The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-23

The Annual Roanioa - DOtrOees
The Society Of the Army OF the Potomac
convened at Detroit on Wednesday, June IA,
and was called to order by Gen Charles Dew
ems, Jr., its President. Gen. Andrew A.
Humphrey, u. s. A., was elected President TO
the ensuing year. The other officers were 10
| elected.
| The various army corps represented In the
lrmy OF the Potomac held corps reunions
during the afternoon. FIRST corps elected Gen
T.. q. Bragg President Second, Col. N. 8.
| Church, Ithaca, Mich; Fifth. Gen. James Nc
| Quade; Sixth, Col. James II. Plat; Ninth Gen
John G.. Park, q. s. A.. Twelfth, Capt W. W.
! Bush, Lockport, N. Y, who claims to have been
| the first enlisted man In the War OF the he-
bellion; N neteenth Gen. II. Il. Paine, Wiscon-
sin Cavalry, Gen. w. Wells. Vermont
| Gen. Francis A. Walker sent letter aocept-
ing the position OF historian OF the Second
! corps, aud Gen. Hincks. Of Wisconsin, made
| rorising speech to his old comrades, whom he
had come 5000 miles to see.
At the meeting OF the Ninth corps, Gen. E
| E. Sprague Of Massachusetts,, read beautiful
| tribute to the memory OF their late Presdent
Gen. Burnside.
Gen. Sheridan was received with deafening
| cheers by the Cavalry corps, and made brief
speech expressive OF kind regard Tor bis Old
comrades.
The reception in the Music Hall In the even
|
| beautifully decorated with mementoes OF camp
| life, Interpreted with the rude engines OF war
Gov Jerome welcomed the veterans OF the
| Army Of the Pc omac. He said:
II shall not lnger 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 -ustiious agents ia 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 across the Atlantic, that free re-
publican government by the people knows
| how to take care OF itself. 1t 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 had 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 Onion. 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 90, 900
men to the Union army, and whose representa-
tves were found with the Army OF the Potomac
from the first crossing over the Long bridge
into Virginia to the fall Of X chmond and
whose dead strewed every one of that army's
battle fields.
Mayor Thompson, in q brief, but cordial
speech, welcomed the veterans 10 the hearts
and homes OF the citizens OF Detroit.
General Devens, on behalf OF the Army Of
the Potomac, made q brief but eloquent re-
spouse.
John Boyle O'Reilly, OF Boston, then read
his poem, entitled America" which was
very neat production, indeed and was received
with great applause.
Gen. z. S. Bragg, OF Wisconsin, was then in
troduced and delivered the 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 worde:
"Oh, my countrvmen, 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 the field than any of tho
armies Of the United States, aggregating .
grand total OF 80, $780, 1t often repulsed,
but never with dlshonor. Broken, 1t rallied
again driven back, 1t returned vigorously TO
battle. As the sturdy oak on the mountain
side, stripped Of it's limbs and riven with
thunderbolts, refuses to bow to tho
storm, but, conscious Of its strength, lifts
its head in grim defiance to the elements, 80
this grand old army, shattered, worn, with
thinned ranks, bleeding sons in every hospital,
its dead strewn scores OF battlefields, bore to
the front her battered, blood -stained banners
until the sun of Appomattox guided them with
the luster Of final Glory. In its vocabulary
there is no such word as fail. Proud is the
record of ANY colder OF whom it may be truly
said He was Of the Army Of the Potomac I"
The close OF the address was greeted with great
applause.
The audience then loudly called for Con.
Grant, who on the platform, who acknowI-
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 we're made by ex-President HAYES
and Gen. Sickles, 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
ance of the most prominent soldiers was greeted
with great applause Grant, Sheridan, Hayes,
and Sckles were, OF course, the chef attrac-
tons. The procession was mile and half
long. In the afternoon two steamers gave
the guests q 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
Country" ex-Govs Austin Blair to "The Vol
unteers !" Gen. Sickles to 1.-The Army and
Navy" Gov. Jerome to "The State OF Michi-
gan" and Mayor Thompson spoke for the city
of Detroit.
Talk and Takers.