Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-02

afternoon the line was formed on Water st.
at o'clock, the procession moving at 2.20.
Following was the order Of march:
DR.. D. p. Bolster. Marshal.
r. W. soule. Chief of STAFF. J. Q: A. Hawes. Sur
geon. John +. Fossett, Asst Adj't Gen1. G. F.
Gannett, Asst Q. NJ. Genl.
Aids-J. A. Jones, T.. Gould, Murray Dana.
Pullen's Band,
Seth williams, Post Is. G. A. R..
Geo. Doughty, Commander.
Harry Stnson Camp, Sons of Veterans,
S. H. Holmes, Captain.
Carriages.
Orator and President of the Day
Maj F. II. Phipps. Commandant Kennebec Arsenal.
State Officers. Augusta City Government.
Officers Insane Hospital.
Clergy. Citizens in Carriages.
The post mustered 60 men and the camp
SO. The Capital Guards did not appear from
the fact that they were not sufficiently organ. j..
lied, recent radical changes having taken
place in the company. Arriving at Forest
Grove. Mt. Pleasant and st. Mary's ceme-
teries, after prayer by Rev. Mr.. Thatcher
the comrades of the post, tenderly and touch
ingly decorated with flowers each mound Of
earth which marked a soldiers grave. Prayer
was made at the unknown graves by Rev.
Mr.. Skeele. From the cemeteries the pro-
cession moved to the Soldiers Monument,
where further services were held, Rev. Mr.
Bradee offering prayer. The decorations of
the monument were tasty, and were made
under the direction of Col. II. G. Staples
On the base were placed many pots of flower
ing plants, consisting of fuschias, geraniums,
petunias and foliage plants. Suspended
gracefully from the cap of the die were fes-
toons of cedar interviewer with narcissus,
peonies. and lilies of the valley. On the
south face of the die caught up in the
wreaths, rested dainty anchor of violets and
heliotrope, a snowy cross of narcissus and
callss. and a wreath of pretty red geraniums.
The coat of arms was covered with wreath
and the column was wound with bunting. The
statue at the summit bore large evergreen
wreath. Following the services at the mon
ument the procession marched to Water ST.
and disbanded.
| In the evening services were held in Gran
ite Hall. with VIM. r. Smith, Esq. as presi-
dent of the day. The hall was well filed
with citizens. The post and camp were es-
corted to the hall by Pullens Band. The
exercises opened at Z As o'clock. Rev. S. G..
Sargent offered PRAYER, following which the
president. in brief AMI very happy speech,
introduced Gen. Seden Connor as orator Of
the day, and gentleman distinguished both
IN the forum and in the field.
General Connor's address was an able ef-
| fort. 1t was an Grafton of no ordinary merit.
Finished, manly and brave, it was listened
to attentivelv and with much satisfaction by
our citizens. Following is an abstract of the
address:
Twenty years ago, in the fourth year of the
war for the Union, the armies of the country
were locked with their enemies in the strug-
gle which ended in the death agony OF the
rebellion. Beyond the Alleghsnies, Sherman
with the legions of the West and tried sol
1iers and generals from the East as well. had
entered upon his shining march from the
mountains to the sea, to scatter opposing
hosts and sweep like bosom of destruction
through the heart of the confederacy. In the
East the Army of the Potomac, composed OF
men from every section, was once more IN
strenuous encounter with its familiar foe,the
Army of Northern Virginia; closing with each
other like the giants they were, the strain and
stress of the opposing lines seemed to Illus
trate the principle of the resolution OF me-
chanicsl forces, swerving both armies from
the proposed course of each, and compelling
them along the line from the Rapidan to the
James
1t was the hour of the country's supreme
exaltation. Every thought, every energy,
every object. was concentrated in the deter
minaton to crush the rebellion. Heart, mind,
and soul had been wrought up by the pro-
longed horrors of the war to such a tension
that no cost or sacrifice, however greas,couid
for moment affect the firm resolve that 1t
should be fought through to victory
At the opening of this month OF MAY
Meade had led the Armv of the Potomac from
the dusty plains and hillsides of its winter
quarters to meet the wstchful enemy in the
treacherous obscurities and entanglements OF
the Wilderness With him vas Grant, the
newly created Lieutenant General and com.
mauder of the Union armies, who established
hi. headquarters here as being the vital point
of the Union cause There was some feeling
of disappointment when the Wilderness
proved but drawn battle; and again when
the blood redeemed works of Spottsylvania
marked no evident gain TO our arms But OF
discouragement or faltering there was no
trace The course of events seemed suited
to the mood of the loyal people. They we're
prepared to suffer and be strong. and their
sincerity and endurance we're tested to the
utmost. From the wooded solitudes and
lonely plains of Virginia came to them ever
news of heroic battle and sickening carnage.
The dearh-list was appalling, and the hospi.
tails were overfowing with the torn forms OF
the victims of the fight. All over the land
grief-strickeu households were laying their
soldier-dead in the soil that was so dear TO
the living heart, or grieving the more because
the urgencies of war denied them the poor
consolation of that sad office. The very ar
seemed 70 hear the tsint of human blood-to
be laden with suffering and sorrow. Still,
sterner and tenser grew the dissemination to
bring the dreadful tragedy to . close Twas
balm 70 bleeding hearts to know that the