Young Republican Regiment
Page 4

The Journal of October 16th, describes the parade, mentioned in the aforegoing order, as the �boss" demonstration of the campaign. Company A held their usual position in the line, and mustered three officers and fifty-three men. The American Band furnished the music on this occasion, together with the Young Republican Regiment Drum Corps. For the part taken in the demonstration, the executive committee of the sixth ward, tendered through their chairman, Hon. William S. Hayward, their hearty thanks to the organizations taking part.

October 18, 1880, this order was issued:

�Company A, Young Republican Regiment.

     The members of the above will report at Infantry Armory, Monday evening, October 8, at 7:15 p. m., to      participate in the Smith�s Hill demonstration.

W. L. Tourtellot, Captain Commanding."

This was the only company order that designated it as the Smith's Hill demonstration; it was known as the first and tenth ward parade. Why it was designated as a first and tenth ward parade never will be known. The route of march taken was, as you will remember, through sections of the first, second, fourth and tenth wards. Two flags were raised during the long march. Company A numbered twenty-five men and two officers. The American Band again furnished the music on this parade. The column reached Market Square, where it was dismissed, at 11 o'clock. The procession was under the marshalship of Walter R. Stiness, and twelve hundred torches were in line. I have noticed min preparing this record that at the first meeting for organization of the regiment that it was named and styled the Young Republican Battalion, but in General Orders No. 4, from headquarters, the command is mentioned as the Young Republican Regiment. It is a small matter and amounts to little. In the Journal of October 20, our attention was again called to this order:

�Company A, Young Republican Regiment.

     The members of the above will report at the Infantry Armory on Wednesday evening, October 20, at 7 o'clock,      sharp, to take part in the Pawtucket parade. Tickets 10 cents, procurable of the Captains and Lieutenants.

W. L. Tourtellot, Captain Commanding."

This parade was an exceptionally fine one. Thirty-eight hundred torches were in line. The regiment reached Pawtucket at 9:20, and the column moved at 9:40. The Young Republican Regiment was in the 4th division, Company A numbered three officers and forty-five men. The line was thirty minutes in passing a given point. The splendid marching and wheeling of the Young Republican Regiment elicited outbursts of applause along the entire line of march, and was specially mentioned in the report of the demonstration. It required thirty-three cars to bring the Providence and Warren delegation to this parade.

Again, on October 22d, there appeared this order:

�Company A, Young Republican Regiment.

     The members of the above will assemble at the wharf of the Fall River Iron Works Company, Friday evening,      Oct. 22, at 6:30, sharp, for Bristol excursion. Tickets to uniformed men 15 cents, procurable of the Captains      and Lieutenants. Every man bring his cap.

W. L. Tourtellot, Captain Commanding."

On account of the weather this excursion was postponed, as will appear by this order issued from headquarters:

�Young Republican Regiment.

     The demonstration !n Bristol having been postponed until Saturday evening, all orders for this command for      Friday, 22d, will hold good for Saturday, 23d inst.

Chas. A. Winsor, Adjutant."

Old Boreas, with his icy breath, most effectually put a damper on this postponed celebration at Bristol. Owing to the failure to procure cars enough, the commands were over an hour behind time, and did not reach Bristol until nearly ten o'clock, when the march was promptly taken up. The regiment was in the second division. Company A numbered three officers and only twenty-three men. The route of march, after the formation of the line on Hope street, lay to the north of the road leading to Poppasquash and countermarched at the residence of Mrs. Perry, the first house built in Bristol. On the return, the way lay through Hope, High, Constitution, Wood, Church, High, Constitution, Water and State streets to the Common. Owing to the fierce wind and wintry weather the townsmen were prevented from making extensive illumination. I am unable to properly eulogize those brave twenty-three, who, despite the wintry blasts, fearlessly maintained their positions in line through that tortuous march, and, like the six hundred at Balaklava, their bravery will ever be remembered, and will doubtless be handed down to posterity in verse.

Hardly was one parade over before we were ordered, as in the following case, to prepare ourselves for another dose, and so on October 25th, we had our attention called to this order:

�Attention Company A.

     All members of this company are ordered to report at headquarters on Monday evening, October 25, at 7:15      o'clock, to participate in the 2d ward parade.

W. L. Tourtellot, Captain Commanding."

This was a complimentary parade tendered by the regiment to the citizens of the second ward. The regiment had the right of line, and company A, as did the other company, surrendered its position and the order of the company was reversed. Company A mustered three officers and forty-four men. The illumination at this parade excelled anything that had heretofore taken place, as the route of march led through that portion of the ward occupied by the wealthy residents of Providence.

Hardly had we procured our shoes from the shoemaker who bad smilingly replaced their taps, and was inwardly wishing that the thing would be kept up all winter, when we were informed by the following order to be ready again.

�Headquarters Company A, Young Republican Regiment.

     The members of the company are ordered to report at headquarters, Tuesday evening, Oct. 26, at 7:15, to      participate in the fifth and ninth wards parade.

W. L. Tourtellot, Captain Commanding."