Morris tribune., 1883-05-19
ARMY OF TIE POTOMAC.
Annual Reunion In Washington
Gen. Newton Elected President
Review by President Arthur
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huuECSb ny 1AUJoH HA0EAhh
The reunion of the army of the Potomac
at Washington on the 10th. in connection
with the public parade and other ex-
ercises was a very brilliant affair.
1t was the first representative gathering of
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
weight of the intervening years, it recalled
the review of 1865 when the army of the
Potomac mar he'd up the avenue and passed
in review before tn, president 5000
strong. OF the society of the army of the
Potomac there were about 1000 men in
line, and together with the various organi
cations composing the escort, about $500
men were 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 corps
played Marching Through Georgia. To
this Gen. Sherman responded by raising his
hat out he involuntarily kept time with his
foot.
At the business meeting in the afternoon
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 "Grart!"
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 a running dis
cussion as to Gen. Grants eligibility. Some
one from the stage declared he was an hon.
replied, He hasn't paid his dues" Anoth-
er called out, "For fourteen years he de-
clined to become q 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
of the Potomac near the close ofwar. think
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
result being as follows: Gen. Newton, 155;
Gen. Grant, III, scattering, 7. Gen. New
toms 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 first floor and q
number of distinguished generals, among
whom were Gems. Sherman, Rosecrans, Bea-
yer, Hazen, Webb and Slocum, occupied
seats on the stage. Judge Edmunds well
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-
iyering 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 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.
MAGINNIss' 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
memories that have attended you through a
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 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. Worse!
Secession was behind as well as in front of
it. 1t was an outpost in the enemys coun-
try-garrisoned only by the government.
Secession had gone back to the sacred soil
but 1 return. For otfense or defense
Washington was strategicalty weak, but its
foundation were laid with those of the
Uni N. 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.
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. l 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
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;
baffied 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. Nd 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-
cerned, there never was an army that owed
less to brilliancy of leadership or the inspi-
ration of genius. What it lost was often
from the lackes of its direction; what it won
it 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 battles 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-
plins, It's spirit, its organization never failed
uIlu WudtGNGT CTlIiCiStn uldy NC hauC as ~
how it was fought, this society of this coun-
try unite in praising the organizing hand of
our comrade and chief, Mcclellan. More
so than with our other armies that disci-
pline was needed to fit it for its task. 1t
could maintain no bummers. 1t never
camped out of the sound of the enemy's
guns or bivouaced Beyond the reach of im-
mediate attack; gladiator always in the
arena, a knight whose guard could never
be let down. That discipline was superb.
Tin 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
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, and turning your
backs upon its banks, marched in review
up the avenue, that river of steel, wave after
wave passed the White house and moved by
the capitol to break and l,art and return to
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