Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-05-18
FROM WASHINGTON.
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
The Reunion Closes With Banquet
AT Abner's Summer Garden.

WASHINGTON, May IL.
The United States steamers Tsllapoosa and
Ewing and the steamboat George Leary to-
dav conveyed the members of the Army OF
the Potomac and a number of invited guests
to Mount Vernon.
The banquet tonight at Abner's Summer
Garden closed the reunion of the Army OF
the Potomac. About 400 members of the
society and citizens of Washington sat down
to well filled tables in the quadrangular gar
den, and from the galleries brilliant assem-
blage. largely composed of ladies, viewed the
scene. The full Marine Band furnished the
music. assisted by glee club of 20 singers.
At the principal table were seated the officers
of the society and distinguished guests, among
them Generals Sherman, Mcclellan, Ros-
Grams, Sloeum. Schofeld, Bingham and Van
Viiet. Major Maginnis and George Alfred
Townsend, orator and poet of the reunion,
Rear Admiral Rodgers. Gen. Sehenck, Gen
Walker. Senator Miller of California, and
Judge Edmonds of the district commission
ers, Commissioners of pensions Dudley and
Charles Dudley Warner. While the guests
were taking seats the band played melsnge
of war songs and during the serving of the
banquet rendered national anthems and sew
eral battle pieces and marches. Gen. Me
Clellan made his appearance sometime after
Tue odiuuet btSdfi. anu Us sool as ne Gu
tered some one called out, three cheers for
Little Mae" They were heartily given,
most of the guests rising to respond. The
old commander of the Army of the Potomac
bowed his owledgements and took the
seat next to Gen. Sherman
The first toast ''The President" was drunk
standing. Responding TO the second toast
1.-The Army" Gen Sherman said:
The regular army of today is very like one
of your Old corps, consisting of two thous and
| one hundred and seventy-six commissioned
| officers, 3D. enlisted men. Almost $500
of these men are non-combattants. so we
have only 10000 real soldiers to picket a
whole continent. An army. however. is not
to be measured in importance by its muster
rolls, but by the ammus-the soul which
inspires it. Its true Office in time of peace
| is not much to do the police work imposed
upon it as to guard the sacred fire committed
| to its keeping.
As to the future we are now veterans. The
| young look up to US for example and advice,
| and we will be recreapt to our trnsts if W.
fail to warn them of the danger of too much
confidence and too little precautiOn. To be
right in a controversy is comparatively easy
but the object of all government is to enforce
right; and since the beginning of recorded
time an army has been found the best instru-
ment for the exercise of this power. II is a
matter of vital Importance to republican
| America that in our free country where
parties assume such seemingly angry antago-
nism, there should be maintained one body
at least toward which men may turn with
safety as always true and loyal to the con
stituted authorities of the nation.
The third toast The Navy" was respond
ed to by Rear Admiral Rodgers.
The next toast was s'The Army of the Pc.
tomac," to which Gen. Mcclellan was to re-
| spond. As the name of their old commander
was announced and he rose to address them
the veterans sprang upon the chairs and broke
| into cheer after cheer. For two or three
minutes the clamor was defening. mer
pounded the tables, stamped and shouted
themselves hoarse, and viewed from the gal
lery the bangueting room was surging
tumutuous sea of heads, napkins, hats and
even crutches. In voice of deep feeling
and speaking in measured tone, he began
his greeting to his old command. Every
| voice was hushed and every ear listened close
| ly to his sentences. The attention given him
was only broken when the veterans en-
dorsed his statements at intervals with ap
| plause. which was in nOwise stlnted. he
said: In days long past and gone forever
when we were young and strong, full of life
and hope with the fu'ure all before u.s. there
were such relations between US that it seems
to me too cold and stiff and formal for me
to address you simply as Mr.. Chairman ant
gentlemen, Very many. perhaps most OF
you, were with me when in this very city
assumed command of that mass of brave mer
unorganized, who composed the nucleus OF
what afterwards became the Army of the
Potomac, Those of you who were with mt
then were more to me than dear comrades
more than brothers. You were as my
very children. This was McClellans open
ing and in this strain he proceeded to the
| close.
| Gen. Ii. II. Bingham followed in response
| to the toast, The Army of the Potomac.
The remaining toasts were responded to a.
] follows:
1.-The Loyal Legion" Gen. Robert c.
| Schenck.
'.The Grand Army of the Republic Gen
n. n. Dudley.
"Sweethearts and Wives" Charles Dudley
| Warner.
| "The Volunteers Gen. Francis A. Wal
ker.
| ''The Press Capt. Isaac A. Bromley.
THE City Of Washington" Hon. j. B
Edmonds.
The speeches were not concluded unit
after A. NJ.