New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-04-25
Spectators From All Over New
England Gather Along Route
to Pay Homage to Yankee
Division
CITY GAILY DECORATED
WITH NATIONAL COLORS

100000 People Watch Procession
From Grandstand Seats While Five
Times That Number Throng the
CuIbs to Catch Il Glimpse of Khaki
Harvest.
Boston, April 25.-The Yankee boys
came marching home today They
found nearly all New England on
me cheering line.
for three weeks, by battaliOns and
oy regiments, these men had been
trlck1mg back, but this was the real
homecoming when in battle array
with hags flying and drums beating,
they marched in familiar streets past
a cheering, weeping multitude of their
home folks. And as each soul in
the mighty throng expressed it's emo
ton in its own way, the one time
National Guardsmen of New England,
now the famous 26th division of the
United States army-thc first Ma
tiOnal Guard division in France
hilled on unpcrturbed with the steady
swing of veterans.
March in Battle Array.
The ranks that moved machine-liI<e
around three sides Of historic Ros-
ton Common and into the wide
reaches of Commonwealth avenue
did not seem to be merely parading.
In trench uniforms with bayonets
fixed and set faces under ugly steel
helmets they made a great grim
picture of Uncle Sam with his sleeves
| rolled up.
Gen. Edwards Heads Parade.
At one o'clock Major Gen. Clarence
r. Edwards, to whom Major Gen.
, Harry Hale yielded the place Of
honor gave the word and the final
advance of the original 26th was un-
der way. Starting at Charles and
Beacon streets the YD moved 1000
strong through Beacon street and
past the State House where the New
England governors, representatives of
the army and navy, Massachusetts
state officials and members of the
legislature on three reviewing stand
SIS gave a rousing reception to the
doughboys.
Preceded by an escort of mount
ed police and astride his dancing
dapple-gray ''YD" Gen. Edwards
looked 100 per cent West Point but
his features betrayed that this was
quite the happiest day of his mill
tary career.
At daylight special trains began
unloading at the north and south sta
tions, and every electric car line
brought its thousands in ever-n-
creasing numbers as the hour of the
parade approached.
Many Special Trains.
The first special train to reach here
came into the south station at $40
a. m. bringing about 700 persons
from New Haven. An hour later the
first of four specials from Provi-
dcnce arrived and from that time on
trains from New Bedford Worcester,
Springfield and from Bridgeport, Wa
terbury and Wallingford, Conn, drew
in at frequent intervals all loaded.
$4,000 Soldiers Arrive.
Similar activity was apparent at
the north station. Early trains from
Maine and New Hampshire came in
with many extra cars attached and
an occasional special sandwiched in.
While the visitors were pouring into
the city the movement of the last of
the Yankees from Camp Devens was
also under way. Half of the $4,000
soldiers who had been at the canton
ment came yesterday and today ten
| more trainloads were brought in.
National CoIors Prcdominatc.
Everywhere along the line of march
the Stars and Stripes and the colors
of the Allied nations snapped in the
brisk wind.
At the entrance to Commonwealth
avenue along which the division
marched and counter marched, was a
Court of Victory" in the center of
which stood a winged Victory" a
| woman in shining gold.
G. A. II. Grccts Younger Vets.
At the other end of the avenue the
troops in swinging for the counter
march were greeted by hundreds of
! Grand Army veterans who occupied
"a court of the veterans" formed Of
! Victory columns and surrounded bv
| 500 stands of massed coIors AIon Q,
| both sides Of the avenue stretched un-
| broken lines of grandstands buried
deep beneath bunting, and from these
| Continued on Page Fifteen.)
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