The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-06-18
BRAVE BOYS.
The Fifteenth National Encampment OF the
Grand Army of the Republic.

The Fifteenth National Encampment OF the
Grand Army of the Republic.
The Fifteenth National Encampment OF
the Grand Army of the Republic has brought
to the city large number of distinguished
people Large delegations arrived Wednes-
day from different sections of the country.
At 9:45 a. m. Wednesday the procession
left the New-Denlson, the headquarters of
the Grand Army, for the Park Theater.
where the meetings are held. Beissenherzs
Band headed the procession, playing a lively
air, and was followed by the city police in
full uniform. The officers of the National
Encampment and Communicates from the
different States came next in carriages and
on foot. The George H. Thomas Post, of
this city, 100 strong, brought up the rear of
the procession. Arriving at the Opera House,
General Louis Wagner, of Philadelphia,
Commander-in-Chief, took the Chair and
called the Encampment to order. The
George III. Thomas Post escorted the differ
ent Communicates to the Hall as they ar
rived
Robert McClain, of the Indiana Com
mandery, was appointed officer of the day
to preserve order. The opening ode was
sung, after which Rev. J. f. Lowering, of
Worcester, Mass, Chaplain-in. Chief, offered
prayer. Members of the National Encamp-
ment were invited 20 seats in the parquet,
and all others were requested to leave the
hail. the meeting being private one. All
persons remaining were required to give the
countersgn. The Chair appointed a Com
mittee on Credentials, with instructions to
report at the Adjutant Generals desk i'm
mediately Work on the ritual was the order
of the day. AT IL clock the morning session
ended. The Encampment reassembled
at 2:30 o'clock in secret session. No one was
admitted without giving the ''pass word at
the door General Wagner called the Encamp-
ment to order and the Chaplain invoked the
divine blessing. The rules and regulations
were changed in certain respects, and rou-
tine business of the Encampment was trans
acted during the afternoon.
THE PROMENADE CONCERT.
At o'clock Wednesday night those
holding tickets to the promenade
concert began to foLk to the Park
Theater, and filled it TO Its ut.
most capacity. The Theater, on the outside
and within, was decorated in the most gor-
geous style. The stars and stripes hung
everywhere, and the walls of the house were
ornamented with the symbols of the differ.
ent armies of the late War. Ropes of cedar
and evergreens hung gracefully from one
end of the building to the other,
swung over the center of the stage was a
huge star of the George III. Thomas Post,
while on the right was the picture of In
diana's illustrious War Governor, Oliver p.
of General George III. Thomas, in whose
honor the Post of this city is named. There
was also a tent erected on the stage, stand
ing in the same position as when it stood on
| 1.-THE old camp ground, with
a cannon and guns with bayonets attached
in the near vicinity. All of the surroundings
called to mind the bloody strife between
the North and South. Brave soldiers of the
War were present, wearing army uni
forms, and badges of the G. A. r. in count
less numbers were to be seen. At Sis the
orchestra, which, by the way was uniformed
for the occasion, commenced playing and
five minutes later General Louis Wagner
took seat in the center of the stage. This
was signal for round of applause. which
was renewed when Governor Albert q.
Porter and Mayor ID. w. Grubbs appeared.
Uniformed army officers marched in, and
were seated in the parquet Among those
who took seats upon the stage were Com
mander c. w. Hazard, of Pennsylvania;
Corporal James A. Tanner, of New York;
Colonel w. w. Dudley Captain Dan NJ.
Ransdell, Adjutant General Carnahan,
When Senator Ben Harrison came into the
Opera House and was taking his seat he was
espied by the assemblage and applause was
given At $50 Governor Porter was intro
duced by Colonel Dudley, and made the
| welcome address. He read from manu-
| SCRIPT, ana was frequently dpplduueu,
especially when he referred 10 some of the
great Generals of the War and to o. z. Nor
ton. He spoke as follows:
| GOVERNOR PoRTER's ADDRESS.
| 1 feel embarrassed in offering to you formal
| welcome TO the State. Formal welcomes are
given to strangers. They seem almost unsuitable
| TO you-for, in Whatever place the Union Is
valued, where does not a soldier who fought for
| it, no matter where his dwelling place may be,
| feel that he Is among friends and al home? And
If where the benefits conferred by him have been
greatest. he should feel most welcome, where
| should he feel so much at home as here?
| Indiana owes to the soldiers who overcame the
Rebellion double welcome. They preserved 10
her the inesumable advantages of the Union:
they saved her from being state OF the border.
They thus represent TO her incalculable dement's
conferred and incalculable calamities averted.
Every battle won seems, while won Tor ali, 10
have been separately won for her. The battle.
Scared veterans who stand before her tonight
make vivid TO her the fields on which they
fought. Donaldson and Nicksourgs shiloh
and Nashville, Petersburgh and Atlanta
Gettysburg and Appomaox, and other fields not
less memorable, they are all here-vivid In the
conflict and thank God, more vivid IN the
achievement Men that fought on all these fields
are here-their swords laid aside their brows
crowned with laurels. welcome friends and
But Thomas, Mcpherson. Meade, Hooker.
Reynolds and their fallen asso-
ciates, and not less glorious and
the dead million that carried the knapsack-
where are they? Eighteen centuries and more