The daily gazette., 1883-05-30
FLOWERS FOR THEDEAD
DECORATION DAY IN WILL
MINGToN.
ARRIVAL OF VISITING POSTS.
Departure of DUPONT Post for the Grave
OF Admiral DuPont-Ac ctive PrepRra-
tioDs for the Ceremonies In This City.

| members of the Grand Army of the Re
public began preparations for the cere-
monies OF the day, which will be on a
grander scale than ever before attempted in
this city, and by 9 o'clock the streets were
crowded with men, women and children
eager to get view of the different visiting
posts. 8. f. Dupont Post, 1877, of Brooklyn,
New York, numbering 70 men, arrived here
| at 4. .55 a. m. and were Immediately escorted
| by squad of Admiral s. F. Dupont Post
Of this city to the lecture room In the Opera
| House, where an elegant breakfast had been
prepared. After making a gallant charge
upon the edibles set before them they pro
ceeded to Post 2's room, which was thrown
open for their accommodation. At 7.45,
admiral Dupont Post, No. 1874, number
ing 140 men, arrived ane were also escorted
to the lecture room where they were also
provided with breakfast. This post brought
with them their fife and drum corps, num-
bering "A men. Immediately after they had
breakfasted orders were given TO fall in pre-
paratory to going to DUPONT Station, where
the DUPONT Posts had previously made
arrangements for decorating the grave of
Admiral s. F. DUPONT.
The positions in line were as follows:
Post 2, Fife and Drum Corps--14 pieces.
G Co, First d. V. M-26 men, commanded
by First Lieutenant l. P. Wickersham.
Firing Squad-Post 2, "a men, commanded
by Captain O'Conner.
Admiral s. F. DUPONT Post No. Com
manded by Commander j. s. Litzenberg,
Adjutant Edwin Hirst, and Sergeants
Blackburn, Hilberg and FLETCHER acting
as color bearers, numbering in all so
men.
Firing Squad Post "a, Department of Penn
sylvania, numbering 16 men, captained by
j. II. DeBarry; First Lieutenant, W. 7.
Callahan; First Sergeant, John Arthur.
Admiral DUPONT Post "a, Department of
Pennsylvania, numbering 140 men, COM
manded by j. B. Cooley; Senior Vice
Commander, James T. Cunningham; Ju-
nior Vice Commander, Thomas Belcher;
Adjutant, james A. Clark; Quartermas-
ter, F. NJ. U'Neill; Color Sergeants,
George Keller, (who served in the Ninety
first Pennsylvania Regiment, in the same
capacity William Stone and Simpson.
Fife and drum corps, IL pieces.
s. F. DUPONT Post, 1877, Department of New
York, 20 men, commanded by Com
mander David Acker, Senior Vice Com
mander Adam Kline, Junior Vice Com
mander Charles Wager, Quartcrmaster
Herman Weber, Officer of the Day j. P.
Imilee, Adiutant John Portlander.
In the above order the line moved down
Market street to Fourth, to French, to the
depot, where they embarked on train and
left for DUPONT Station, where they arrived
at 9.35 and began imme lately the cere-
monies of decorating the graves when a
salute was fired by all the firing squads
and c Co. The two visiting posts brought
with them two beautiful anchors made in
flowers, each about four feet high, besides a
large lot of cut flowers.
The orators at the grave were Past De-
partment Commander James Tanner of the
Brooklyn Post, Edwin English and Samuel
Wheeler, were the orators for the Philadel-
phia Post. This is the same Post
that visited this city in 1878 and
presented to the family of Admiral
Dupont an escutcheon of all the battles
which the Admiral had been engaged in.
The New York post were escorted from
their room in BROOKLYN to the depot last
night by the Thirty-second National Guards,
a squad of Sons of Veterans, numbering 81.
headed by band All along the route the
post was saluted with fireworks and In
every way their departure for this city was
| made under the most favorable circum-
stances. With this post is a young man
named John O'Conner, who carries with
| him a commission which he received from
Admiral s. F. DUPONT while on board the
| flag ship Wabash just previous to the battle
| of Port Royal. Mr.. O'Connor prizes the
commission as one of the most valuable
souvenirs OF the late ward and more partic-
ularly so from the fact that the commission
was made out by the late Admiral. The
date of the paper is January 30, 1858.
No sooner had the Posts departed
| for DuPoht station than the crowd
which congregated along the
street, disbur. ed and are now buisly
making preparations for the ceremonies this
afternoon, which prov Use, should the
weather remain good, to DC the finest ever
made in this city.
smyth Post divided up into squads and
| have been busy all morning decorating the
graves of fallen heroes in Asbury, Old
| Swedes and First Presbyterian cemeteries
while the Firing Squad of the Post was
decorating graves in Green Hill and River
| View cemeteries.
| A score or more of ladies were busily en-
gagged all morning in the City Hall making
| up the flowers donated, into wreaths
boquets and other designs for general dis
| trbution In the Wilmington and
| Brandywine Gene cry this afternoon. The
Philadelphia post, besides bringing with
them a large anchor, brought, also, wreath
four feet in diameter, made OF immortelles,
In which is inscribed the name of the post
| which they will leave at the Soldiers and
Sailors Monument, on the avenue, this
afternoon.
The donations of flowers far exceeded
the expectation OF the Flower Committee
who report that they will have all that they
need for decorating purposes.
Large flags are flying throughout the city
in honor of the day, and most of the stores
along Market street are decorated will
small flags.
Special committees OF Smyth and Watson
posts decorated the graves of General Smytl
and Captains Ricketts, and Watson, wh'
were among the first Delaware soldiers wh'
fell In the rebellion.
The arrangements for the ceremonies thi
afternoon are as follows: The posts will al
assemble at their respective headquarters o
other rendezvous sharply at O'Clock an(
be in their place in line on French stree
with the right resting on Fourth in time Il
move promptly at 2 o'clock. ''he Firs
Battalion. First Regiment, d. V. M, is or
dered to report at the Armory sharply a
1.30 O'Clock and the First Regiment ban'
, is directed to report to Acting -Adjutan
Hart at 1.45 o'clock.
The column will be headed by platoon O
| police under the command OF Chief Hawkins
| The First Regiment Band Will aecompan.
} the military, which will be under tn
command of Major Curtis. At the hea,
will ride Chief Marshall wales with Pas
Department Commander McNair, Depart
ment Commander Ross, Past A. A. G. SmitI
and Past A, O. M G. Swiggett as aides
: and AdIutant General Postles and Colone
Wood as representatives of the State militia
} The posts will follow the military 4
, numerical order. Post Commander VAIN
, | sz.lxt D. d. IL