Company A of Newburyport reached home about 9.15 o'clock, but its coming had been announced some two hours previously, by the sounding of the militia call on the fire alarm, consequently there was a tremendous crowd at the station, which gave the command a rousing cheer as the men stepped from the train.
A delegation of paraders were awaiting the arrival of the company and the line was soon formed in the following order; Newburyport Cadet Band; Mayor Huse and members of the city government; Company L, Massachusetts Naval Brigade; National Band of Newburyport; Company A, Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, U. S. V.; Newburyport fire department; Newburyport Bicycle club and Shields Division, A. O. H. The line of march led through the principal streets which were packed with people who cheered and burned red fire as the company passed. Wolfe tavern was finally reached, and there the festivities of the evening ended with a supper served the members of the company.
On April 23, Company A was officially entertained at a banquet which was spread in the armory and to which some 400 people sat down. Mayor Huse presided at the after dinner exercises and there was speaking by prominent citizens.
The Amesbury company, Company B, arrived from Boston at 9.40 o'clock and found a large crowd waiting its arrival, the fire alarm having sounded the warning of the company's approach. All the business houses were brilliantly illuminated and a salute was fired as the train rolled into the station. A parade was formed and passed through the principal streets in the following order; Drum corps; veterans of Company B; E. P. Wallace Post 122, G. A. R.; high school battalion; the fire department and Company B, Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, U. S. V.
The official welcome home took place on April 26th, when there was a public reception to the members of the company from 4 to 6 o'clock at Armory Hall, followed by a big banquet in the evening, at which time Commander Charles E. Kennard of Post 122, G. A. R. presided and speeches were made by prominent townspeople.
The Grand Army post, headed by a drum corps, and hundreds of the people of Marblehead were at the station to welcome home Company C and gave the members a rousing reception. The company was escorted to Abbot Hall, where H. C. Sparhawk, chairman of the board of selectmen welcomed them home in the name of the town, and Captain Pettengill and Lieutenant Whelpley responded for the company. The men were then dismissed.
On April 14th, the town was alive with bunting and enthusiasm, for this was the day of the official welcoming. A big parade was a feature of the day, the line being formed in the following order: Thomas Swasey, chief marshal, and staff; Excelsior Drum Corps; John Goodwin Post, G. A. R., barge containing crippled Civil War veterans; cannon captured by the U. S. S. Marblehead at Fort Cayo del Torei; Cuban mine pulled up at Guantanamo by the Marblehead, on drays; Company C, Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, U. S. V.; officers of the fire department in carriages; Pickett Veteran Firemen's Association; Lafayette Brass Band of Salem; members of fire department; Phenix Veteran Firemen's Association; apparatus of the fire department; Thorner's Rough Riders. There was an exhibition drill by Company C, a supper and reception. The day's exercises wound up at Abbot Hall, where Henry C. Sparhawk, of the board of selectmen presided, and speeches were made by various people. Among the incidents of the day was the presentation of a button to every member of the company by the Volunteer Aid Association, through its president, Mrs. Mary E. Graves.
Central Square, Lynn, was black with people awaiting the home-coming of the members of Companies D and I of that city, and every train which passed through with companies aboard, bound homeward, was greeted with loud cheers. Finally, the Lynn companies arrived, and the air was rent with cheers, and excitement was at a high pitch. Cannon boomed and red fire was burned in quantities. Mayor Shepard had met the company at Boston, and found that it was the wish of the men to go directly home, so beyond this outburst of enthusiasm, nothing was done in the way of a welcome, the companies marching directly to the armory, and the men were there dismissed.
On April 13th, however, Lynn people officially received the companies in a manner which will not soon be forgotten. The city was bedecked with bunting, and thousands crowded the streets through which the parade passed, and cheered to the echo the returned war veterans. The parade was formed in the following order: General Charles C. Frye, chief marshal, and staff; Lynn Brass Band; General Lander Post, No. 5, G. A. R.; Lieutenant-Colonel Mudge Camp, Sons of Veterans; Lynn Light Infantry Veteran Association; Wooldredge Cadet Veterans; Lynn Cadet Band; English High School Battalion; Classical High School Battalion; carriages containing Mayor Shepard, and members of the city government; Eighth Massachusetts Infantry; U. S. V. Band; Company I, Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, U. S. V.; Company D, Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, U. S. V.; Veterans of Company E, Massachusetts Naval Brigade; Veterans of the Spanish War. A banquet at the State Armory followed, at which time 800 plates were laid and Mayor Shepard acted as toastmaster, and speeches were made by many prominent people, both in military and civil life.
Mayor Benjamin D. Webber, of Beverly, went to Boston as soon as he heard that the Transport Meade was in, and together with other prominent citizens went down the harbor to welcome the members of Company E. A specially chartered tug was used. Learning that the company was to come home that night, he telephoned to Beverly the fact, and upon the arrival of Company E at the station, a large gathering of people was on hand and welcomed the command with three rousing cheers. A parade was formed, consisting of a Drum Corps, Post 89, G. A. R., and John Low Camp, Sons of Veterans, and the line of march taken up for the armory, where there were short speeches, followed by a collation.