, 1866-10-12


This has bcer the grnndtst, most glorious 1a,
.'coEia ever raw. For a week past all the room
IN tic hotels Lave been engaged. All day yesteE
day thc people were pouring IN. This mora
Ing at ca'iy dawn all Tic nycaucr leading tu th,
city btowtd afEns Of s0mo grand occas!on-o1
foot on horseback, In Wagons, In carriages. b.
steamboat and Car did they como, men, wome,
and children, until noon. li'ing the strrcts, ,h
etorcs. public and private buildings, and erer,
eligible place for s"clng or hearing, and nit mi
mated "ltl, The *anc purpose, by tic tanat cntl,,
h'atm. lie sanio object, to MAXI . ernn lbmon
ttsation Of ,he!r feelings aid y}rws. The occa
@ion If .h,s tnmcnsc .,r1,.ou. was tic deaIcat.o,
Of the monument erected BY rsotia County 10 til
memory OF the e1olious dead Ut tho conpt
Who fell on every CORY field oi tho EontI, In dc
fchco Of free Republic, by their survivin: com
~"'fe. in.nt1ci. Tho day was ausplclons. th
"'a'oe' a-7. tho roads were good, and tho 81,
"Hone o's1 as only tho sun can shine Ia our clor!
ohe 1lf'nnis octpbcr weather, Ouc Of tic u,os
famed OF the natIon's tollura.
MA,on GENERAL BENJAMIN r. nrrtEt.
Of "7tfacEuFttfs, was to dctivor the cuosy, al,
o'1lr'f equally distinguished were expected to MI
dress the people before tho day closed, Tie "a
nous
TiscoSRrH EAnlE, "otn AnE,"
was present, looking proudcr, II possible. sha,
eSrr be did on the defI Of victory, 10 meet ht4 oil
comsndcR-for o1c Of our Peoria County reel
tne.'ta "as 1'r:a'lcd with the wiscon~ln regimen
which owned this living birti Of freedom. Thou-l
there were handr Of nusi. sut!lcie1l for Al. mac
ttcal purposes, The cnthustahm Of tho yast t,aysc
needed no bEazeu slimu1an.s.
THE DECORATIONS.
Many OF the pnblIc and private buildings wcr,
decorated VIII. Eaga nnd other l,alEto,ic emhlcme
and the whole city Sss deckcd' 10 lhe gasest col
OTIS.
TuE MONUMENT.
But tho most beautiful Of all was the monument
ttsclf. Tho Ladies' National 10, al League hat
completely cncsrclet 1t In wrcnih-, and festoon.
Of to"ers, and cverCrccnsr rom the base 10 the
eac'c. In the top. ahovc the caels, toso crose
OF nowcf1 and evcssrccns. and tue face of tAc
cross tro"t'n2 on Maln street was slrs4.dcl with
golden dah'sas, thus forming cne tho most beal,,t
1ol md sublime conceptions Imaginable.
THE PROCESSION
commenced forming at len o'clock, but it was an
hoHF hriore the MarsEals got It into 1iuc, aud
Wlen formed was the most im2oeing ever tecu In
Peoria, being composed OF soldiers OF tho sfxti,
and Eighth Missouri; Seventh, Eighth, Tcrtp,
Fourteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, Twenty.
fourth, 7hsty-sccond, Thirty ninth, l'orty.four,h
Forty-scveuth, Fony.ciehth, Fifty.nth, Fifty.
seventh, scven.y41rs', scven,y-seven.b, Eighty,
second, Efghty-thtrd. Elshty.fourth, Etshty.dl1h,
Eighty sixth, Eighty ninth, Nincty-thtrd, Ninety.
fourth, Ninety sixth, One Hundred and Second,
One Hundred and Third, One Hundred and
Foutth. One Hundred and Eighth, One Hundred
and Twelfth, One Hundred and Tsepty.fourth.
One Hundred and 1hirty-sccopd, Ono Hundred
and 7 1htrty-fousth, One HnnLred and Thtuy.atu1b
Onc Hundred and Forty:e11th, Ono Hundred md
FIN s-nrst md One Hundred and Ftfsy-fourth In.
tantss, besides numerous cavalry mouD1ed. The
ttA H.
marching by 7latoons. The vazions civic organ.
izasions named In the order Of march were prceent
In rcEalia aud with banners.
ORDER OF MAnCH.
The following is the order Of ma.ch: Chief Mar
shal. Aseletaat M7rahas, Baud, Military Orsanza.
tionf, with the Wisconsin Eagle, ..Oid Abe" In
The centre; Fbrtyscycnth Illinois Infantry, acting
as BODY Guard Cavalry and Mounted Infantry
wounded and Aailned Soldiers, In carriages
lrcsfdenr and v:ce-rrcsidcnts Tho Day, O1a,nrs,
Chaplain, Header Of Poem and Invited Guests,
Mayor md Common Council, 1eoria City Medical
Society, Marshal. Band, Peoria md Pekin Turner's,
concordia Gtcc Club, Peoria German woskucn
Soeitty. Odd Fellows, Marahais. Dsnd, Temper.
ancc Organization. MarsEals, Fire Department,
Other Civic Societies, Citizens On Foot, Citizens
In Carriages from City aud County.
DEDICATION.
Arrived at the monument in the public snua.c,
where an Immense staEd had Lten erected. and
where thousanas were already concreeatcd. the
following ccdicatoEy exercises were performed
1st+ hymn. by the Gicc Club; I'd, drdicatorv
prayer hy Rev. Richard Hancy, chaplain; Sd,
music by the band, 41h, reuding Of the poem,
''Ihc Soldiers Monument" written hy Mrs. F,
u II. BrothcreoE. ey Colonel Il. @. Inscrxoll
:'th. music By the band; 9Th. culo.y, by General
B. F. Butler; Sth, music by tho band; e,h, song
jn&f 11,1,
TIE SPEECHES.
