Litchfield enquirer., 1879-09-25
Flag Day.

Flag Day fully came up to expectation. It was the grandest celebration, and the largest gathering ofpeople, the State has ever known. Over eight thousand veterans-a thousand from other states-were in line, and Hartford could not have had less than sixty thousand visitors that day. The cars going in and the cars con- ing out were crowded far beyond their just capacity; trains of forty cars, with four en- zines each were creeping along the roads all Wednesday night, returning veterans and vis- itors to their homes. The city streets, park, and all public places, were crammed with spec tators so that room could hardly ba made for the grand procession, and parties once separ- ated were separated for the day.
 The city was ready, it's streets and buildings perfected as far as arrangements could be per fected, for the reception Of the human ava lanche that came pouring down upon it. Alta little past noon the procession formed and pro- ceeded to the Arsenal. The veterans marched with the cavalry in front, then the light bat teres and two regiments of heavy artillery, last followed the twenty eight infantry regi- ments in order of number, the survivors of the colored regiments (29th and 30th) bringing up the rear. Besides the soldiers in line there were five ex-governors of the state: Gov. Howard, of Rhode Island Gems. Burnside, Schofcld, Franklin, Warren, and host of other notaDilities
 Arriving at the Capitol the veteran battal- ions formed in line facing the north front, with their color bearers in the centre of the column Here Gen. Hawley, in behalf of his old con- rades, made final presentation of their colors to the State, in the following words:
 YoUR ExoELLENCY We are more than ten thousand citizens who were soldiers from Connecticut in the late war for the Union and Liberty. We come in obedience to an invita- tion of our beloved Commonwealth, to bring these eighty flags from their temporary rest ing-place to their final home, in this new and beautiful Capitol For the great honor and pleasure of the day we are grateful to the Gen. eral Assembly, to you, the Chief Magistrate and to the great cOncourse of citizens who have testified their extreme good will in many ways We shall make many pilgrimages to the shrine where these standards are to rest. We shall often recall. as we do to-day, the comrades who dared to die in following these emblems of duty and glory, and shall revive the innumerablc memories of four years of marvellous national cxaltation.
 But it is quite certain that we shall never again be summoned as battalions with trumpet and drum, banner and cannon, for even noble holiday like this Let the flags rest. In few years these men will no longer be able to bear arms of the land they love, but these weather worn and ba' tle-torn folds shall remain through the centuries, testifying that Connecticut was true to free government, and pledging her future fidelity. It can never again be doubted that the Great Republic can find millions of defenders in day of trouble, and millions of blessed women to sustain them. These shreds and humble slaves, to be glorified in the eyes of future generations, witnessed the dedication of a continent to Justice, Equal Rights, Union and Liberty. We bid them goodbye. Thanks be tO God, abundant and exulting thanks to the Almighty Father, that we lived in those days and were permitted to do something toward seeing that the government of, by and for the people shall not perish from the earth
 Gov Andrews replied in the following brief speech of acceptance:
 General HaWLey and Veterans of COmnecti- eWt:-In the name and on behalf of the state l accept these flags from the hands of the men who carried them in war. For more than four years of conflict, wherever the camp was the hardest, wherever the siege was the fiercest wherever the march was the longest, wherever the fight was the sorest, they were always to lsr ss7en- For all that period, through all the blasting winds. through summer and winter and all the alternating seasons. they were at all tI8scs unfurled- They came back to us rid dle1i hy sh'E. tattered and torn, blackencd and grIIfsesi with the smoke and powder of battle bIi they bring us no word of fight or dishon- ar
 They speak to ns of the many displays of manly and heroic virtue which, amid the du- ties "f war. have illustrated the character of tir sons of Connecticut. With a pathos at which every heart softens and every eye grows dIF';- they tell HIS of the many thousand sol dieTs fT'sn our state who, counting not their lives dear, willingly laid them down for the honnr nf their country
 That sacred and mysterious sympathy which gnss usEt from almost every fireside in their own buEders to all the battle-fields of the re- teIiiIn finds in these ragged ensigns its dearest and Us iniensest expression.
 Lovingly. linen. and tenderly. let us lay them away in the mOihcrly arms of the state whose 'rnphies they now become, that they may teach these lessons of patriotism and of duty to all future generations
 Then followed the most touching event of the dzy-the passing over of the old flags by N' '1 'S-%Vas e' eiiSi pidcc ol hldl ucpoSlI n the elegant cases prepared for their recep- tiua in the vest vestibule of the Capitol. As e1ch regiment came up in succession, the sur vivors who had followed their coors for the l2ss time gave them their final cheer It was solemn scene that stirred every heart, and hllei many eyes with tears. Then, after few w1rVfs frOn the Generals present, the veterans marched away to the refreshment tents and the crowd moved slowly about-lt could not tfSPeTse-