Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-19
Meeting Of the Army Of the
Cumberland at Wash
ington.
Imposing Ceremonies Attending the
Uuveiling Of the Statue Of
Gen. Thomas.
Michigan is Visited To-Day by Disas.
irous Gale.
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.

Meeting at Washington TO Participate ir
the Ceremony az UnvcilipK the Thomas
Statue.
Washington, Nov. l9.-The city presents
gala day appearance, the streets being
thronged with people seeking places from
which to view the march Of the army of the
Cumberland and unveiling Of the statute Of
General Thomas. Buildings, public and
private, along the route are very generally
and handsomely decorated. The quarter
master generals building is prof,sely drared
with national colors aud displaying large
number of flags that were torn and riddled
on the battle fields Of the Mexican war.
Stretched across the street is a well.executed
portrait of General Thomas.
Washington, Nov. l9-The society o! the
army Of the Cumberland held busin. SO
meeting in the forenoon. On the platform
were Gov Matthews and Generals Hart
ranft, Bu,ter6eld and Kimball. The meet
ing was called to order by Gen. James Gar
field, who stated that owing to the illness of
the president Of the society, Gen. z. II.
Sheridan, he was unable to be present.
Gen. jeff. Z. Davis, vice president, was un-
animously elected presiding officer and made
brief address. District Commissioner
Phelps bid the society welcome TO the city.
Gen. Slocum followed with short eulogy
Of Gen. Thomas.
The decorations of the 14th street circle,
where the statue is erected, are very rich.
Around the circle are 4S lofty poles united
BY rope of evergreens, each pole bearing
the ensign and coat of arms of state and
panel commemorating the battles in which
the army Of the Cumberland was engaged,
or the name Of the deceased general officer.
At each of the four corners Of the pedestal
upon which the statue stands there is a
pole, corresponding with the poles represent
ing the states, and aanked by stacks OF
muskets and field pieces, the spaces inter-
vening being ornamented with cannon
balls.
The platform for speakers is within this,
and its planks bear panels on which are
inscribed the names of Anderson, Sherman,
Buell. and Rosecrans. In addition to these
appear panels at various points bearing the
names of Brigadier Generals Terrell, r. S.
McCook, Sill, Lyttle, Harker and Daniel
McCook, who were killed in battle or died
Of wounds. Hundreds Of other panels scat.
tered throughout the decorations are IN.
scribed with the names of all the corps and
division commanders Of the army of the
Cumberland. The handsome private resi-.
dences around the circle are also very
tastefully decorated.
A procession was formed on Pennsylvania
avenue near the capitol, and started prompt
ly at one o'clock. The procession was con-.
posed of five divisions and was one hour in
passing given point. Gen. +. T. Cri,ten.
den was marshal, assisted by the following
as marshals of divisions, each of whom
was attended by brilliant staff: Gen. r.
D. Mussey, H. V. Boynton, E. A. Carman,
B. F. Grafton and Col. r. Hamill.
Upon arriving at the circle where the
statue is placed, the ceremonies of unveil-
ing we're begun by prayer. "Hail to the
Chief" and "Star Spangled Banner" were
sung by grand chorus with band drum corps
and artillery accompaniment. The statue
was then unveiled, the people at distance
being informed of the fact by salute of 13
guns from Fl. WhiPple. Grand hymns
were then given by chorus of a hundred
male voices, supported by military band,
drum corps and artillery.
At the conclusion of the hymns, Stanley
Matthews delivered an Grafton. The pre-.
sentation of the statute was made as an
offering from the army of the Cumberland
to the nation, and President Hayes accepted
the Offering on behalf of the people of the
United States.