The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-03-20
FLAG PREsENTATIoN.
An Eloquent Address by Commander HendenkaII,
Post No. q. Brooklyn, n. i.
Special Correspondence National Tribune.


tended by the elite of the city, who were very
ably and agreeably entertained. The chief
feature of the evening WAS the presentation of
a very costly and beautiful national flag by the
Surgeon of the Post DR.. William II. MontfOrt.
Commander Mendenhall responded as follows:
IN receiving this beautiful emblem, representing
alike the patriotism and liberi4ty Of the donor, II
may not be out OF place 10 speak briefly Of the
events OF history that be traced with little
trouble. till We lind they lead up, BY the most
wonderful sequence, TO the present moment and to
this very occasion and hour.
The war for the Union was bat an incident in
the progress of the human toward the fulfill
rnent OF Its destiny for the Inie-stOnes along the
pathway of the worlds history are crimsoned with
the blood OF brave men and women who gave iFD
their lives that ideas OF liberty, progress and free
dom might live, germinate and bear fruit. The
advancement OF mankind involves the mart yrtlom
of the great souls who stand ia the breach battling
for civil liberty and the rights of Conscience ard
for relief from the bgOsry of custom and Tire 0bst
macy of usage. They die that following generations
may live freer, better, nob.er life. All progress
springs from labor and sacrifice. Men toll that
mankind may expand aFid rise in the scale of being
He who devotes all his energies to the accomplish
nent of noble ambition, he vino would serve
mankind TO the best Of his powers, must cruelty
the hope OF gain, resign all thoughts Of luxurious
ease. crush every Inealier impulse. To this class
belong the heroes of all time. They yield their
lives even, rather than recaut their faith and,
dying, live forever ia the remembrance Of man
kind. Thus Christ expired the Gross, aud J. go
years later Slyonarola suffered death at the hands
of blind zealots, who actually inflicted death upon
him III the Of the first Christian martyr So
John Hampden, resisting tyranny, died; and so
the sainted Lincoln the second father and preservcr
of his country, fell victim to the bullet of an
assassin
Has placed him with the sons of light,
Among the nobiest host of those
Who persisted IN the cause of right
Within the ranks OF civil and military life the
hosts OF the remembered ages have followed the
conspicuous leaders of mankind OF fighting with
stubborn resolution against the apostles and dupes
OF tyranny, superstition intolerance and ignorance
Thousands OF these never appear IN the bulletins
OF victory; there Is little room for them in the
gazettes of the slain.
How the bones OF the defenders of liberty whiten
the long highway through the centuries that lead
forward to the perfection of the grand truths
which, though slew and painful process, gradU-
ally lift mankind towards the Infntei
But what of the war? Who can paint either the
imposing gran the awful horrors OF the bat
tleiied? The vast array OF armed men, advancing
IN Serried columns, whose measured tramp shakes
the earth; the CLEAN OF thousands of Furnished
muskets IN the sunshine; the rumble of artillery;
the rush of the ponderous cavalry sweeping for
ward, led By the matches Sheridan the babel
OF sounds the words OF command are shouted
along the line IN a word, tha; tumRltuons chaos
that result IN oFdeF-the order Of battle All
these make the pride, ponp, and circumstances of
glorious war.
But who shall describe tllev onset;-the actual
shock of collision when the armies crashed to-
gether? The booming OF cannon and the rattle
Hlusketry, when great OF men, armed to the
teeth, hot with passion rush upon each other /?
Covered with dust, enveloped with smoke, drunk
with the fumes OF burning powder, stained with
the blood of cOmrads, the columns plunge forward
grappe with the foe, conquer and march on; or
repused wayer, turn. reel b4ctz to the line. leav-
ing in the track OF the charge and retreat CHASTITY
train of dead and dying
They went forth to do and to die. They received
full in the face the blows aimed at the heart of the
Republic. They fell bleeding at the feet of their
comrades-in-arnls. Amid the horrid din the roar
and tunult OF battle, their precious blood slowly
ebbed away crlmsoning the soil they died to free.
| With faltering tongue touched with the frost Of
death, they whispered words OF tenderness and
affection for the loved ones at home, their eyes
closed, and they We're at rest. From Tar Off in the
| North the frantic wall of widowed love and
| the cry Of girlish agony comes shuddeFing the
blast, the hearts of those most dear to them cease
/ to beat.
