Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-05-19
EASTERN NEWS.


+. r,y Picnsc and n kix Dasas
w.~uNaros. May ie.-The Soc6
~ ANS of the Potomac left
w .a-.ioa to Mount Vernon tods
"a .bree steamers-3eorQe
,a,ge river steamer, the Uni
s.ssn,ship Talapoosa and =
enter Ewing-the two latter
seen placed at the disposal Of tbs 60
.sittee be the authorities Of tbs navy
md treasury department. Tn the three
nosts there we're about lOQ0 menbers Of
.hs soc,e.y and their guests. including
many ladies and residents Of Washing.
sor collation. vas served on each Of
.sa boats. and the trip down the river
rae enlivened by army songs snd i'm
.,omu:u speeches After remaining
% hours at Mount Vernon tbs ve,er-
- and party returned to the city. A
,NSnone. tonight at AbnsT's summer
Da,den closed the reunion. The full!
sss,;ns hand furnished music for the
a.casior;. assisted BY a Riee club Of
sr,s,,tv singers, the music in charaster
so,s;stinn principally Of soldiers songs
~ the rebellion. The reLdition Of fam
s;sr airs aroused much enthusiasm
s,nono the old veterans, who frequently
,snt their voices TO swell the chorus. AZ
she nrincipal table we're seated 0ffioerp
- he aoc,ety and distinguished guests,
s.nono them Generals Sherman, Mo
SIailan. Rosecrans. Siocum, Schofield,
BINGHAM and Won Week, Rear Admiral
Paoers. Gen. Scbenck, Gen. Walker,
sanator Miller of California and Com
,n;ssioner Of Pensions Dudley. Gsn.
Mcclellan made his appearance some
s;r,. after the banquet began, and rs
s'.,,,, az he entered some one called out,
Tires cheers for Little Mac" They
.srs oiyen heartily. most Of tho guests
,;eino 10 respond. The old Commander
~ he Army of tho Potomac bowed his
,ckuowledgment OF the greeting, and.
RAISING down in the rear OF the gaests
II the fable, shaking hands hers and
there With I'D friends, took his seat next
70 Gen. Sherman.
The ers. toast, "'rhe President" was
drunk standing. The next toas', The
army of the United States" was re-
n,ynded TO by Gen. Sherman. Rsar
Admiral Rodgers answered for The
Nayy.r General John Miller, United
states Senator from California, To
snonded 10 the next toast, 1.-The Armies
~ The West He said the armies OF
the Cumberland and Tennessee shared
With the army Of the Potomac the spirit
n self sacrliice. They were ready to
nerish that the Union might live. He
smoke Of the basiles Of the armies Of
tbs west and OF their commanders, OF
Grant, Sheridan, Kosecrans, McPher-
con and Others, Ind ut the mention of
each name the VI terans loudly cheered
Tie next toast vas the Army OF the
Potomac" to which Gen. Mcclellan
vas 10 respond. Az the name Of their
commander WAS announced, and he
arose to address them, the veterans
sorang upon chairs and broke into
cheer after cheer for two or three min
utes, aud the clamor was dsafening.
Men pounded tables, stamped with
their feet and shouted themselves
hoarse, and, viewed from the gallery
during tits space of time. the banquet
ting room was snrging, tumultuous
ses Of heads. arms, napkins, hats. and
even crntches, with which the owaers
were gestieulating in their enthusiasm.
Gem Mcclellan stood calmly. He
bowel dsring the tnmult, and when II
showed signs Of lesssning, stilled il en-
tifely with a wave Of His hand. In a
voice deep with feeling. and speaking
Ia measured tones, he began his greet
ing To his old command. Every voice
was hushed. He said: I'm days long
past and gone forever, when we were
Young aud strong. full Of life and hope.
with the future all before Us, there were
such relations between us that il seems
to me too cold and formal 10 address
you simply IA Mr.. Chairman. Gentle
men. tho chairman brought me the
intelligence that was needed, up FROM
the very jaws of death, and when AZ.
signed the command Of the divisions Of
his troops. We hurried by force march
to tho bloody field. There can
DO no formal ceremony between
him and myself. Very many, perhaps
most Of You, were with me whom in this
very city | assumed command of that
mans brave men, unorganized and I'm.
instructed, who composed the nucleus
of what afterwards became this army OF
the Potomac. Those of you who were
With me then were more 10 me than
dear comrades, more than brothers IN
arms. You were ~ my very children
This was McClellan's opening, and In
this strain he proceeded to tho close
He spoke Of the trying times in which
you and did our best for our country
and recalled the loved and familiar
faces which all missed from their ranks
II have seen this city, the capital Of
the nation, IA 1t was when I came here
from Western Virginia, full Of disor-
ganized troops, 10 immediate danger oil
attack. sec order and quiet restored
m II by magic, whom you ut once re-
sponded to my appeal aud seconded
BY your endeavors. i remember the
we'll massed troops, badly armed and
improperly equipped, bat composed Of
tbs best men who ever responded TO an
appeal to arms, aotuated BY the highest
and purost motives Of patriotism, dis
cussing no particular question, knowing
but one thing, our country was la dan
Ger, aud that they were ready TO give
their lives for ID. | saw an army come
out OF this mass. saw that what Wal
required Was order and discipline, and
instruction then followed the tedious
aud necessary work of fertilization
around the capital, but work which col
the army free to strike where Its blow
we're felt. which more than once saved
the capital. saw that army had be-
come capable Of being handled II
march and under fire, and 10 leave ths
camps in which IL had been creates
and 60 70 the peninsulas. Their,
you stood by me. and stood b.
you, and do not forget how nob.y
you passed through your FIRST experience
OF battle" He sketched briefly ut thi,
point some OF the principal battles. and
alluded to the seven Days fight. q
made In obedience 70 orders from
Warrington ~ cover the advance Of 70
inforcoments which never came, though
the enemy came instead. Fortunately
he continued. this had been foreessln
and days before transports With sup
plies had been sent to tho James {,
await the army. He then spoke Of ID,
gallantry with which the army Tough
when removed from HE command. ana
the glad confidence with which IL vel
coined his return at tho battle Of Antie
tam: of his withdrawal from the arm,
on what he then believed. and still Be
keyed. was the eve OF decisive battle
never to meet that army again ~ com
lander. Continuing, he said: "Thl
ssny which il was my fortune to organ
u md create, the army that became Al
army of veterans, /, its earliest and oul,
army commander, am glad TO know wal
unsurpassed by any of the historic AZ
MES Of the world in efficiency and yalo
o. achievements"
The remaining toasts were RESPONDED
20 - follows: The Loyal Legion" Gen