Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-03-12
Our Washington Letter,

and been spanncu Dy ttlumphW hiVhVS' ~
avenues have been cbokcd with civic procession
and have sometimes shook beneath the tread
armies. With the exception Of the grand re
view Of 1865, when for two days the conquer
ing armies of tho rebellion, quarter of I
million strong, swept through the city like al
ovcrhowing river, Pennsylvania Avenue hai
witnessed no grander sight than the imposing
procession Of Tuesday. Indeed in everything
except extent or magnitude, the inaugural pro
cession of 1873 outshone the grand review o.
1905. The latter was composed OF soldiers
whose sober workday uniforms were stained by
the exposure Of long and bloody campaigns
and the dust of a thousand miles Of marching
whose banners were begrimed with the powder
and torn by the bullets Of hundred battles
and whose arms lacked the polish that delights
the eye Of an inspector The former was made
up of those who have been sarcastically spoken
Of as " soldiers in peace, citizens in war. y
Their gorgeous uniforms-many OF which
would have put King Solomon, when arraycd
in all his glory, to utter shame--wero fresh
from the hands of the military tailor or what
ever artist constructs the wondrous fabric OF
velvet bruadcloth, bearskin and bullion. The
gliding on their banners had never been tar
nshct by the smoke Of battle, and their bur
nshed arms shone as though forged from sun
beams
As though moved by a common impulse, the
whole country united to celebrate the last and
browning victory Of repubicanism, by making
the second Inauguration Of Gen. Grant maguii.
cent beyond all comparison. For days the
population Of the United States seemed to be
drawn into Washington like straws into the
vortex ola whirlpool Long trains followed
each other in close and dangerous succession.
They could not be emp,ied, reversed and re-
turned as fast as they arrived--and at last the
accumulation Of rolling stock was 50 great
about the depot, that the side tracks were fill
ed, and incoming trains were compelled to stop
aud unload their passengers upon the main
truck, two miles from the depot. - great
were the demands upon the roads that several
regiments from the north did not arrive until
the next day. The 9th y. "a splendid
regiment, a full thousand strong, arrived too
late to participate in the parade, having been
sixteen hours on the road between New York
and Washington, without fire or food during
that time. The second Conn. regiment, about
eight hundred strong, arrived some hours later,
having been twenly-one hours from New York
They arrived nearly iamished and frozen
At times they were run on to side tracks and
utt,tN.t ~ afaraH ftr. nd strns
they Kept from freezeing by demolishing fences
and building fires beside their waiting train.
Upon their arrival here, members Of the regi-
ment contributed 81 900, with which to employ
counsel 10 prosecute the Il. Il. Co. for their
outrageous detention.
Though clear and bright, the day was one
altogether Of the coolest of the season, and n
driving northwest wind chilled every one ex-
posed to its icy breath. Windows along the
line Of procession had sold, days before, for
from ten to forty dollars, and every one who
could, ayailed themselves Of the comfort of an
inside standpoint There were enough left.
However, to cover the housetops and crowd the
sidewalks with one dense mass of humanity
from the White lIoue, to the Capitol. Though
moving rapidly, under the stimulus Of the bit
ing wind, the procession occupied nearly an
hour and half in passing 1t was composed
very largely of the various crack military or
CARNATIONS from the North and West, who
had volunteered their presence. Prominent
among these were the ST. Louis National
Guards. and the old Guard Of New York, with
DOdwcrth' S full band this is one of the Oldest
organizations in the country. and is composed
of wealthy merchants, bankers and brokers of
New York city. Their uniforms were striking
ly beautiful and expensive. The Philadel.
phia City Troop, mounted, and magnifcently
uniformed, attracted much attention. The ia.
nous Boston Llnoers. also mounted. formed a
conspicuous part Of the pageant their bright
scarlet uniforms and their long lances, each
bearing red silk flag, made a very attrac-
tive and Snowy appearance. The famous Al
bany Burgess Corps, noted for the wealth and
character OF its members the Sumner Corps,
Of Syracuse, n. Y, and the State Fencbles,
Of Philadelphia, were also remarkable for the
beauty Of their uniforms as well as the fine
appearance Of the men and their perfect disci-
pllne. The Third New Jersey, the Monumen.
tai Greys, Of Baltimore, the Fifth Maryland
Regiment the Duqusne Greys, of pittsburg,
aud dozen Or more other regiments and or
swelled the line to the proportions
Of a small army,
The Cadets from the Military Academy at
West Point and the NavalAcademy at Annapolis
we're here By request and permission, and not
by requirement, and bore prominent part 10
the display. The West Point Cadets came
day or two in advance, were quartered at one
Of the best hotels and were allowed to remain
several days. They were allowed to attend the
Ball and to have good time gen
orally. The Midshipmen from Annapolis on
the contrary were brought over in the morning
put through the cold, iatiguing marches Of tn,
lay, made to dispense with their oyercoats and
tor hours to clasp the drag ropes of their how
tiers with freezing fingers, and at the conclu-
SION OF the parade, hustled back to Annapolis.
without being permitted to attend the Ball, or
N any other way TO extract enjoyment or graft.
lcation from the occasion. They may well re-
member the day and the officers under whose
inklnd orders they suffered with execration.-I
With the exception Of the Cadets, the only
United States troops present were the marines
rom the Washington Navy Yard, a company
II two OF Infantry from Fort MeHenry, and
'attery of Artillery from Fortress Monroe.
Many civic and political organization were