THIS WEEK IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY HISTORY: Gratifying success of Liberty Loan Parade in 1917

St. Augustine Record
·3 min read

Editor's note: The St. Augustine Evening Record published this story on Oct. 25, 1917.

Every branch of the country’s military, naval, Red Cross and fraternal work represented

St. Augustine’s Liberty Day demonstration deserves a leading place in the annals of the Ancient City’s pageant history. In former years, many beautiful parades have evoked unstinted praise, but it is doubtful if any of them surpassed the Liberty Bond parade of Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1917.

Beautiful floats, long lines of marching men and women, bodies of military forces and hundreds of school children contributed to a most effective display of patriotic enthusiasm.

The St. Augustine Evening Record, Oct. 25, 1917
The St. Augustine Evening Record, Oct. 25, 1917

When it is taken into consideration that the demonstration was planned but a few days ago and that the committee in charge had no funds to work on the success was marvelous.

The task of decorating the floats was accomplished in two or three hours under handicaps that would have proved discouraging if patriotism had not pulsed vigorously through the veins of all who aided.

To the ladies who took character parts in the various tableaux, the members of the fire department, the naval reserves, the electricians of the city and several volunteer workers is due the credit of preparing the floats in such a brief period.

Under direction of Grand Marshal Edminster the parade formed in the vicinity of the City Gates and moved westward on Orange Street to Cordova, thence south on Cordova ot Cathedra, thence eastward to the Bay, lapping around the little band stand park and doubling on its tracks marched west on Cathedral Street, passing the remainder of the oncoming marchers. The parade moved to Cordova along Cathedral Street, thence south to King Street and east to the Bay where sections were disbanded while other divisions moved on to Cathedral Street, disbanding along the north side of the Plaza.

Spectators and paraders surged into the Plaza and listened to the splendid addresses delivered by the distinguished speakers from Atlanta and Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

Leading the parade came the float representing the Spirit of ‘7. W.J. Alexander as drummer, and Walter Oglesby as fifer stirred the spectators as fife and drum filled the air with the tune of “Yankee Doodle.” One character on this float was missing, the boy who was to have taken the role of boy drummer failing to arrive from Hastings. Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic sturdily marched behind the float and were greeted by cheers as they passed.

Order of parade by Grand Marshal W. B. Edminster

The following was the formation of the Liberty Bond Parade

  • Mounted police

  • St. Augustine Municipal Band

  • Naval Reserve Float

  • Junior Reserve Float

  • Float: “Spirit of ‘76”

  • Major D.W. Bailey and staff of St. Johns County Guards

  • Company “A,” St. Johns County Guards

  • Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps, St. Johns County Guards

  • Company “B,” St. Johns County Guards

  • Float: “Horrors of War”

  • Company “C,” St. Johns County Guards

  • Float: Red Cross

  • Red Cross Society 

  • Ambulance Red Cross

  • Float: Goddess of Liberty

  • Boy Scouts

  • Float: Navy League

  • Navy League

  • Public school children

  • Float: Liberty Loan

  • Parochial school children

  • Float: Goddess of Peace

  • Fraternal orders

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Augustine's Liberty Loan Parade was popular event in 1917