The Dallas Daily Herald

First Infantry.

The city was enlivened yesterday by the presence of about six hundred soldiers of the First United States infantry. They are en route from Dakota to San Antonio and Ringgold barracks, and a portion of the command will occupy the post on the Rio Grande frontier, for which an appropriation of $250,000 has been secured through the efforts of Senators Coke and Maxey. The eight companies are under command of Col. W. H. Shafter, an old officer on the Texas frontier, with a host of friends in the western portion of the State. The command is traveling by special train and stopping over here awaiting the reconstruction of the Cottonwood bridge on the Houston & Texas Central railroad, which gave way a few days ago under the weight of a freight train. It is expected the work will be completed by evening to-day, when the special train will resume its journey.

The officers of the command, a party of most agreeable gentlemen, are accompanied by their families. The command is composed of young men of fine physique. The dress parade yesterday evening was witnessed by a large number of citizens and pronounced by all as being "splendid," in the acceptation of the word as applied both to the men as a body and their proficiency in drill and the manual of arms. The feature was the regimental brass band, which discoursed sweet music. The Mayor's and also Messrs. Whita & Pepper's courtesies to the officers and their wives was acknowledged last night by a serenade of these gentlemen by the band.

The best wishes of those of our citizens, whose good fortune it was to become acquainted with Colonel Shafter and the officers of the line, accompany the command to its new field.