Rocky Mountain News, Denver Colorado, July 24, 1883, p 2, column 4,
micro-film Denver Public Library.
Headline: THEY ARE HERE, The Heroes of a Thousand Battle Fields Arrive,
Names of Those Registered at the Camp Yesterday; Scenes and Incidents in Camp
and at the Depot, A Vast Multitude Thronging the Streets of the City,
Decorations as Magnificent as Ever Before Witnessed Anywhere. Notable
Persons Who Will Participate---Brief Mention, Etc.
The camp presented a world of life within itself yesterday. Every incoming
train brought one of more posts who in disembarking, formed in line and
marched into camp to the old tunes the memory of which made the wild blood
stir again in their veins as it had not done for a scores of years before.
How the eye brightened and the step quickened when the familiar strains of
"Marching Through Georgia," "Tramp Tramp Tramp the Boys are Marching,"
"Dixey" etc. were struck up by the bands in attendance. All the vicissitudes
of twenty years of poverty, wealth, disease or happiness had not obliterated
that indescribable feeling which
THRILLS THROUGH THE WHOLE BEING, called Patriotism, whose holy fire only
slumbers, to be awakened on occasions like that of this reunion, by the
familiar "reveille' or "Tatto" of the fife and drum or the stirring
bugle
calls, all of which are heard at Camp Van Der Voort, "Denver has cause to be
proud of herself, that she will entertain her distinguished visitors as they
merit during their stay here there can be no doubt. The citizens almost
without exception, vie with each other in showing their intense appreciation
of the deeds of valor and immense services to the country rendered by these
heroes. Flages, evergreens, triumphal arches, decorations without number
almost obscure the sunlight in our principal streets. Never was a similar
sight before witnessed in Denver, perhaps nowhere else, under the same
circumstances. THE PARADE OF TODAY will be composed of perhaps ten thousand
men and a large number of bands. Many of the posts are provided with elegant
______, banners and corps marks on silk, which will diversify the monotony of
the long marching columns. The streets along the line of the route have been
put in perfect order and thoroughly sprinkled as they will make the march of
the veterans one of pleasure instead of the discomfort which usually attends
parades. In addition to the participants, it is safe to say that from all
over the country FIFTY THOUSAND SPECTATORS from all over the country will
line the sidewalks throughout the whole route. That the occasion will be one
to be remembered as long as life itself is not saying too much for its
grandeur and intrinsic merit. VISITING VETERANS WHO ARRIVED YESTERDAY> Last
evening the registers for the different States kept at the registration
headquarters contained the following names of veterans who had arrived at
Camp Van Der Voort: Kansas, J W Casteel
LCM note: This is the only Casteel listed in this articile. Leoneita