The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-11-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.


witnessed since 100000 battle-scared
veterans, fresh from the victories OF
Atlanta, Jonesboro and Appomatox
marched through its broad avenue in
Spring of 1865. The morning of the
18th of November was ushered in by
the boom of artillery, ard by eleven
O'Clock Pennsylvania Avenue, from
the Capitol to the Treasury, was tbrov.
ed with spectators, gay with flags and
streamers and garlands, while staff Off
GERS and civil and military organiza-
tions moved to their respective rendez-
vous.
AT 1880 the grand procession moved
upth Pennsylvania Avenue in five
divisions, headed by General II. Il.
Crlttenden, grand marshal, and his
stall. Each division was headed by a
marshal and his staff. In the first di.
vision was the West Point Military
band,. veterans of the Mexican war,
Grand Army of the Republic, from dif-
ierent portions of the United States.
In the second division were the Third
U. 5. Artillery band, from Fort Hamil.
ton, N. "; the Society of the Army OF
the Cumberland, numbering GOO, on
foot and in carriages; various commit
tees OF citizens, judges, senator's. COVER
nors, and other distinguished visitors.
In the third division was the Second
Artillery band, from f ,rt McHenry :
Light Battery q, Third u. S. Artillery
Batteries NJ and Ii, Second U. S. Artil.
cry, and battalion of u. s. infantry
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, follow.
ed by the handsomly mounted Ligh,
Battery A, Second Artillery. The
fourth division contained the celebrat.
ed Marine Band, followed by a battal.
ion of marines, Admiral Porter, Vice
Admiral Rowen, and Rear-Admirals.
Commodores and other naval officers
following these, in the same division,
were the boys from the U. S. training
ship Saratoga and Portsmouth, with
their Grating guns, and dressed il,
their jaunty sailor uniforms. The fifth
and last division was made I'D of Co.
lumbus, o., Barracks band, Richmond
Light Infantry Blues, Norfolk CITY
Guards, the Government Guards. OF
Annapolis, Md, Alexandria Light In.
fantry, Cadets, Thomas Mounted Bat.
talon, Butler Guards, and the Fire De.
partment of Washington. These diyis.
ions were reviewed by the president
from stand Oh the Avenue in front OF
the Executive Mansion.
Reaching the circle at the intersec-
ton Of Fourteenth street, Massachu.
setts and Vermont avenues and M street,
the divisions were assigned their sew
eral positions around the yelled monu.
ment. $4,000, persons had assembled
to witness the ceremonies at the unvell.
ing Of the statue. The circle aro und
the monument was most beautifully and
artistically decorated with flags and
streamers and garlands. A prayer, q
salute of artillery, and the "Star Span
gled Banner" by a choir of 100 voices.
with artillery accompaniment, and at a
signal, the starry folds of the flag OF
our country fell at the touch of Gen.
Don Carlos Bucl, and the splendid
equestrian statue of the pure patriot
and unflinching soldier rose to view
amid the cheers of an admirinng null
titude. The Grafton of General STAN
ley Matthews, which followed, was a
splendid tribute to the memory of the
warrior whose form lives in bronze,
but whose great name and deeds live
in the hearts of the American people.
This statue is pronounced to be the
finest equestrian statue in Washington
Ii is the work of the sculptor j. Q. A
Ware, and was purchased by the Soci.
ETY. of the Army of the Cumberland al
a cost of $4,000. The pedestal OIL
which it stands was erected by the gov.
ernment at cost of $4,000.
In the evening meeting was held by
the society in mamoth tent erected OIL
the White-House lot just south of the
presidents mansion. Ten teousanC
people assembled under the canvas
There was an address of welcome by
Judge Macarthur; an oration by Gen.
Anson y. McCook; a recitation of tht
poem "The Rock of Checkamauga," by
Miss Annie Story; speeches and anec
dotes by General Sherman, Genera
Garfield, President Hayes and others
all interspersed weth choice music.
The morning of the goth dawned colo
and blustery, with flakes of snow il
the air. The mammoth tent had beef
flattened ont by the gale, and the socie
ty met at Willard's hall, where anon,
It's proceedings, ii was determined t
hold the next reunion at Toledo, Ohio
At IL O'Clock n. m, the society wen
by steamer to Mt. Vernon, the tomb 0
tomb of Washington, and retrned t,
the city in the afternoon.
The grand ball which was to hav,
taken place 10 the tent. was, by reasol
| of tho aAlloncn tra a. H. No.
touda and labor of the Capitol. Their
at 10 p. NJ. under the blaze of elebtri
lights and to the music of half dozel
bands scattered about the grand ro
tunda, the old halls and corridols, tn
vast crowed, crushing and squeezing
moved slowly about. But little dane
ing was done as, the crowd was to
great 10 admit of such diversion. j
was therefore not ball, but a mash
in which prince and cobler, colonel an
corporal, President and lacqaey, a
joined in the '.amboree." Many di:
iinguished persons were present includ
ing the president and Mrs. Hayes
Speaker Randall, Generals Sherma
and Garfield.
The interesting incidents worthy c
oHNNAoA hC'tt ONNAA ASa tAiC eCAN
monies. One was the presence of thre
Virginia and two Maryland voluntee
military companies who, ignoring pas
differences, came to tender their tribut
to the deceased soldier. These vetel
ans of many hard fought battle, show
ed by their admirable drill aud precisio
that they had not forgotten the disciI
line of war, and by their presence th,
brave soldiers can do honor to a gallar
opponent. Another was the remark
of Mr.. Wilkins OH the boat which ca
ried the Society tc Mount Vernon, tina
though he had fought against Generi
Thomas, and bore in his body a Fedei
al bullet, yet he wished TO raise h
voice in honor of the memory of thi
great soldier, and asked that he migl
be permitted to join the Army of Il
Cumberland. His speech was greete
with rousing cheer, and also an ell,
gnent response from General Garfield
for he evidently touched warm sp,
in the hearts of those present.
i FELIX.