At two O'clock the vast ass1mnlaee WAS nj,
dressed by General Butler and General LOGAN, IN
lengthy speeches, the political question. Of tbc
day. and to the great delight aad satisfaction OF
tie people.
THE TERMINATION.
In the evening the streets were lit up with bon,
fires, and rarme]y'e and Rousc's Halls were pack
cd 10 ovesnowinE to hcaE still other speeches by
Colonel 1ngetroll and others. In fact, the whole
city has been wild with enthusiasm anu excite
n,cnt, and ovcrhowing with JoY.
Thirty TnoCeAsD TO fonTy 1noCsASp PRESENT
The lowest estimate Of the numbers prrscn
Today is placed at 3o,coo people; by the more
*nnEnine at 40Coo.
GENERAL 1C71En's oRA11ox.
COMRADES or TIE ARMIES or THE Usr7E1
srATLa; There would seem to- be ar
fa0qanss rsi Wit Sou II c2ns;,,n aaa; me- ,,a tass
rles Of The brave. soldiers, whose deaths IN
preservation Of the Integrity Of the Republic. VT
here and 70" commemorate. lcomc al yopr cali
Atlartie wash he granite-Iascd shores Of New s
ENGLAND. to aid In embalnIbS for all time the
deeds ,Se St t'S G!1rous, dead Of 'hs pr,.iet
Sut tcemipg viii Vigorous i!s, tst.nty Sas1 aud es,
III q F!o@!e the ansy ss:ia ana sfs pe5pe qss
ffF4t ar F4F5Hf ftS5f ft$SkffS
the Vest With the same spirit OF ddelisy, 1oyalt5
and devotion TO the conntrr; in the same love q
kindred institutions; With unity Of thought aud
ayc, IN The very county ~hereat 1exlncton-i.
:afeel monument 10 record tho rsl blood Of The
Revolution, tht1 ~ the forces Of the British min
Sas made to british aggression; al ChaslestoWr
the first burning slcrcc OF the country 10 British
brutality "hcIc The cTar'e shan p!crees the eky
Ee1 Iovs e. es mhs9a o5. haa na1
and longing hearts have erected = memorial stons
10 lis citizen eol1icrs-Laad ard WhifneJ-tht
%sTy'f FL Y sa,1,ofe es sefnesd n 9p q sssn
lin who addresses yon. Tins mlnslins
,s esossion. Of Of 1s va of vii
peculiar siEn1ncanct tn you1 invitation 10 meet
ny somEadcs here 10 do honor to nye thontand
t1a1 counties Of thc state Of Illinois, more ths1
eight hundred OF whokc names nrt iutcffbcd upo1
this thaft ~ dying In the neh1est cause for which
men ever fought. Tlat each and all of these
iea1ea to Commemorate the hcroi*m Of the com
mon to3dic:, over the h:st martyrs In the cause
cra..tnde of lie Republic viii. a. il Oh shs 10 +.
PAID 10 those, her defenders. who In ihc satk.
With The n,.skst II hand, havc1tack at side. AMI
., ;le eail ot the Country, to meet dsaect:, pri
yasions and death itself
For ,ths few moments hist ar
nshs1 seteet of seush 10 ersaer ,emc e
contemplation. no more glorious topic OF rn!ocy
than the patriotism, courage, euns,ancy. fidelity
and loyalty g, heF soldiers In thc ranks to the 1t
Rcruel's, when officers Of thu 1sc:uiar Arm,
ssse' aas eS y Il e sessr of esSsS af sSSaA
M ,hetr profession. 81 The re~s1ds 10 s.oIs tor theI
Ssa
| 10 tnsc command IN The armed tEaftorons force
Of lAote in rebellion acaI'st their country: tia
Ss as 1s was
q theiE Officers At ihe !ie.snt military p.ss
o1 the 1lepuhl'c wc'c tnshine:head9ng ia'o Ii
ttEugcltnE through the swamps and ploddins thcl
weary wsy oser the dusty, hungry p'ain. to rejoi
rsa1s 5Seks st q 'r Or slnH u
f'gted item, tn unfaItcrtnc devotion 10 It's flai
| Again, TIC cry that armed treason Assailc
tn IoSesnmeltt went forth osc
| hi'!-top, valley and plain. Withor
t"re of rcrfopal glory save tic. glorious dca'h c
thc battlefield, o. honor rave thst " h,ch r.ale(s
| country now pays 10 loyalty and courage. witho,
:eNa,d rave The reward Of wc!i doing. All NJ
hc teening rra8rtes ot the West, anil tho broke
hills Of New England and the fertile zelda OF Ii
Middle States TIC private soldiers rushed TO afu
with uEantmit;y only equallei when thc liz;
lander answered the summons or The fiery c,o
OF hi* chirftain 10 naintatn the honor Of b
| i1lD1ls ard clan.
Pause NC berg, for no more instructive or su'
Inc tight shall ssez greet mortal vision thai, eli
zen tsointd solely 10 ttc arts Of peace surround,
home, p;attling hahies, loving viii, a f.,s
Eac;her. and perhaps dependent father; SEQ b.,
rs hcstsps forth from his hearta.stonc and ror
| tic demand ot hia cou7tr5's need. Follow ht
IL, oltsh the dnlt weat1t ONE routine OF the can