The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-05-31
MEMORIAL DAY.

MEMORIAL DAY.
The Ceremonies i'm PortIaud-MiIitarv
Display-Oration by Gen. Chamberlain
Evening Services at City Hall.
Yesterday nation turned aside from custom
airy pursuits to pay some small tribute to the
memory OF those heroes who fell upon the bat
Tie field or fingered and died in hospital or rebel
prison in defence of peoples right. Ham,
let Joined with hamlet in these solemnities: the
great cities sent forth their delegations of sur
vlving soldiers to do honor to the memory of
fallen comrades; and though many found their
last resting places far away from friends and
lie perhaps in unmarked graves they were not
forgotten; and the wreaths that loving hands
laid upon the ashes of those who were permit
ted to find grave among their kindred, were
made fragrant with the prayer that the distant
graves might be equally hallowed in the record
of nations gratitude. The people of Port
land Joined with alacrity in the observances of
the day; and skilful hands had been weaving
evergreens, roses and lilies into appropriate
tokens fit for the occasion and harmonious with
the spirit which inspired them.
A more favorable day could not be imagined.
The sun rose upon cloudless sky the air had
warm breath of spring in it, the late rains
had pushed forward the grass and leaves and
the fruit trees were bursting into blossom, add
ing beauty and fragrance to the scene. There
were little groupings of people in holiday garb,
come to see and participate in the ceremonies,
ana There was pretty general display of flags
at half-mast, reminding the beholder of the
solemn observances of the day. The front of
mechanics Hall, the headquarters of the
Grand Army, was elegantly decorated with
corps badges, festoons of black and white in
tertwined, and American flags gracefully ar
ranged from the centre to each side Over the
entrance, between draped flags, hung a green
wreath, with the inscription 1--WE honor the
nations dead" Army and Navy Union Hall
also bore shields, flags and army badges upon
its front wall
At o'clock the Comrades of the Grand
Army assembled at their Hall in full uniform,
and were at once told off into squads by Com
mander Green, for the decoration services in
all the cemeteries but Evergreen. The detail
was as follows: A double squad of "a men, un-
der command of S. V. c. John Yeaton, Jr.H, with
Rev. Mr.. Hannaburg as cha plain, proceeded to
the Lincoln Tree in the High School yard,
winch was decorated with an elegant wreath.
The squad then divided, Comrade Greeley with
10 men and Rev. Mr.. Wright going to the
Eastern Cemetery, and the remaining men to
the Western yard, where prayer was offered.
and on the several graves the tributes of mem
DRY and affection were deposited Comrade w.
III Penuall with Row NJ III 80
men, and Comrade w. H. Kaler, with Father
John de Rose and an equal number of men,
performed like ceremonies at Forest City and
calvary Cemeteries respectively.
Appropriate remarks and prayer preceded tbe
ceremony of decoration in the different wards
AT the Eastern Cemetery the monument of
Com. Preble, the tomb of Blythe and Bur-
roughs, OF Enterprise and B oxer memory, and
the graves OF revolutionary soldier named
Reynolds and Capt. Samuel M. Plummer of the
west Point class of 1884, receiving floral tri-
butes
About noon the sky became overcast and gray
betokening rain, which fortunately did not
come. The bells of the city tolled a requiem
and minute guns were fired from Bramhalrs
hill. AT half past the procession was formed
in the following order:
Platoon of Police, Capt j. M. Black
Chief Marshal, Major VIM. p. Jordan, with Messrs.
j. s. Douglass, G. o. Bailey and A. M Sawyer, Aids.
Portland Band, 20 pieces.
Gen. c. P. Mattocks, commanding battalion of troops
Lieut.. Eaton Of the Cadets, Adjutant
Portland Light Infantry 4s men Lieut. Fessenden
Portland Mechanic Blues, SO men, Lieut. Leveitt
Army and Navy Union, 40 men. President Gordon.
Green with orguard Of Is mem Of the 9Th
Artillery from Fort Preble. hsssE
Moving to City Hall, the Mayor, City Gov
eminent, Collector and Surveyor of the Port
and other invited guests were received, and the
procession marched down Pearl street to the
Portland and Rochester depot, where special
train of fourteen cars was in readiness and
quickly filled.
Meantime an immense throng of people had
gathered at Evergreen Cemetery. A heavy
train of cars had gone out half an hour previ-
GUS; the horse cars, which had been running
constantly all day, had taken out a vast multi
tude, and hundreds had found their way thither
in private carriages, which blocked and chok-
ed the road for half mile in the neighborhood
of the entrance.
When the train with the military arrived at
MorrilPs Corner the procession formed and
marched directly to the Soldiers Lot in the
Cemetery. Gen. Chamberlain, the orator of
the day, arrived soon after by train from Bruins
wick and was taken in carriage to the ground
and took a seat on the platform, which was &C.
cupied by the civilians. Post Bosworth and
the Army and Navy Union then took position
in one of the avenues near the platform and
were detailed for the decoration office. Taking
their places with uncovered heads, one man at
oraua or a ciopo1 ba xuraa tI,C n nj bo,o,,o+s
were placed upon the mounds the band played
Wieprecht's Military Funeral Parade March for
dirge; three volleys of musketry were fired
by the detachment detailed for that purpose
abe recall was sounded and the soldiers soon
massed on the Lot in front of the platform
Upon rugged pine in the centre of the lot a
beautiful wreath of evergreen, with yellow
roses and pure callas, enclosing an anchor was
hung Prayer was offered by Rev. S. H. Mer-
rill, Chaplain of the Post. Commander Green
then introduced Gen. Chamberlain, the orator
of the day, who spoke substantially as follows
Comrades, Soldiers and Citizens:-Once more
we stand beneath these pines and recall the sad
memories of the past. To-day these emblems
of war wear peaceful aspect. Under the gen
ial air of spring the buried seeds are bursting
into beauty. That dull grey grub which was
buried in the earth is glittering in bloom under
an air like this There is nothing gloomy in
death. Even these graves smile to-day under
, Natures loving, useful offices. And vet there
are tears here; but not tears for the lost; we dc
not count over blessings laid away; even love
and loyalty might not be quiclzened but fol
memories. We come to-day to struggle against
forgetfulness; we seek to stay oblivion anG
freshen it with our tears. Will it turn back al
our desire? l say it is a struggle, for the tide
is against us. Not that we forgot our benefac
tors, but it was ordained that we should forget
We buried our Dead and it seemed as if every.
thing conspired to hasten the burial and drown
our sorrow. We erect monuments and mausole
ums to tell a curious perhaps careless posterity
that such men have lived and would live afte
death. The goal of the worlds history is too
far in advance for us to go through life looking
backward We have too great destinies to full
fiji. We sit and weave the thread of history
Shall we to-day say that all is lost-valor, 10y
atty and love? Shall we despair because tim,
conquers all things-even life Something We
remans all in us that is best and truest Al
that man has done for man is become part O
history all that he has done for truth is part O
immortality. The worth of man in this worl,
is the measure of charity in it. This part O
mans life is better than whole life centered il
himself. What you have done, comrades thos
little things, untold, unboasted-so nobly don
wiki not fail to have place in life eternal
Philosophers tell us that the solid earth beneatl
our feet resounds to the slightest breath. Tel
me this: is there not somewhere world tina
keeps time with the march of the brave Sure
ly there must be a land somewhere which ans
wers to the muffled heart-beat-beat back agai
- ar ,oao;onata n,It-reachinps of the sOul Yes