The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-25
ARMY OF TRE POTOMAC.

~ was Tue uIst representative entIeruS VI
the army of the Potomac in Washington
since the war; and, as the soldiers of twenty
years ago marched past the stand, many OF
them gray-bearded AMI bowed with the
weigh. OF the intervening years. it recalled
the review of 1866 when the army OF the
Potomac mar he'd up the avenue and passed
in review before tns president 100000
strong. OF the society Of the army of tbs
Potomac there were about 1,600 men in
line, and together with the various organi-
cations composing the escort, about $500
men were in lins. The president was sur
rounded by number of prominent men.
Gen. Sherman and Vice Admiral Rowan
were the only officers in uniform. The
president saluted the different sections by
raising his hat. The fife and drum corps
played Marching Through Georgia. To
tn Gen. Sherman responded by raising his
hat, aut he involuntarily sept time with his
foot.
At the business meeting in the afternoon
q sharp contest was aroused over the cleo
ton OF president ofthe society. Gen. Grant
was proposed, but the large majority of
those present being from Pennsylvania and
New York, he was defeated by Gen. Newton,
OF He'll Gate. When Grants name was
brought forward, cheers and cries of "Grsrt!"
"Grant!" ''Vote!" "Newton!" for some min
utes made it impossible for any one of the
to be heard. Then followed running dis
cussion as to Gen. Grants eligibility. Some
one from the stage declared he was an hon
Gray member. A voice from the audience
replied, He hasn't paid his dues" Anoth-
er called out, "For fourteen years he de.
:lined to become member of our society.
Why burden him with this honor now?"
Finally Gen. Humphreys gained attention,
and naively suggested:
If remember rightly Gen. Grant, at one
time was intimately associated with the army
is clearly eligible if you choose to elect him.
This was received with shouts of
laughter and applause from all quarters,
| and it was moved to proceed to ballet the
reanlt being as follows: Gen. Newton, 155;
Gen. Grant, i'll, scattering, Z. Gen. New
| tons election was made uEani-
nous, and with the exception of president
the old officers were reelected. Brooklyn,
N. Y, was selected as the place Of the next
reunion ofthe society.
In the evening there was q brilliant audi
| ence at the National theatre.
The veterans filled the first floor and a
number of distinguished generals among
| whom were Gems. Sherman, Rosecrans, Bea-
yer, Hazen, Webb and Slocum, occupied
seats ON the stage. Judge Ednlunds vel
coined the society to Washington, and George
| Alfred Townsend read poem. 1t was an
artistic effort, devoted chiefly to the memory
of Lincoln.
The Grafton by Maj. Martin Maginnis of
| the First Minnesota was the chief feature of
the evening. He was over an hour in de-
livering it, but was listened to throughout
with close attention and evident interest.
The appreciation of the audience was fe-
quently exhibited by hearty and long CON
tinued applause. At one time when he al
luded in a particularly effective way to Gen.
| Sherman as the magnificent Sherman" the
old veterans arose in their seats, threw up
! their hats and fairly shouted in their enthu-
siasm. He inspired many other similar out
bursts aud was enthusiastically cheered and
personally and heartily congratulated by
many ut the close.
MACHINES ADDRESS.
| Addressing the president of the United
| States and his comrades of the army of the
Potomac. Mr.. Maginnis said:
| Surely comrades, as you again came down
to the Potomac, and to your eye again ap-
peared the white vision of the capitol,
around which, phantom-like have clustere d
memories that have attended you through q
long peace amid the struggles of existence,
in the fields of everyday endeavor. surely
the stones OF twenty years were rolled away;
and out OF the sepulchre of each comrades
peSo S0SIC AO11A q yOuuS, I'LL dTUo1lCY III ne
roic spirit: Planted by the fathers in the
center of their United States, revolution had
moved the capital to the frontier. Worse
Secession was behind as well as in front of
it. It was an outpost in the enenly's coun-
try-garrisoned only by the government.
Secession had gone back to the sacred soil
but 1t said, with Catiline, I gol
but return. For offense or defense
Washington was strategically weak, but its
fNr 6ofI inn InsI ~,sk
Uni3n. 1t was hallowed by association
with the venerated dead. l. was the sacred
city of the nation. And the loyal people
determined that never should domestic in
surrection profane its holy places. There
is no need to defend the justice of that war
which has given us Union. The military
history OF our campaigns is road beset,
with thorns, involving criticisms on gen.
erals who are members of this society, and
their lives and are honored by the country
in their deaths. Let critics and historians
perform this ungratefu! task. shall give
only honor to our superiors in the cabinet
and in the field. It is boosted that the best
| blood of the South was in their ranks.
| Well, the best blood and brains OF
the North were in ours. The
orators of our pulpits, the
lights OF the bar, senators and representa-
tives were privates in the army of the Poto-
mac. The story of that army is sad but
glorious story OF bootless efforts, useless sac
| rifices and final success. Worn out in
| marches without objects; wasted in battles
| that had no results; tainted with inactivity;
bafiled by interference and delay, it strag-
| gled, fought and bled for victory. For as
| this was the peoples war, it turned out to
be the peoples fight. No Alexander, Ceear
or Napoleon arose to monopolize its glories
nd loin 10 sokz - G.. L
| AS far as the army of the Potomac was con-
cerned, there never was an army that owed
less to br,lliancy of leadership or the inspi-
ration OF genius. What it lost was often
from the lackes of lis direction; what it won
1t dearly paid for in its own patriotic
blood. In the history of the war this army
is entitled to the right of the line. Through
all the BATHS and smiles of folly, for une
and glory, when hope was lost in useless
endeav r. and patriotism .paled in the
apathy. of outworn enthusiasm, its disci-
plin It's spirit, its organization never failed
and whatever criticism may be made as to
how it was fought, this society of this coun-
try unite in praising the organizing hand OF
our comrade and chief Mcclellan. More
| 80 than with our other armies that disci-
pline was needed to fit it for its task. 1t
could maintain no bummers. It never
camped out OF the sound of the enemy's
Huus VI pvounceu neyOnQ Tue reach OF lu'
mediate attack; q gladiator Away. in the
arena, knight whose guard could never
be let down. That discipline was superb.
lin the wider sen e discipline means that
obedience to duty, which keeps men in line
when they fight, and in column when they
march, to fight again tomorrow, and march
the night after, until energy is exhausted
and obedience mechanical; if that be dis
cipline, as it is the object Of discipline, then
it was the best disciplined army on this