The Dickinson press., 1883-05-26
ARMY OF TIE POTOMAC.
Annual Reunion i'm Washington
Gen. Newton Elected President
Review by President Arthur
Inv NTninr NJ ory,,u:.

1t was the first representative gathering O
the army OF the Potomac in Washington
since the war; and, as the soldiers of twent,
years ago marched past the stand, many O
them gray-bearded and bowed with tn,
weight of the intervening years, it recalled
the review Of 1865 when the army of the
Potomac marched up the venue and passed
IN review before the president 100, OOC
strong. OF the society of the army of the
Potomac there were about LOGO men III
line, and together with the various organi.
cations composing the escort, about 8, SOC
men were in line. The o1esident was sur.
rounded by a 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
til. Gen. Sherman responded by raising his
hat out he i~nvoluntarlly kept 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
New York, he was defeated by Gen. Newton,
OF He'll Gate. When Grants name was
brought forward, cheers and cries of "Grarll''
Grant" ''Yotel" "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 a running dis
cussion as to Gen. Grants eligibility. Some
n 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-
elined to become a member of our society.
Why burden him with this honor now?"
Eino1lr ION 1I1ONp1rouo rosrol otlon....
and naively suggested;
H. remember rightly Gen. Grant, at one
time was intimately associated with the army
ofthe Potomac nearthe close of war. l think
is clearly eligible IT you choose to elect him.
This was received with shouts of
laughter and applause from all quarters,
result being as follows: Gen. Newton, 1856;
Gen. Grant, LII, scattering, Z. Gen. New
toms election was made uGani-
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 a 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 Sloeum, occupied
seats on the stage. Judge Edmunds vel
coined the society to Washington, and George
Alfred Townsend read a 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 fire.
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 and was enthusiastically cheered and
personally and heartily congratulated by
many at 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 clustered
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
past came forth a young, an ardent, an he
roic spirit. Planted by the fathers in the
center of their United States, revolution had
moved the capital to the frontier. Worsel
Secession was behind as we'll as in front of
it. 1t was an outpost in the enemy's coun-
try-garrisoned only by the oyernmen
Secession had gone back to the sacred soil
but it said, with Catiline, l go!
but return. For offense or defense
Washington was strategically weak, but its
foundation were laid with those of the
Union. 1t was hallowed by association
with the venerated dead. Il was the sacred
city of the nation. And the loyal people
determined that never should domestic in
is no need to defend the Justice Of that war
which has given us a Union. The military
history of u campaigns is a road beset,
with thorns, involving criticisms on gem
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 ungratefu! task. 1 shall give
only honor to our superiors in the cabinet
and in the field. 1t 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 or that army is a 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:
baf1ed by interference and delay, it strug.
gled, fought and bled for victory. For as
this was the peoples war, it turned out to
be the peoples fight. No Alexander, Oscar
or Napoleon arose to monopolize its glories
and claim its victories for himself alone.
As far as the army of the Potomac was con
ceerned, there never was an army that owed
ration Of genius. What it lost was often
from the lackes of its 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 fine. Through
all the battles INC smiles of folly, fortune
and glory, when hope was lost in useless
endeav r, and patriotism paled in the
apathy of Outworn enthusiasm, its disci
pline, its spirit, its organization never failed
and whatever criticism may be made as to
how it was fought, this society of this coun,
Iry uu1te III pralSlng Tue organizing haHd o
our comrade and chief, Mcclellan. Nor
so than with our other armies that disci
pline Vas needed to fit it for it's task. L
could maintain no bummers. 1t neve,
camped out of the sound of the enemy'
guns or bivouaced beyond the reach of i'm
mediate attack; q gladiator Away, in the
arena, a knight whose guard could never
be let down. That discipline wa superb,
Tin the wider sen e discipline means tina
obedience to duty, which keeps men in lin,
when they fight, and in column when the,
march, to fight again tomorrow, and marcl
the night after, until energy is exhausted
cipline, as it is the object of discipline, thel
it WAS the hest discinlined ara,n ", IL;