The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-31
DECORATION DAY.
Decking the Graves Of the Nations
Gallant Dead with EVergreens
and Flowers.
THE OBSERVANCE OF THE DAY UNIVERSAL
The Celebration in this City
and Brooklyn.
AT TIE TOMB OF FARRAGUT.
Scenes in Greenwood, Calvary,
Cypress Hills and the Ma
val Cemeteries.
0RATl0MS BY DISTINGUISHED ORATORS
Procession Of the Military and the Grand
Army Of the Republic.
Washington Remembered and Lin
coin HOnOred.
The Confederate Graves Beautified by the
Hands Of Love.
Procession Of the Military and the Grand
Army Of the Republic.
Washington Remembered and Lin
coin HOnOred.
The Confederate Graves Beautified by the
Hands of Love.
Ceremonies in Washington and
Other Cities.

Decoration Day was probably more generally OBJ
served yesterday in this city than any previous
celebration Of rete which must become more and
more dear to every Americans heart as time wears
on. The morning opened fair and beautiful, and
q pleasant breeze made altogether one OF the
most delightful days which have graced the city
this year. That such festival as this,
concentrating as 1t does net only the
deaths Of hundreds of thousands OF brave men
who would, but for such an observance, fade away
in dim memory, but the service they did their
country, when such service was sorey needed,
Is eminently proper, has become generally &C
knowledged fact outside Of the private homage
to the brave dead which such an observance
brings forth, the general decoration OF the graves
Of the dead by the hands of their successors in
arms Is touching and beautiful act, and one emf
nently necessity in such a community as ours,
where more than in any other memory for past
service is very short and the present is the al-ab
sorbing interest.
Throughout the city at as early an hour as seven,
military coats were to be seen in profusion their
wearers fresh and jaunty, as their accoutrements
sparkled in the rays Of the early morning sun.
Union square and the streets csnvergng therein
were soon crowded by the assembling participants
In and spectators Of the pageant. Nine O'Clock
the hour fixed for the assembly, and many of the
posts we're forming in line of their respective dvi
sions long before that hour.
THE HEADQUARTERS
Of the Grand Army Of the Republic, at No. 81 Union
square, presented an extremely busy spectacle.
with officers, aids and visitors bustling to and
fro. Marshals on horseback galloped hither
and thither and appearances were decidedly
martial. BY halfpast nine O'Clock all the
divisions were formed, prompt to time, and
began to march into the square to form the pro-
cessiOnal column. The Lincoln and washington
statues were both tastefully ornamented with now
ers the rallied enclosure OF the latter presenting the
appearance of q richly strewn flower bed. The Lin
coin statue was garlanded and a wreath OF leaves
sncircled the head OF the bronze figure. Almost
every building surrounding the square displayed
the national colors at hafmast, and down Broad
way along the line Of march similar public mark
OF respect for the occasion was generally notice
able. The assistants OF the Floral Com
mittee were busy loading the wagons with
flowers in pots and baskets, and by ten O'Clock
everything was In readiness for the march to the
cemetery. The collection OF flowers exceeded
that OF any previous year both as to guam
tity and variety, and was ample to en-
able the committee to devote all that
was required to the sad and poetic duty
that was to be performed. Just before
the hour of marching the crowd in the square be-
came very dense, and the police consisting OF a
detail OF 100 men from various precincts under
Captain Burden, were constantly basy in con-
trolling the movements OF the tarong.
THE SOLEMN MARCH
commenced at ten minutes past ten O'Clock, with
the various posts, companies and bands in the fol-
lowing order:-
FIRST DIvIsIoN--In charge OF Comrade ira D.
Whitman, assisted by Colnrade Frederick Dauen-
mayer, ON the south side OF seventeenth street,
r Qpl
!. Department Commander and stan of the
State OF New York
2. General Field and Stan Officers OF First divi-
sion, N. g., S. N. u, mounted.
8. Governors Island Band
4. Hawkins ZOuaves Veterans.
8. Company d, Sixth regiment, y. e. ). Y.
9: Company A, Eighty-iourth regiment, N. g.,
Z. veteran Guards, Captain wartield.
8. Mayor and Common Council OF the city OF New
10. Phil Kearny Post, No. 8.
IL. Sedgwick Post, No. IL.
SEC sECo l DIvIsIoN.In charge Of Comrade Theo-
on sixteenth street, south side right resting on
/. Band Of Koltes Post, No. 50.
2. German Veteran Singing Society,"
8. Koltes Post, No. 32.
4. Sumner Post, No. "a.
8. James Miller Post No. rs.
9. Dahlgren Post No. 113.
I. Farragut Post, No. rs.
8. z. A. Kimball Post No. 100.
THIRD DIvIsI0N-ln charge OF C0mrade Anton
Andessner, Assistant Marshal, assisted by COmrade
Jacob Miller on the south side OF Fifteenth street.
right resting on Broadway.
/. Fort Hamilton Band
2. Cameron Post, No. 70.
3. James c. Rice Post, No. 20.
T. George II. Thomas Post. No. 102.
FOURTH DIvISIoN-ln charge OF Comrade Richard
F0les assistant marshal assisted by Comrade
John s. Phillips around Union square, right rest
ing on Lincoln's monument.
/. Children Of the Union Home and school for
Soldiers and Sailors Orphans, In wagons
q Disabled veterans from Soldiers Retreat.
3. Teams and wagons, furnished BY express and
manufacturing companies, with plants flowers
and shrubs for decorating the graves
To say that there was anything imposing in the
appearance Of the procession would be at
variance with the facts, for there was,
considering the really military nature and
origin OF the ceremony, and the mill
tary character OF Its participants, de-
sided lack OF uniformity in 1t. There were in the
ranks soldiers in uniform, and marshals and aids,
mounted and on foot with nothing that was mill.
tary about them, except their caps and histories.
Then there were hundreds upon hundreds OF
men marching In the ranks OF the various
posts who had not single article OF
military insignia or attire about them. and there
were women and children In carriages and men
In nondescript uniforms. The most noticeable