The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-06-23
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
The Annual Reunion a. Detro,,

Inc society OF the Army Of the Potomac
convened at Detroit on Wednesday, june a.
and was called to order by Gen. Charles Dey-
ems, Jr., its President. Gen. Andrew A.
Humphrey, q. s. A., was elected President for
the ensuing year. The other officers were re-
elected.
The various army corps represented in the
Army Of the Potomac held corps reunions
during the afternoon. First corps elected Gen.
z. G. Bragg President Second, Col. n. s.
Church, Ithaca, Mich; Fifth, Gen. James Nc
Quade; Sixth, Col James b. Platt; Ninth Gen.
John G. Park, q. 8. A.; Twelfth, Capt ". W
Bush, Lockport, n. Y, who claims to have been
the first enlisted man In the War of the Re-
belhon; Nineteenth, Gen. B. :. Paine, Wiscon-
sin Cavalry, Gen. W. Wells, Vermont
Gen. Francis A. Walker sent letter accent
ing the position Of historian Of the Second
corps, and Gen. Hincks, of Wisconsin, made 4
rousing speech to his old comrades, whom he
had come 5000 miles to see.
At the meeting Of the Ninth corps, Gen. (.
Z. Sprsgue, Of Massachusetts,, read beautiful
tribute to the memory Of their late President,
Gen. Burnside.
Gen. Sheridan was received with deafeninR
cheers by the Cavalry corps, and made brief
Speech, expressive Of kind regard for his old
comrades.
The reception in the Musis Hall in the even
ing was grand event The auditorium was
beautifully decorated with mementoes Of camp
life, interspersed with the rude engines Of war.
Gov. Jerome welcomed the veterans OF the
Army of the Potomac. He said
al shall not inger long IN the grateful duty
imposed upon NE Of giving you welcome to
the State Of Michigan. We recognize in you
the surviving coworkers in one Of the greatest
periods of our disqualification agents in the
accomplishment Of . mighty triumph far
transcending the ordinary exploits Of arms.
You are conspicuous witnesses to the truth,
never represented at the military reunions Of
nations aeross the Atlantic, that free re-
publican government by the people knows
how to take care of itself. It was your
fortune to have been placed In the fore
ground of the conflict. 1t was the Army Of
the Potomac that began the war, and when its
fighting was done the war bad ceased. The
rebel Army Of Northern Virginia, defending the
rebel capital represented in the eyes Of the
world the idea of organized hostility to the
Union. The Army OF the Potomac, protecting
the capital Of the nation, and striking directly
therefrom at the hearts of its enemies repre-
Sented in the eyes of the world the idea of
organized loyalty to the Union. You saved
washington, and you captured both Richmond
and its defenders"
The Governor then dwelt upon the long sery-
ices Of this great army, and bid it a warm vel
come to the State that had furnished 90 900
men to the Union army, and whose representa-
tives we're found with the Army of the Potomac
from the first crossing over the Long bridge
into Virginia to the fall Of Richmond, and
whose dead strewed every one of that army's
battle fields.
Mayor Thompson, in . brief, but cordial
speech, welcomed the veterans to the hearts
and homes of the citizens of Detroit
General Devens, on behalf Of the Army Of
the Potomac, made a brief but eloquent re-
spouse.
John Boyle OReilly, of Boston, then read
his poem, entitled America" which was a
very neat production, indeed, and was received
with great applause.
Gen. E. s. Bragg, of Wisconsin, was then in
troduced, and delivered the Grafton. This was
an elaborate defense OF Gen. McClellans or
ganizing ability and military skill, was high in
It's praise Of Fitz John Porter and strong In its
incidental condemnation of Gen. Pope and
Secretary Stanton. Tracing The history Of the
Grand Army from the first to the last, he
closed in these words:
"Oh, my countrymen, the Army of the Po-
tomac was the army of deeds worthy to live in
history. 1t fought more pitched battles and
lost more men ON the field than any of the
armies Of the United States, aggregating a
grand total of SO, $50. 1t was often repulsed,
but never with dishonor. Broken, IT rallied
again driven back, it returned vigorously to
DhIt6. as I10 btuTuy OAK on the mountain
side, stripped of its limbs and riyen with
thunderbolts, refuses to bow to the
storm, but, conscious Of its strength, lifts
its head in grim defiance to the elements, so
this grand old army, shattered, worm with
thinned ranks, bleeding sons in every hospital,
its dead strewn on scores of battleields, bore to
the front her battered, blood-stained banners
until the sun Of Appomattox gilded them with
the luster of q final victory In its vocabulary
there is no such word as fail Proud is the
record of any soldier Of whom it may be truly
said He was of the Army of the Potomac 70
The close Of the address was greeted with great
applause.
The audience then loudly called for Gen.
Grant, who was on the platform who acknowl-
edged the compliment, but declined to speak
further than to express his qualification at be-
ing present with his old comrades in arms, and
to declare his belief that volunteer armies were
the best in the world. They fought for love Of
country and not because they were hired.
Sheridan also declined to make speech, but
expressed qualification at meeting with old
friends.
Speeches were made by ex-President Hayes
and Gen. Siokles, and the exercises of the even
ing closed.
The second and last day of the reunion wit
messed grand procession in honor OF the vet
eran guests The streets were everywhere
lined with thousands of people, and the appear
a1ce OF the most prominent soldiers was greeted
with great applause. Grant, Sheridan, Hayes,
and Sickles were, of course, the chief attrac-
tous. The procession was a mile and half
long. In the afternoon two steamers gave
the guests a ride on the Detroit river.
The exercises closed with banquet at Music
Hall, where the menu cards were in the
form of a canteen, opening on hinge. Ex-
President Hayes responded to the toast "Our
County," ex-Gov. Austin Blair to "The Vol
y W." Gov. Jerome to "The State of Mchi-
gan. md Mayor Thompson spoke for the city
of Detroit.