The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-04-11

~~se~~>~~~~~~-~~-~.~~~
Turner, president Of the Retail Mer.
chants association, practically every
business house in the city closed its
doors at 9:45' o'clock and proprietors
and employees turned out to welcome
the homecoming soldiers. The word
that the boys were coming today
spread rapidly yesterday following the
announcement in The Herald and al.
most every section of the county was
represented in the crowd Thousands
of people had assembled by $3.50
O'Clock and by the time the first train
arrived the largest crowd ever as.
sembled on SO short notice was
packed around the the Union station.
Automobiles were parked for blocks
on every street leading into the sta.
ton area. Many of them were decor
ated with flags and bunting.
Son after the men had alighted
from the train and had gone through
the joy Of greeting their families and
friends, Hon. J, A.. Sloan, acting as
chairman of ceremonies, presented
Major Horace Frierson, who after
some persuation, spoke briefly in
acknowledgements Of the welcome to
his men and himself.
Major Frierson said:
1T affords the soldiers of the Hath
Field Artillery the greatest magma
BILE pleasure to be back home again
and we hope to be able to stay here
permanently. We have had enough of
war. We are overwhelmed by this
magnificent reception and we are sor-
ry that all of the boys did not come
down on this train. II they had known
what was in store for them they would
have caught the first train. The men
are discharged now and under no mill
tary control so they could not be kept
| together. ,.ae Gse -,
''We are glad. to be al home. We
ere proud of thecsupport this country
gave us while we, were at the front
and we thank you for this welcome
today. q All that we ask is that; you
take us back into the civilian ranks of
life. WeJ ask no favors. We are beg
ging nothing except an opportunity to
be allowed to get back to work. feel
sure that every man in the regiment
has been made better citizen be-
cause of his service in the war and is
better qualified for the duties of citi-
zenship."
Representative l.. P. Padgett was
then presented by Mr. Sloan and spoke
briefly OF the welcome to the boys. He
said:
This is not the time or hour for
speech making. We are too happy to
deal in glittering generalities and
high-sounding platitndes. They may
be in order upon some other occasion.
We are so happy and hearts are so
full of gladness because of your re-
turn that we can't talk. We wanted to
see you, then give you the glad hand
and welcome back home.
"This regiment was engaged in a
great task. The men responded to ev-
cry call and have come back with
honor and glory. But the men are
not in a mood for ceremonies now.
They are like the soldier in Nashville
who after listening to a long speech
said: Let us go and see our moth.
ers." That is what every man is
thinking about now.
Eve glory in the history that you
have made. We are happy in the
thought that you are back with u.s.
God bless you in your coming"
Members of Battery F, 114th Field
Artillery, from Maury county, many of
whom returned last night and this
morning. were:
Everett Atkinson. John n. Bats,
Robert l.. Ellington. Everett Blocker,
Nathan L. Brown. Farley Church, Joe
A. Crawford, Lee Dooley, Joe Eskew,