The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1919-04-11
TUD0unr IUrl nnMr
'InnUNU0 W[LUUM[
SONS OF H5THE. A.
DEMONSTRATION WAS ONE OF
GREATEST EVER WITNESSED
IN MEMPHIS.
EVERY MAN is A WARRIOR
Four Mile Parade Is One Grand Trl-
umphal March-Bronzed Fight.
ers Looked Fit To Repeat
II Necessary.

Memphis.-Bronzed and battle-hard.
ened, the stalwart fighters of the old
First Tennessee came home under the
standards and guidons of the 116th
Field Artillery-home from the bells
OF the Argonne and ST. Mihiel-home
TO Memphis, mother of generations of
southern fighting men.
Forgotten were the agonies and
gloom of war. Gone were the anguish
and sorrow, of those other days when
the regiment marched away to face
the untold furies of the world cata-
clysm. Erased were the fears and suf-
fering Of mothers, wives, sweethearts,
fathers.
Tears there were In abundance.
They told the joy of mothers at the
sight of sons. They were the mani
festations of surging souls which.
grasped the magnificent significance
of the occasion.
Like the true southerners that they
are, these sturdy youths had gone.
Out OF glorious achievement they re-
turned. With swelling hearts and
dimming vision they were greeted. as
Memphis paid homage to her glorious
own.
Countless thousands thronged every
vantage point, and no Roman emperor
returning victorious to the Holy City
gained greater acclaim than the krib-
ute to these sons of Tennessee
Gods purest sunshine graced the
morning as the regiment detrained,
AS those units swung down the
driveway from the Union Depot, 1t re-
called other days when as national
guardsmen the regiment moved away
TO the Rio Grande to face the war.
clouds on the Mexican border; as 1t
returned when the clouds had lifted;
as again 1t turned the muzzles of its
rifles toward the bloodhounds Of car
mage, this time on the faraway soil
OF Belgium and France.
To the strains of the same glorious
march which graced their welcome
back from the Mexican frontier, the
serried ranks began their triumphal
procession through cheering thou
sands.
For two long weary years Memphis
had awaited this day. And on the sec.
ond anniversary of the declaration of
The United tates that Germany must
be crushed, those prayers we're
granted
Silent and tense the masses Of hu.
mainly which packed the streets, wait.
ed the coming Of the steel-helmeted !
gunners. Balconies were filled and
the roofs OF buildings were lined with
eager watchers.
For nearly two hours the 115th
Field Artillery traversed the city
streets, always between closely drawn
Zines of men, women and children.
Pretty girls, mothers, infants in arms
all were there to give throat to their
tribute. Flags waved and fluttered
over the throng. Flowers were flung
TO the column Clouds OF confetti
swirled In the breeze. An occasional
festive bomb burst harmless but nois-
fly In the clear blue of the heavens.
And though they marched modest
under the plaudits of the multitude,
their faces, their eyes, their erect, con-
fident carriage, told the story Of fight |
ing men, tried and victorious. They |
left as lads, serious OF course, fired
with the torch Of patriotism. but after
all, lads. They returned with fighting |
faces, steeled in the fires Of battle.
They went away as the First Ten
nessee Infantry, with long and lus-
trous record. They came back as the
115th Field Artillery, recognized as
one of the flowers OF the army, ready |
to repeat II necessary.
"Their barrage." acknowledged
marine who was at St Mihiel, was as
regular and accurate in front of US. as
the hops of rabbit"
And with all the neatness OF their |
feared gunfire these daughty warriors
marched before their admirers, their
cadence regular and their tread that
of the old infantry days, when the unit
was famed as the best drilled guard
outfit in the country. Most loved Of
Memphians in those days was Com.
pany /, the Chickasaw Guards, now q
part of Battery E. but stripped OF
much of its original makeup by pro-
motions to the commissioned person
mel of the army.
The head Of the parade reached the
Scottish Rite Cathedral at 1:45 p. m.
and was routed into the southeast cor.
ner OF Forrest Park. where rifles we're