National Republican., 1883-05-18

reason of the action of tho Merrimao. Then
the march up the Peninsula We were not
defeated We kept back the enemy and we
confronted him, and when we stood with our
right stretching out at tho command from
Washington, expecting reinforcements, which
never came, but instead of which the enemy
Camo down upon our right flank. Then
that seven days fight, whom we confronted
an enemy as brave as ever went upon a field,
and our crowning glory was at Malvern hill.
] remember the sadness felt when | left you
and the joy with which you welcomed my re-
turn, when led you to Antietam. Many of
you | have never seen since the last sad day
when left you shortly after that great battle.
Gen. Mcclellan then referred in touching
terms to those who had formerly been his corps
commanders, mentioning Meade, Hooker,
4 ISedgwick and others, and as each horos
name fell from his lips cheers were given and
repeated. Ho said that during all the long
and tedious trials, tho forced marches, tho
battles and skirmshes there was the
greatest confidence between himself aud
his men. They stood by him and he
stood by them. Ho referred In fitting terms
to tho changes that had taken place in the
national capital since he first took command
of it as an armed camp, and also the changed
circumstances of life, and closed by saying
A that the army Of the Potomac was the grand
4 est that ever took the field aud that tho
lproudest thing for man to say was that he
Twas once member of IL.
When Gen. Mcclellan concluded, "throe
Acheors for the first commander Of tho army of
he Potomac" wero given with will. and
then Gen. II. ii. Bingham made brief but
eloquent Speech in which he rehearsod many
fncidents in the history of the army of tho
Potomac, which were of great interest. Ho
lwas frequently interrupted by applause.
The male octette then sang, "The Picket
iuard," and the toast "The Loyal Legion
fyas read, to which response was made by
Een. X. &. Schenck.
"Auld Lang Syno" was then sung by the
fntiro company, and the toast to
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC"
iwas proposed.
Gen. W. w. Dudley was called to respond.
lnd was greeted with hearty cheers as he rose
ulnd said
i Mr.. PRESIDENT AND COMRADES: Such
khemo should, IL appears to me, have led the
Aommittee to seek out and call upon the most
gifted and eloquent of our comrades as
Respondent. Among our numbers are many
Whose powers of oratory would have enabled
Nhem to do justice to the subject. But as
Iannot claim any gift in that direction, fear
II shall fall far short of Il. However, cannot
kdmit that | havo lost tho step and touch of
elbow with that grand throng in whose honor
Vhis toast is proposed, and If you will bear
with me for n few moments, will obey the
fall of the president of the feast us best
tnay.
| Once year we meet as survivors of the
army Of the Potomac to recall the memories
Ind cement the friendships formed in days of
Ear; to look each other in the face; to grasp
Zach other by the hand, and ncts how time
Is dealing with those by whose sdo death has
teen looked Mt amid the storm of battle with
Whom we have shared haversack and cauteen
trampcd and ,lept side by side, and arm in
Irm returned to the homes and dear ones left
Behind at the call of duty.
Those only TO whom the camps and battle
felds of Virginia, Maryland. and Pennsyl-
tania are familiar, who arc identified as sol
Il icrs with the troops comprising the army of
tIhc Potomac, and who met the enemy at Bull
Run, Antietam Gettysburg, and Appomattox
Ire eligible.
I OF the great army Of the union we therefore
txclude from membership by far the greater
Hart, as having no local history in common
With us.
In the same manner the survivors of the
! trmies of the james, the Tennessee, the Ohio
jnd the Cumberland are banded into societies
rtnd enjoy annual reuni0ns-purcly local,
| However, in character-and while delightfully."-
Necessary, are incomplete, incomprehensive,
thd insufficient to satisfy tho full measure of
that desire which every true soldier feels we'll
| itg up in his heart, and which prompts him
| tb seek its expression by some closer bond of
ttnion.
II
| 4sary, and meeting annually, do not suffice,
they do not reach tho great rank and file nor
| Ctn they serve the purpose of bringing to-
| gbther the soldiers of the various armies,
| ifto n comm on camp upon common footing.
! Those of us who arc fortunate enough to
| pbssess the means can enjoy once year a
| Tbunion with comrades; but the thousands
! who have not been equally fortunate with
olrseve, in whom tho soldier instinct and
/ i9eing is as strong rs ever the brave COM
! ride who fought gallantly on many fields
/ must stay at home. Fortune has not been as
! kind to him rs to you and me, and his neces-
| sites will neither permit him to take a hol-
day nor to expend the amount necessary
u travel to and from our place of meeting.
Nor can we extend the aid and sympathy due
tb those in distress, through the medium of
! societies like this, which necessarily arc
limited in character and hold short and in
frequent meetings. There was required some
organization of soldiers broader in its scope
and wider its sphere of useiulness-one that
would take itself to the home of the veteran,
unite the survivors of the war into local
camps, retake the touch and perfect the line,
and bring within its folds not alone the for
tune favored but the impoverished and dis
abled, and afford to them the delights and
benefits of cOmpanionship aud fraternity.
Some medium must be established through
which lhe benehccnco and charity natural to
and characteristic OF soldiers might flow out
to those who by the fortunes OF war We're left
helpless and iorlorn-the widows and orphans
Of comrades.
Such then the field, such the mission, such
the necessity which called into being the
society, named for its great prototype, the
Grand Army of the Republic, to whose ranks
are welcomed every honorably discharged
soldier and sailor of the union army and
navy, and for which, as an humble member,
am proud TO speak tonight Heaven born,
(ior to three God-liko virtues, fraternity,
charity, and loyalty, ii owes its existenGe)
il will last so long as soldier of the union
army or n sailor of the union navy survives
Like all institutions worthy of life and
destined to retain confidence, IL has reached
its present proud position slowly and gradu'
ally. Its first growth being abnormally
rapid, il suffered a naturally resulting check
until the sober second thought of its founders
placed it upon the bed rock of principles and
usages, which insure its permanency; since
which it has steadily grown in numbers and
in power. It's members are devoted by solemn
obligation to the furtherance Of three propo-
sltions:
/. 10 preserve and strengthen those kind
aud iraternal feelings which bind together
the soldiers, sailors, and marines who united
to suppress the late rebellion and TO perpetu
alto tho memory and history of the dead.
2 10 assist such comrades in arms as need
help and protection, and to extend need "a
aid to the widows and orphans OF those whC
have fallen.
3. To maintain true allegiance to the United
States of America, based upon paramount
respect for, aud fidelity to, the national con