Delta chief., 1883-08-01
The G.. A. r.
National Encampment Of the Grand Army
Of the Republic.
An Account of CoIorado's Gala Day at
Denver.

Camp Van Der WORT was formally
opened yesterday, and four thousand veterans
of the grand Army of the Republic paraded the
streets of Denver. There were thirty thousand
persons AT the camp. There were but few Of
this number who could get near enough TO hear
the speeches which were made by Judge symes,
Governor Grant, Commander-in-ChiefV Van
Der Wort, Generals stmson and Adams,
Mayor Routt and the impossioned Senator Lo-
gan. The parade, which was the great feature
of the day, did not move until 80 o'clock
an hour and half later than the hour appoint
ed. Not oue-rhird of the veterans in the city
were IN line. They had enough marching
twenty years ago and they don't enthuse over
four miles walk. But IL Is safe TO say that
none Of the four thousand men who did enter
the line ever marched over caiser roads than
they found in Denver. There were no eobble
stones for their feet to slip on and TO twist
their ankles There was but little dust, and
the streets were smooth as racc-track.
The air was cool and pleasant. The sun
partly obscured by soft, hazy atmosphere,
which hung over the CITY, and there was no
suffering from the heat. The route Of parade
from the camp to the place OF dismissal was
lined with people. Even as far out as Thirtieth
street the crowd WAS 70 great that one apt
To jump to the conclusion that all Denver
there. But the crowd increased In size one
nearcd the center OF the city. At moderate
estimate there were more than a hundred
thousand persons on the streets. The towns
all over the state empticd themselves into Den
yer, and there were at least i.5So persons who
arrived after the parade was over, 1000 of
whom were Grand Army men. Reports from
the river chow that the crowd is not yet all
here. IL l. sufe to say tina, Ave thousand more
will arrive before the end OF the week.
THE GRAND PARADE.
Here they come, The mass Of people which
~.
the Windows and balcGnics stretch their necks
Ia see the first Of the pageant, and get on,
their handkcrchiefs Ia have them In readiness
To wave at the veterans as they pass by. 4
mounted policeman gallops down the street,
and before he has succeeded In opening n
space for ;h. advancing column, the beat Of
drums and the tndescrihahlc music Of dozen
band. playing many different airs In concert
the ambitious screcching Of the shrill fifc
rising above lt-sll M the air and the thous-
ands of spectators In the street, ON the pave
ments and ih windows and balconies stand ON
up-toc and cheer and wave their handkerchief,
as their eyes brighten with excitement Now
you can sSr 'hem. RAYS uf sunlight slant
through the cuttunvupds aud make hundred
flashing reflections on bayoncts and brilliant
uniforms II i an ccsihcy OF excitement,
The stirring strains Of Marching Through
Georgia" land the man whose blood won't
jump under IT, influence has no business at a
parade % ycteranrl now and then drowned
hr "luhn Browns Body and Rally Round
the Flag" while the drums and flies at
breathing Intervals succeed In making.
'Y,NKEE DOODLE"
Heard above the rest, Why should not the
people cheer and their lips grow trcnulous,
For here are the men who fought for Us, aud
who would have died for us II need hc. Old
men bccAmc Young again and boys wished they
had been men when Sumptcr was fired upon.
There was no gloa,ing over victory, no thought
OF the yanquirhcd foe only joyou. pride in
the men who had fought so wcll The music
comes nearer platoon of police, occupying
the entire width of the street. marches by.
Herr are the soldcrs-not the ones who fought,
hut the young militismen, handsome and gay
In their white trowrcrs and gray coats. But
they march well. Look a, that lincl Could
yctcrans.do II bctteri When the guides left
leg goes up. every left leg In the line goes up.
They know they are doing well, bu, You would
never know Il from their faces. for no, n mus
Gle moves. Who can doubt that they would
have fought II they had been given chancel
The line moves swiftly. The home soldiers Of
peace march on. Who are these men who do
not seem to care whether they keep step or
mott They surely can't be soldiers for
THEY CARLY NO arSs,
And they haven't the stern and forhiidiug
frown Of war which sat ON every face of the
CAily uniformed men who have just passed.
Some OF them sre old If YOU will look closely
you will sec that some Of them have scars In
their checks. perhaps mn eye Is missing.
There IL AN empty coat-slccve: and look. over
there is man who has only one ear. Why
does the commander enlist men who are so old
that their boards arc white. and others So
lame that they walk with cancsi They Ger
innly do not look SO pretty as the boys with
their guns who are Just turning the corner
down the street. All, not Poor fellows; they
do not look 40 pretty, and some Of them could
not now handle gun. Bat they ns soldiers,
Who are they, do YOU ask They are the men
who answered Iipcoin's call on the memorable
18th of April, 1851. Tha, man left his arm nt
Antictam, and rebel bullet whizzcd close
TO that veteran over there that he was glad TO
escape with the loss OF an ear. Oh, yes Dent
make any mistake: these are the soldiers; and
how
WE HONOR AND LOVE THEN
uniformi And II that gray-haircd veteran
wants TO take of his cap and mop his wriukled
brow, whose affair Is II He is no longer a
warrior. He's glad the wars over. For four
long years he longcd for pcace-though he
would fight again II he had to, He came here
to meet his old comrades who fought with him,
and with whom he ate hard crackers and slept
with nothing but blanket between himself
and the stars. He Is full OF peace and Joy. II
shines In his face and bubbles over. He feels
80 good that he wants to cheer, and he does It,
The music thrills him II did twenty years
ago. There's nm old man whom one would
to rest. But he can. See how he steps OF
He has q step MS springy us the young man who
crosses from one side OF the street TO the other,
between the line
THE REVIEW
That man astridc OF the large white horse
the one with the Prince Albert coat and broad
loose and long, Is General John A. Logan.
Jiu uli,, 10 "a dark ua mn tutiau's {Iu1inu