The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-08
VETERANS ON THE WATER.
SEVEN THOUsdND or THEM ON an Ex-
CURSION UP THE HUDSON.
Their FIotiIin JoyousIy welcomed by nn the
Passing Craft The Minnes"tn's yards
Manned In their Honor-A Day Of Pleasure.

Their Flotilin JoyOusiy welcomed by nn the
Passing Craft The Minnesotn's Yards
Manned In their Uonor-A Day Of Pleasure.
Had the veteran Union soldiers and sailors
Of the United States had control OF the weather
yesterday they could have provided no more
perfect day for availing themselves Of Mr. John
II. Stnrln's invitation to take an excursion up
the Hudson in his steamers and barRes. 1t
was. perhaps. n little cold when. at half past
O'Clock. tho officers Of tho Grand Army OF the
Republic. with their families. began to 20 on
board the ID. r. Martin at tho foot OF Cortandt
street Thoro were among them many whose
empty sleeves hating gait, or Scared counte-
nances bore testimony to hard service rendered
during the late war; and there were also many
who had patriotically enlisted after tho tide OF
civil conflict had swept past. But there were
few who did not enjoy themselves thoroughly,
Among those present on the ID. r. Martin were
Gen. Van Schaick. officer OF the day; Gen.
Henry Barnum. Gen. Alexander Shalcr. Gen.
John Cochrane. Gen. Spnuldng. Gen. l.. II.
Trcmanc Gen. Mcrden Cot. Charles Trichcr.
Col A. NJ. Clarke Col. VIM. l.. Tidball. Col.
Samuel Trucsdcl. Gen. Kilby Knox. Major
Joseph Forbes. Major Charles II. Otis. Major U.
s. Dcs. Major George W. Cooncy. Major Ball,
Corporal James Tanner. Tax Collector Of Brook
lyn Capt. Chas. J. Murphy Lieut.. L. Israel.
Licut Bailey Licut. Butler. Judge Robinson.
! Judge joel i. Fithinn Judge nuscnberry John
! NJ. CouuCy i. T. Locke. and W. VI. lnnuNrd.
II WIS about II o'clock when the u. II. Martin
! cast loose from her mootings. and. running
| down the North River rounded the Battery and
| steamed MP the East River NJ far as Wall street
| ferry. passing on the trip six large hnrges
| carrying as many Veterans and their families
! ~ cOuli be- accommodated without crowding.
| nve tug boats towing the barges. steam barge.
| the Erastus Corning. loaded like the other
| harges. and the Blackbrd, small steamer
/ under command of Lieut.. Commander II. G.
| White. u. :. y; All the boats wero lavishly
Ms thry passed. the ID. Il. Martin they blew their
| whistles with force and persist'ncy From tho
! East River the notila ran down into the lower
| hav. where the boats were mustered and their
| Captains given their lnst instructions 10 guide
! them during the excursion. Wuilc lying in the
| bay the Veterans had an opportunity oi seeing
tho hoats of the Atlantic Yacht CLUB spread their
| wings t. the brce1s and speed away ON their
rncps They cheercd heartily nS they saw tho
stnrt II was ~ o'clock before the honts got fairly
| OF upon their expedition. The Blackblri led the
| van. firing guns first from one s'de ani then
! from tho other. Tho ID. H. Martin followed.
| nnd after her came the harges, As they ran M
| the North River. every steamboat that passed
| sulut"d them with whistles. whose shrlll music
| occasionally almost drowned the Governors 5
| Island Bund, which was on hoard the II. u.
| Martin The veterans ot humber rank in tho
| bnrEes also had thnr musicians. The mem,
| bers Of the Union Home and school Band. all
| orphans of soldiers aud sailors, blow away
| Justify. aud beat their drums with youthful
| ygor that knew Ot no abatement until the
| horges returned in the evening and tho band
| Of kolts P9st lent their more maiured powers
The first great event Of the day was passing
| the United States frieate Minnesota some of
whose crew manned the Blnckhird. The sailors
were on the lookout for the ptilla. but they were
acting under orders and did not m!ye as 1t ap-
proached their shin. Tho ID. Il. Martin. the
tugbonts and the Backbird whistlcd rs though
they would burst their boilers. but the men-of-
warsmen stood on their deck rs though they
had received an order 10 repel boarders." But
when the Black bird was directly astern OF the
ship. and the ID. II. Martin dashing forward a.
though with the Intention OF sinking her by
plungng iuto her port side. the dense throng
OF sailors suddenly melted away and the next
| minute tho rigging was swarming with active
| bluo Jackets. who cheered until the veterans.
who tried to. return the salute in fitting man
ner were obliged 20 dcsist. and content them
selves with waving their hats and handker-
chiefs.
All o'clock dinner was announced on board
the u. II. Martin, and 1t WAS then observed that
the little Blackbird, which up 10 this point
had kept steadily ahead OF the iicet began to
show signs OF exhaustion She slowed NJ. AMI
steamers were lnshed together and Iieutenant-
Commander White and his officers allowed
themselves 20 he persuaded TO Jump on board
and partakc Of the banquet. Over tho vino
Gen. John Cochrane gave as a, toast: The
Ladies' Of the Grand Army Of the licpublic'
After dinner Gen. Barnum, Lieut. -Commnnd-
or White and several others embarked I'm the
BlnckLird and returned To- tho bargeS. where
they received an enthusiastic welcome. Gen
! Alpine Grove was reached Tho whole party
dis Embarked and II was then seen that there
were between 5000 and 1000 porsons present
Among them were kimbnll Post No. 100, sum
u.r Post No. "a Ellsworth Post No. g. Phil
! Kcarncy Post 40. $. koits Post Nc. 81. Rikei
POST 40 90. rhaford Post No. 3. Rankin Post ~
| 10 Mallory Post No. ~. Harry lee Post No. 2l
barbara Fritchie Post No, IL, Mansfield Pos
No. 3j. Motternlch Post No. l22, J. II. PER-,
| Post No 80 Frank Head Post No. lf Reno Pos
No. a. James C. Rice Post No. 20, Hawkins anc
Durycn Xouuves Veteran Association. Soldiers
and sailors Veteran Union. Protective Corps
and Wiinmsburgh Veteran Association.
For an hour and n half the eXcursionisis en-.
joyed themselves in the beautiful grove. Dane
ing and speech max ing were INDUCED In. am
tho band boys. despite the coldncss OF the water
stripped and swan out into tho Hudson. At
O'Clock tho steam whistles blew. the barge
were slowly filled. and the ilotlla the gr.atn
pnrt Of 1t. started on its homcwHrd trip, Fot 81
the heavy steam barge Erastus Corning. At th
last moment she was found TO be hopelessl
stuck in the mud Hopelessly. that Ia. SO far n
her own unaded efforts were concerned. bp
help WAS at hand. After she had fruitless
churned tho water into foam for half an hour
the ID. II. Martin passed her u hawser and towe,
her of This delay allowed the other harges L
get long start, but they were overhauied OF
Fort Washington and a landing was made a
the foot OF Cortlanlt street shortly before
: O'Clock.
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