Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-06-21
WORTHY WARRIORS.
GraSd Meeting Of fhe Society Of the Lrr
of the Potomac at Detroit


The Society Of the Army Of the Potomac
convened at Detroit on Wednesday, June IA,
and wascaled to order by Gen. Charles Dew
ems, Jr., its President Gen. Andrew A.
Humphrey, q. 8. A., was elected President 70
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.
T.. G. Bragg President Second, Col. N. s.
Church, Ithaca, Mich; Fifth. Gen. James Nc
Quade; Sixth, Col. JAma H. Platt; Ninth. Gen.
John @. PARK. U. 8. A.; Twelfth, Capt. W, W.
Seon: saf nps' ens.sn .ss q sns Re-
sin Cavalry, Gen. W. Wells, Vermont
Gen. Francis A. Walker sent letter accept
ing the position OF historian OF the Second
corps and Gen. Hincks, OF Wisconsin, made q
rousing speech to his old comrades, whom he
had come {, 900 miles to see.
At the meeting OF the Ninth corps, Gen. F.
E. Sprsgue Of Massachusetts,, read a beautiful
tribute to the memory Of their late President,
Gen Burnside.
Gen. Sheridan was received with deafenine
cheers BY the Cavalry corps, and made brief
speech, expressive Of kind regard for his old
comrades.
The reception in the Music Hall in the even
ing was q grand event The auditorium was
beautifully decorated with mementoes Of camp
life, interpreted with the rude engines of war
Gov. Jerome welcomed the veterans OF the
Army Of the Po omac. He said
~ shall not linger long in the grateful duty
imposed upon me OF giving YOU welcome to
the State of Michigan. We recognize in you
the surviving coworkers in one Of the greatest
periods Of our history -illustrious agents in the
accomplishment OF . mighty triumph far
49,. A,v,r shs nrl, la. q
You are conspicuous witnesses to the truth,
never represented at the military reunions of
nations across the Atlantic, that free re-
publican government by the people knows
how to take care OF itself. 1t was your
fortune to have been placed In the fore
ground OF the conflict. IL was the Army of
the Potomac that began the war, and when its
fighting was done the war lad ceased. The
rebel Army OF Northern Virginia, defending the
rebel capital. represented in the ewes 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 tnen dwelt upon the long serv-
ices Of this great army, and bid it a warm well
come to the State that had furnished 80 600
tives were 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 q BRIEF but cordial
speech, welcomed the veterans to the hearts
and homes of the citizens of Detroit
General Deyens, on behalf of the Army of
the Potomac, made brief but eloquent ro-
sponse.
John Boyle o'Reilly, OF Boston, then read
his poem, entitled "America," which was a
very neat production, indeed, and WIS received
with great applause.
Gen. E. s. Bragg, OF Wisconsin was then in
troduced, and deliveredthe Grafton. This was
an elaborate defense OF Gen. McClellan's or
ganizing ability and military skill, was high in
Its 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-
tomsc 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 q
grand total OF SO, 1856. 1t was often repulsed,
but uever with dishonoE. Broken, It rallied
again driven back, 1t returned vigorously TO
battle. As the sturdy oak on the mountain
side, stripped OF its limbs and riven 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, worn, with
thinned ranks, bleeding sons in every hospital,
its dead strewn on scores of battlefelds, bore to
the front her battered, blood-stained banners
until the sun OF Appomattox gilded them with
the luster Of final ctory. In it's 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 tha Arp,y of the pntomac !,
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 3 speech, but
expressed qualification at meeting with old
friends.
Speeches were made by ex-Pfesldent Hayes
and Gen. sickles, and the exercises OF the even-
ing closed.
The second and last day Of the reunion wit
messed q grand procession in honor OF the vet
eran guests The streets were everywhere
lined with thousands OF people, and the appear.
aTce of tho most prominent soldiers was greeted
with great applause. Grant, Sheridan, Hayes,
and Sckles we're, OF course, the CHER attrac.
TORS. The procession was mile and half
long. In the afternoon two steamers gave
tho guests q ride on the Detroit river.
The exercises closed with q banquet at Music
Hall, where the menu cards were in the
form Of q canteen, opening ON hinge. Ex-
President Hayes responded to the toast, 'Our
Country;" ex-Gov. Austin Blair TO "The Vol
unteers !" Gen Sickies 10 "The Army and
Navy" Gov. Jerome to "The State OF Micti-
gan" and Mayor Thompson spoke for the city