d with
an excited throng of people. Wives and mothers and fathers and children
were represented there in the dense crowd, all anxious to speak a
farewell word to the soldiers on their departure. The first companies to
leave town were those commanded by Captains Martin and Boardman, which
marched to the depot and took the half-past seven o'clock train for
Boston. Captain Phillips' company took the train which left Marblehead
about an hour and a half later.

As the trains slowly left the depot, the cheers of the assembled
multitude were re-echoed by the soldiers in the cars. "God bless you!"
"Good-by!" resounded on all sides; and it was not until the last car had
disappeared in the distance, that the great crowd began to disperse.

Of the arrival of the Marblehead companies in Boston there is little
need for me to write. The testimony of such eminent witnesses as
Adjutant-general Schouler and General E.W. Hinks cannot be disputed,
and we quote it _verbatim_.

"There has been some controversy in military circles," wrote General
Schouler, "as to which company can claim the honor of first reaching
Boston. I can answer, that the first were the three companies of the
Eighth Regiment belonging to Marblehead, commanded by Captains Martin,
Phillips and Boardman. I had been at the State House all night; and
early in the morning, rode to the arsenal at Cambridge, to ascertain
whether the orders from headquarters to send in arms, ammunition,
overcoats and equipments had been properly attended to. Messengers
had also been stationed at the different depots, with orders for the
companies, on their arrival, to proceed at once to Faneuil Hall, as a
northeasterly storm of sleet and rain had set in during the night,
and had not abated in the morning. On my return from Cambridge, I
stopped at the Eastern Railroad depot. A large crowd of men and women,
notwithstanding the storm, had gathered there, expecting the arrival
of troops. Shortly after eight o'clock, the train arrived with the
Marblehead companies. They were received with deafening shouts from the
excited throng. The companies immediately formed in line, and marched by
the flank directly to Faneuil Hall, the fifes and drums playing "Yankee
Doodle," the people following and shouting like madmen, and the rain
and sleet falling piteously, as if to abate the ardor of the popular
welcome. And thus it was that the Marblehead men entered Faneuil Hall
on the morning of the 16th of April.