New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-21
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC SOCIETY
THE CELEBRATION AT BOSTON
GRAFTON BY GOVERNOR FilRCHlLD

at Boston last week:
Comrades What shall | say to you to
day. or rather what can | leave unsaid +.
So many recollectiOns crowd upon me II
this presence. sweeping as a flood from out
our common past, that | lind it harder than
l can tell you 10 know what not 10 say.
This meeting calls I'D SO wildly the whole
story of the war; the political events which
led TO il: the euormity of the treason which
caused il: the danger to our country; the
appeal TO arms and the answer TO that APP
! peal-any OF which suggest so much that
lind il difficult 10 know where 10 begin, and
even more difficult to know where 10 leave
of.
After some hesitation | have decided to
suggest 10 you to-day what have long had
in NV mind. that il would be well for our
society 10 have upon its records as tull an
account as we can gather of the part the
Army of the Potomac took in the war. and,
by way of Illustration. | propose. in the
short space allotted me, to trace for YOU.
briefly. sketch of the first organization OF
that army: the events which led to it. and
the circumstances surrounding it, down to
the time when il marched out TO the first
battle of Bull Run. If others coming after
me care to take up the thread. at intervals.
I perhaps. and IL may be not consecutively,
| We shall III the end have secured "A more
/ complete and more truthful history than
. any now in existence. You will under
/ stand better than any others the difficulties
. involved in such a task; how almost impOs-
/ sible it will be TO select from these choicest
| recollections OF our lives the details most
I proper TO present. If have taken note of
/ matters You would have passed by in
. silence il is because | find an unfailiDg at
traction in whatever pertains 10 the war.
/ Its every feature is OF interest TO me. The
/ simplest record upon the gravestones OF its
/ dead appeals IN me a nothing else can. Ii
( | omit some things you would wish to
! hear. | can only plead the shOrtness OF the
I time. for | do not intend to keep you
/ long.
The soldiers Of our Union army had
everywhere many qualities in common All
Were earnest, intelligent, self-cOntained.
selfsacriticlng. generous and brave. All
were possessed with the true spirit OF pa
triOtisIi. purer, holier devotion was
never known in the history OF the world
Much that may be said of the army of the
Potomac to-day might with equal force be
said Of all our armies.
Every army, however. has certain dis
tinguishing characteristics. The nature of
its service, the character of its command
ers. the materials of which its ranks are
composed. the results of its earlier efforts.
the field of its activity, and the strength
and quality of the army opposing it-all
are circumstances that develop the char
acter OF an army. just as the yicissitudes
and associations of life develop the char
acter of a man.
OF the characteristics of our army, We
my comrades, have some right to be proud
for many of them grew out of our peculiar
surroundings. They cost us the lives of
many brave men, and came to us through
many bitter days. From the first it was
our especial charge to guard the city of
Washington. Every campaign was embar-
raised Oy this necessity. This kept US con
stantlv near the seat of government, made
US the special objects of attention in high
civil quarters, and led to perpetual inter
ference with the plans of our commanding
generals. 1t was our fortune TO make many
iruitless marches, TO fight many aimless
battles. to suffer many uumerited defeats;
and what was harder yet TO bear, it was |
ours to know that oar name was almost a |
by-word and reproach, because of DELAYS |
and disasters for which we were in no way |
responsible A harsh schooling. lasting |
through the earlier years of our history, |
but it was an experience from which came /
many sterling quaGties-an organization |
which no defeats could destroy: an unaues-
tlOHiDg obedience to orders, steadfast
courage which shrank not, whether in the
tatigues of the march, in the danger of the
field of battle, the dreariness of the hospital
or the hupelessness of long delays in camp:
IL |
TO bear unjust criticism when defeats were
almost overwhelming, and tardy praise
when victory had perched upon its banners.
Not Drawer than the soldiers of other
armies, they encountered greater obstacles
to test their bravery not more Jealous
lovers of the Union, they suffered defeats
and disasters which would have utterly dis
couraged and demorahzed men less deter
mined to win the prize for which thev
fought And through it all they never for
one moment lost confidence that in the end
they would be victorious, and that those
who should survive would one DAY return
10 their homes, their task ACCOMPLISHED
their country reunited, and its flag waving
undisputed over the whole of the national
domain.
On the day of Mr.. Lincoln's Inauguration
the situation was briefly this: Seven South
ern States had adopted ordinances of
secession, and there were no persons within
their limits to represent the powers of the
federal government, or TO execute its laws. |
All forts, arsenals, customhOuses, docks. |
and all other public property had been
seized by the authority of the States within
whose boundaries they lay, and were held
III possession by persons denying the
authority OF the general government, and
owing allegiance only to a new government
claimed to have been created by the united
action OF these seven States. Under ap-
pOintment5 from this new-b born source OF
power, they claimed to discharge the func-
lions of their various offices. 1t was ONLY
over Fort Sumter, i'll Charleston harbor,
and Forts Pickens, Jefferson and TAYLOR.
near the Florida coast, that the flag of the
Union continued to be displayed. The CON-
handing officers of Forts Pickens and
sumter had been summoned TO surrender.
TO capture these and other forts
md to protect from recapture the places
md property already seized, armed forces
lad been organized and were still organic
ng. Over thirty-ive thousand men were
lready III the service OF the Confederate
states, and under the militia laws of indi- .
ldual States large number of regiments
we're rapidly forming. Around Sumter :
batteries had been erected, /
mounted with guns of heavy calibre taken
rom the captured forts and arsenals, and !
N the third day Of March General Beaure- /. .
ard had been ordered to assume command !
i the forces there gathered. On the sixth :
u March measures were adopted by the .
Confederate Congress for calling into the
ervlce OF the rebellion one hundred thou =
and men !
Up to tins point the policy of the general g
'oNeIhment had been one of peace. There
vas among all parties a profound wish that :
'etter conhSels might prevail, and that the V
loIIoIS OF clvll war might be averted Mr.. b
>LHCo!h closed bis inaugural address with a
OuchlhS appeal to his dissatisfied fellow n
ouhti men saying, I'VE are not enemies y
,uI lElehdS-We must not be enemies. Il
hoEgh passion may have strained il must a
lou Ofeak our Dohds OF affection. The mys- a
&c cnoIdS OF memory stretching from every
attle neld and patriot grave to every living \
cart and hearthstone all over this broad =
swell &c