The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-31
G. MEMORY r.

O,P.M.
The pupils of the public schools contributed
several baskets of flowers, which were used in
the decoration of the graves of the soldiers
buried in the cemetery. specially beautiful
contribution came from the pupils of school No.
g. of which Miss Carrie Washburn is principal,
and one from pupils of Miss Benson, in school
No. 8, bore the inscription:
Columbia queen of the free and the brave
Whose union of stars none may sever
Gay thy banner of stars over mountain and wave
Guard the graves of the heroes forever.
Business was generally suspended in the after
noon, and thousands attended the memorial
exercises at Crown Hill cemetery.
THE PROCESSION.
The street parade was large and creditable
The procession moved from the corner of Massa-
chusetts avenue and New York street, where it
formed in line promptly at las o'clock, under
the commend of j. M. PAYER, the grand marshal
The column was formed in the following order:
Advance Guard of Police
Grand Marshal and staff
Officers United States Army in Carriages
The Metropolitan Police.
Orator Merrill, Poet Gordon and Chaplain Marine
Z. w. Smith, Marshal First Division and staff
Besseinherz' Band.
George II. Thomas Post. G. A. r.
Second Division.
Col. N. R, Ruckle and Staff.
George H. Chapman Post G.. A. r.
Light Infantry Drum Corps.
Light Infantry Maj j. r. Ross Commanding
Tecu1nseh Rifles.
Streight Rifles.
Richardson Zouaves.
Classical School Cadets.
indianapolis Light Artillery.
Third Division.
J. H. Webster Chief Fire Department, Marshal.
Fire Department.
The procession moved south on Delaware
street, from Massachusetts avenue to Washing
ton street; west on Washington to Illinois,
north on Illinois to Market; east on Market to
the Circle; to the right around the Circle to Me-
ridian street; thence north to North street. and
west to the c.. l., St L. g. C.. tracks, where the
crowd was transported by train to Crown Hill
cemetery At Michigan street the column passed
in review of the grand marshal and his staff. the
United States officers and the Light Artillery.
The streets along the line of march, from the
point where the procession started, to the rail
road tracks, where the ranks were broken, were
thronged with spectators, and there were proha-
bly, no less than $1,000 people who witnessed the
parade.
AT THE CEMETERY
The main body of the crowd did not arrive at
Crown Hill cemetery until shortly before 3
o'clock, but there we're probablya as many as three
thousand persons who had already gathered
there and many had spent the greatest part of
the day in the cemetery. The memorial exer-
cises were held at the foot of the beautiful
knoll, north Of where the soldiers are buried a
platform for the speakers having been erected
for the occasion. The programme of exercises
was carried out under the direction of Col J. A.
Closer, opening with the singing of ''All Honor
to the Soldiers" by the Boyleston and Western
Union Quartets, under the leadership of Mr.
Sydney Reade. prayer OF exceptional fitness
for the occasion was offered by Rev. DR.. Marine
pastor of the Central-avenue NJ. L. Church.
cir fha A,f
Odc1
The poem, written specially for the occasion
by Major Jonathan w. Gordon, was the next
in the order Of the exercises Preparatory to
the reading of this poem Major Gordon said
that he made no pretensions to being poet but
he appeared before the gathering with his ryth-
mic production because he had been invited to-
He had called on Ben D. House with the hope
of obtaining some information inspiration
that would help him in the effort and from his
observations of the overfowings of a truly
gifted poet he had gathered the inspiration his
production, which, he said was the underhow-
tngs of the genius of Mr. House, who he sup
posed, was at that time reading a poem in the
Athens of Indiana. Major Gordon's poem read
as follows:
MAJOR GoRDeN's POEM
What comrades shall sing to-day
To You who know the story we'll
OF that sublime, transcendent fray
In which these silent heroes felR
You shared their tolls, you them die
And know that self defiled them never
They died to keep yon flag on high,
And make the nation one forever.
If there was fault, be it forgot;
While Union Freedom, Peace abide
Well share the good their blood has bought
And cease to hate malign and clide.
No matter how the strife befelL
To yon dear flag the day was given;
And all again with rapture swell
To see it float supreme in heaven
TITS quite enough for grief and shame
That such a strife e er smote the land
And quite enough for praise and fame
That Union, Law and Freedom stand.
Forgive the strife, wash ont the shame
In Lethe's unrevealing river;
But build a monument to fame
And glorify these dead forever
A Hymn for It Dead Comrade% was next