Among all that agony the soldier iares not stop
to think-beeause 1t might unInan him for his duty
These were the scenes that we often Witnessed;
/ and yet, they ask US TO forget
At Appomattox the Republic had its new birth
baptlSed q second time in the blood of patriots.
Faint from exhaustion viewing the retrospect of a
fratrcidal strife waged by brothers in the interest
| OF barbarism but proud OF emancipation and hope
full of more glorious future for their country, the
armies of the Union presented for the plaudits OF
mankind the old fagOf the first Revolution cleans
ed by their noble sacrifices from the foul stain of
| slavery.
THE CLOSING SCENE
In imagination / stand tonight on the field OF
Cross Keys after the crash of the splendid battal-
/ ions of the invineble Grant through the weary
! ways of the Wilderness and see the armies one
| hundred and fifty thousand strong, with tattered
banners and deeimated regiments, halt on that
memorable 9Th of April, 1862 awaiting the pariey
/ that preceded the surrender of the force OF
| the beaten and baffied Lee. IL is that event
t in history which in moment decides the
| fate of the world for centuries TO come. The
noise of the musketry and artillery has ceased.
| j look away, for moment, the space in
| front where lie the distant meadows in patches
| of loveliest green along the once enchanted val
lev where the fresh face of tie little stream CLEANS
| through the bending boughs of the marginal viii
lows, whilst below the rising sun great broken bars
of vapor the most fantastic shapes, gOwins,
! with deep crimson hue, which poUrs over the
gilded edges of the changing clouds like Eueharis-
tic wine from vase of gold. On the lawn IN front
OF McLean's mansion Lees biooded lron-grey
horse stands, nibbiing at the grass in charge of
Confederate orderly. Lee passes over the thresh-
old and with compressed lips and naughty air,
bows with the grace of cavalier to the members
| of the acknowledgements staff who are lOunging
about. He approaches the table and stands beside
| it. wearing "a bright blueish gray uniform, mill
tary hat with gold cord, buckskin gauntets high
riding boots. and the beautiful diamond-hi
sword presented to him by the state of Virginia
Grant, with his siouehed hat dark-blue fToe coat,
unbuttoned aud covered with mud, gray panta-
looms tucked in his soiled boots and dark waist
coat wore no sword, and no indications of his
rank except the double row of buttons the
breast of his coat and the three silver stars The
two shake hands; seated for few moments
in inaudible conversation; outside, through the
eastern window, some officers of either staff are
seen arranging the details of the surrender. Now
the general officers are presented, and after some
general conversation, Lee and Grant arise and
again confer apart. Then the Confederate general
| bowling profoundly TO all, retres mounts his horse
and rides away to his command In an instant all
| is eommotion. Grant quickly calls his staff to-
gether and gives orders touching the terms of the
surrender, with instructions to his comnlissary Of
subsistence TO issue, without delay, one hundred
and fifty thousand ratonS to Lees starving army
Later the Confederates form for the last time in
columns. thick with banners, but thin with men
They dress lines, stack muskets slowly furl then
flags and lay them down with many tears, some
STOPPING tenderly to kiss the faded shot-torn col
orS. At last the war ended At last it was
"All quiet along the Potomac"
Comrade Mendenhall then quoted the tive
commanders as representing or embodyiug two
| great principles, which have shaken the world
since the moment that the desire for equal
rights first dawned upon the minds of men,
paid glowing compliment to the other con
spicuous actors in the war for the Union, eulo-
gized our flag as embodying the most beautiful
colors of the rainbow, and paid well-deserved
compliment to the honored surgeon.
The address received the closest attention Of
the vast audience, and the frequent applause
gave evidence of the full sympathy of the
veterans present in the sentiment of the com
mander.
This Post is one of the most Furnishing il
the State. 1t has large relief fund, separate
r