of pretty school
girls, dressed to represent some of
the spring figures of the classics.
scattered flowers in the wake of the
approaching fighters.
| And the heroes of the Argonnc
ana Sedan. still the pcace-ioying
boys from the Shenandoah, tho ems,
tern shore, the Clinch Valley and the
sun-kissed valleys of old Virginia
marched triumphant through the
cheering weeping, happy lanes Of
nolieIoiks n on carpet of rose petals,
the tribute to glory they had achiey-
| ed.
And while they marched Il silent
host, invisible, noiseless dead yet liy-
| ing, there though unseen, marched
with them.
None saw them, yet they were
| there. Heads erect, shoulders back.
races set and, eyes n-gleaming the
deathless dead marched with the
dauntlcss living.
Erie forms they were, those spirits
of the members of the 10th who fell
on Flanders Fields. They made no
no sound as they trod the carpet of
roses strewn by loving and grateful
| children.
"a triumph with tears for those
who sleep"
Thus did the city remember them
IN the inscription on the Arch if
| Triumph. There were no tears on
the faces of the human walls be-
tween which they passed. This wns
homecoming should be all Joy and
gladness
But the bursting heart of mother,
knew when "those who were not
there" had passed.
Now-An aerOplane Whirred above
the procession as they passed through
the streets. Girls met them on the
way, and showered them with flowers
and kisses-but, pity be, the latter
were wrapped in little yellow tissue
| paper.
AT Camp Stuart, where they are in
quarters, Virginia headquarters was
set up, and relatives of the men met
them there. There were scores of
touching little scenes, when families
were reunited after all those nerve
racking. months of anxiety. And it
was happy day.
Thursday night the city is to be
turned over to them A street carni-
val will take place, when an entire
street will be roped off, lighted with
Japanese lanters, and big dance
given with two bands furnishing the
music. A thousand homemade cakes
will be one feature of the entertain
ment, and everything else will be done
to make the doughboys happy.
They. will entrain Friday night
all night-for Richmond, to stage
big parade there aSturday before 60
ing to Camp Lee for rehabilitation.
The whole regiment should be mus
tered out of the service and safely
at home again by the middle of next
week.
Scarcely had the Virginians left
i fhn OF ,,,1a, +lo I.