The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-11-27
Washington, Letter.


tFrOm Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Nov. %, 1879.
The ceremonies of unveiling the
statue of the great and heroic soldier,
General George H. Thomas, and the
meeting of the "Society of the Army
of the Cumberland" gave to the CAP
ital of the Nation the graudest pageant
it has witnessed since 200, 900 battle
SCARED veterans, fresh from the victo-
ries of Atlanta, Jonesboro and Appo-
matox, marched through its broad av-
enue in the spring of 1865. The morn
ing of the 10Th of November was ush-
cred in by the boom of artillery, and
by eleven o'clock Pennsylvania Ave
nue., from the Capitol to the Treasury,
was thronged with spectators, gay
with flags, and streamers and garlands,
while staff officers and civic and mill
tary organizations moved to their re-
spective rendezvous.
AT 1890 the grand procession moved
up Pennsylvania Avenue in five di-
visions, headed by General II. II. Crit
tenden, Grand Marshal, and his staff.
In the first division was the West
Point Military Academy band, Vet
Grams of the Mexican War, Grand
Army of the Republic from different
portions of the United States. In the
second division were the Third U. S.
Artillery band, from Fort Hamilton,
N. Y; the Society of the Army of the
Cumberland, numbering 600, on foot
and in carriages various committees
of citizens, Judges, Senators, Govern
ors, and other distinguished visitors.
In the third division was the Second
Artillery band, from Fort McHenry
Light Battery c, Third U. 8. Artillery
Batteries M and II, Second U. s. Ar
tillery, and battalion of U. s. In
fantry Gen. Sherman and staff, Gen.
Hancock and staff, Gen. Schofield and
staff, Gen. Mcdowell and staff, and
many others, including the staff of the
Army, followed by the handsomely
mounted Light Battery A, Second Ar
tillery. The fourth division contained
the celebrated Marine Band, followed
by battalion of marines, Admiral
Porter, Vice-Admiral Rowen, and
Rear Admirals, Commodores, and 9TH
er naval officers; following these, in
the same division, were the boys from
the U. 8. training ships Saratoga and
Portsmouth, with their Gatling guns,
and dressed in their jaunty sailor uni
forms. The fifth and last division was
made up of Columbus, O., Barracks
band, Richmond Light Infantry Blues,
Norfolk City Guards. the Governors
Guards, of Annapolis. Nd; Alexan-
dria Light Infantry, Cadets, Thomas
Mounted Battalion, Butler Guards, and
the Fire Department of Washington.
These divisions were reviewed by the
President from stand on the Avenue,
in front of the Executive Mansion.
Reaching the circle at the intersec-
ton of Fourteenth street, Massachu-
sets and Vermont avenues and M
street, the divisions were assigned
their several positions around the
yelled monument. $4,000 people had
assembled to witness the ceremonies at
the unveiling of the statue. The cir
Gle around the monument was most
beautifully and artistically decorated
with flags and streamers and garlands,
A prayer, salute of artillery, and the
Star Spangled Banner" by a choir of
100 voices, with artillery accompanied
ment. and, at signal, the starry folds
of the flag of our country fell at the
touch of General Don Carlos Buell. and
the splendid equestrian statue of the
pure patriot and unfiinching soldier,
rose to view amid the cheers of an ad.
miring multitude. The grafton of Gen.
Stanley Matthews which followed, was
a splendid tribute to the memory of
the warrior whose form lives in bronze
but whose great nSme and deeds live
in the hearts of the American people,
This statue is pronounced to be the
finest equestrian statue in Washington
1t is the work Of the sculptor J. @. A,
Ward, and was purchased by the Soci-
ETY. of the Army of the Cumberland
at cost Of $4,000. The pedestal on
which it stands was erected by the
Government at cost of So, 900.
In the evening a meeting was held
by the Society in mammoth tent
erected on the White-House lot Just
south of the Presidents Mansion. Ten
thousand people assembled under this |
canvas. There was an address of well
come by Judge Macarthur; an oration |
BY Gen. Anson G. McCook; a recita-
ion of the poem, 1.-THE Rock of Chick
by Miss Annie Story; speech
IS and anecdotes by Gen. Sherman,
Gen. Garfield, President Hayes, and
others, all interspersed with choice
music.
The morning of the Goth dawned
,old and blustery, with flakes of snow
n the air. The mammoth tent had
,een fiattened out by the gale, and the
Society met at Wizards Hall, where,
Imong its proceedings, it was deter
mined to hold the next reunion at To-
edo, Ohio. At IL o'clock a. NJ, the
society went by steamer to Mt. Ver-
ION, the tomb of Washington, and re-
urned to the city in the afternoon.
The grand ball which was to have
AIKEN place in the tent, was, by reason
# the collapse, transferred to the ro-
unda and lobbies fthe Capitol. There
It 10 p. NJ, under the blaze of electric
lights and to the music of half dozen
'ands scattered about the grand rotun-
la, the old halls and corridors, the vast
'rowd, crushing and squeezing, moved
lowly about. But little dancing was
lone, as the crowd was too great to ad-
nit of such diversion. 1t was there
ore not ball, but mash, in which
prince and cobbler, colonel and cor
'oral, President and lacquey, all joined
a the =" "jamboree." Many distinguish