The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-05-24

The reunion OF the army OF the f0tOmac
1T Warrington on the 10th. In connection
with the public parade and other ex-
eScises Was very brilliant anair.
It Was the first representative gathering Of
the army OF the Potomac In Warrington
since the war; and, IS the soldiers OF twenty
years ago marched past the stand, many OF
them gray-bearded and bowed with the
weight OF the intervening years. it recalled
the review of 1865 when the army. of the
Potomac marched up the avenue and passed
strong. OF the society of tine army Of the
Potomac there were about 1,600 men in
line, and together with the various oreani-
cations composing the escort, about 8, 500
men we've in line. 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 coxps
this Gen. Sherman responded by raising his
hat, but he involuntarily Kept time with his
foot.
At the business meeting in the afternoon
. 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
"Grant!" "Vote!" "Newton!" for some min
utes made it impossible for any one of the
score Of gentleman who were on their feet
to be heard. Then followed running dis
custom as to Gen. Grants eligibility. Some
one from the stage declared he was IN hon.
Gray member. A voice from the audience
replied. He hasn't paid bis dues" Anoth-
or called out, "For fourteen years he de.
cllned to become q member OF our society.
Why burden him with this honor now?'
Finally Gen. Humphreys gained attention,
and naiveIy suggested:
II remember rightly Gen. Grant, Ut one
time was intimately associated with the army
ofthe Potomac near the close Of war. think
IL clearly eligible it son choose to elect him.
This was received with shouts of
laughter and applause from oil quarters,
result being as follows: Gen. Newton, 155;
Gen. Grant, LII, scattering, z. Gen. New
tons election was made unani-
nous, and with the exception of president
the old officers were reelected. BROOKLYN.
N. Y, was selected as the place Of the next
reunion of the society.
In the evening there was brilliant audi.
ence at the National theatre.
The veterans filled the fret floor and 4
! AAAaOVA ~ uAoSAU8ulSuCu kCuSf8lS, among
whom were Gems: Sherman, Rosecrans, Bea-
yer, Hazen, Webb and Slocum, occupied
seats on the stage. Judge Edmunds vel
coined the society to Washington, and George
Alfred Townsend read q poem. It was an
artistic effort, devoted chiefly 10 the memory
of Lincoln.
The Grafton by Maj Martin Masinnis of
the First Minnesota was the chief feature of
the evening. He was over an hour in de-
i SvyoH{ VTv hint Hot
with close attention and evident interest.
The appreciation of the audience was fire.
4uently exhibited by hearty and long con-
tinued applause. At one time when he al
1uded 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 and was enthusiastically cheered and
personally and heartily congratulated by
many at the close.
MAGlNN1ss' 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 endeavo.. surely
the stones OF twenty years were rolled away;
| and cut of the sepulchre of each comrades
past came forth young an ardent, an be-
| rolc 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, Itwas an outpost in the enemy's coun-
try1garrisoned only by the government.
Secession had gone back to the sacred soil
but re sa1a f For oe e1ane Or deessx s
| Washington was strategicaly weak, but its
foundation were laid with those of the
! Uni IL. 1t was hallowed by association
with the venerated dead. I: 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
| on statesmen who had large followings in
| their lives and are honored by the country
in their deaths. Let critics and historians
perform this ungrateful task. shall give
only honor to our superi0rs 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
battied by interference and delay, it str1g-
gled, fought and bled for victory For as
this was the peoples war, it turned out to
be the peoples fight. NJ Alexander, Ceear
| or Napoleon arose to mOnOpOlize its glories
and claim its victories for himself alone.
As far as the army of the Potomac was con-
cerhed, there never wa, an army that owed
less to br'lliancy of leadership or the inspi-
ration OF genius. What it lost was often
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 BATH and smiles OF folly for une
and glory, when hope was lost in useless
endeav r. and patriotism paled in the
apathy of Ontworn enthusiasm, its disci-
plin its spirit its organization never failed
and whatever criticism may be made rs to
how it was fous bit, this society of this coun-
try unite in praising the organizing hand Of
our comrade and chief, Mcclellan. More
so than with our Otht r armies that disci-
pine was needed to st it for ito task. It
could maintain 40 bummers. 1t never
camped ont of the sound of the epemv's
guns or bivouaced beyond the reach OF i'm
mediate attack; a gladiator alway, in the
arena. a knigh whose guard could never
be let down. That discipline was superb.
lin the wider sen discipline means that
obedience to duty, which keeps men in line
when they fight, and in column when they
marcn, to fight again to- morrow, and march
the night after, until energy is exhausted
and obedience mechanical; II that be dis
cipline as it is the object Of discipline, then
it was the best disci pinned army on t6is
planet. But, comrades. the result is worth
it all. Every passing year will make more
plain the decree ofthe god of battles that
\ the lost cause was justly lost. To this city,
where they had met, the comrades of many
years were called. that they might part.
You crossed the Potomac, aud turning your
backs upon its banks, marched in review
up the aveE:e, that river of steel, wave after
wave passed the White house and moved bv
the capitol to break and ;.art and return to
the utterniost parts ofthe Union. But ofall