SIX HUNDRED OLD SOLDIERS IN GRAND DRESS STREET PARADE

Source: ST. CLOUD TRIBUNE March 4, 1915, front pg. & pg. 4

St. Cloud is certainly in a class by itself.

        Where is there another town in the United States that can muster an army of six hundred men, nine-tenths of whom are over seventy years old? What a grand and glorious spectacle these old warriors presented Tuesday at dress parade. Not one in all that number but whose hair was white, whose cheeks were not furrowed with the lines of care, who did not carry a wound that told of hardships endured on the march or the many battles in which they fought, and a few were forced to use crutches to support their tottering bodies along the line of march.

        But these are days of peace, and it was walking sticks instead of muskets they carried and with which they went through the manual of arms. How the memories of those lamentable days of more than fifty years ago were brought back when the bugle sounded "fall in," and the commanding officers with one voice "shoulder arms," "march!" What a pleasing sight to see those hoary-headed old soldiers "dress front" as the inspection officer went back and forth telling this one "eyes to the front" and "cease talking in the ranks."

        And we of the younger generation need not be told every man of that six hundred had seen service, for there was not a step out of line, a laggard in the column - they were all, every one of them, soldiers again, obeying orders to the letter, and if Colonel Bullard had given the order to march to Germany, England, or even that place we all hope to never see, these old veterans would have started on the route, trusting to the valor of American manhood to return victorious, as our soldiers have done in every war since the day on '76 Old Liberty rung out the tidings that these United States were free and would ever remain so.

        There were eight companies - S. J. Scriber commanding Company A, Thos. Biddle company B, W. W. Pope company C, J. C. Jones company D, which was the Flag company, H. D. Winship company E, Thos. Tabor company F, J. N. Birch company G, and J. I. Cummings company H, all under the command of Col. J. F. Bullard, with E. E. Scranton acting as adjutant.

        Promptly at 2 p. m., the hour scheduled, the line formed at the G. A. R. hall, and led by Schofield's Drum Corps, with Major Andy Covington in front, marched by companies to Broadway, where the inspection was held and the general orders read by Col. Bullard, (these orders will appear in next week's issue of the Tribune). The inspection required about forty-five minutes, when the march was taken down Tenth to Pennsylvania, then to Eleventh and down Eleventh to the hall, where the regiment was ordered to "parade rest" for one year.

        Of all the pleasing affairs held in St. Cloud this season, there was none that attracted more attention or was more to the liking of our people, for it is fitting that these battle-scarred old soldiers should meet here once a year and by "falling in" renew the feeling of the march and hear the sound of the drum and fife and the orders of command.

        May every one who marched her in Dress Parade yesterday be found again in the same line next year.

---

Transcribed and donated by Anza Bast, a member of the Genealogy Club of Osceola County, 2006