The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-12
THE STORY OF A CAMPAIGN.
The President, General Grant and 9th
ers Attend @ G. A. R. Reunion.
General Grant Received with Great Enthu-
siasm-Speeches by Generals Logan and
Grant and President Arthur,


Of the Department of the Potomac, g. A R.,
was held at Masonic Temple tonight in com
memoration of the operations against FfcKs
burg. General J. R. Hawley presided, and all
posts of the Grand Army in the city were rep
resented in the assemblage, which numbered
about l 200 or 1,500 persons Among the guests
present who had seats upon the platform were
President Arthur, General Grant, Sec
rotary Lincoln, Generals Logan, Vernon,
Raum, Doubleday VIM Mckee Dunn, Dudley
and Hazen, Representative Mckinley, Judge
Lawrence and others. General Grant, walking
with the aid of crutch. entered the hall at the
head of the invited guests. He was greeted
with the widest applause the assembly rising
and sending forth cheer after cheer, and contin-
uing the ovation until the President had taken
his place on the platform.
Comrade D. S. Alexander department
commander opened the exercises with
a brief speech, in which he congratulated
the department on the presence of so many dis
tnguished guests. representing nearly all the
departments of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie, and especially upon the presence of one
whom he denominated the grandest chief that
represented the Union," the allusion to whom
was signal for a repetition of the applause
which greeted the entrance of General Grant
He then introduced the presiding officer, Gen
eral Hawley, who was greeted with applause
and who spoke briefly. He said such meetings
az this were productive of good They were
good for the Grand Army of the Republic, and
for the perpetuation of the memories they com
memorated; they were a good thing for the
country. 1t was twenty three years ago to-day
since word was sent to fire upon Fort Sumter
and that it must surrender; twenty-three years
tomorrow since the rebels opened fire
upon it. He referred to the feeling at
the North at that time-a feeling that
there was great struggle before the country
and God only knew whether it was to be a
divided country, and asked: Gould any one then
have forseen what the character of that struggle
would be, what sacrifices the country would be
called upon to make, and what the result would
bea' He thought, after fouryears of desperate
struggle between the braSest soldiers on both
sides that ever drew breath, the men
who composed this assemblage, and
similar ones, had a right to come
together sometimes and look back at these
things without being accused of boasting, to
congratulate themselves to shake hands and
Shank God that great and small alike, each
counted one in the greatest struggle on record
the most glorious cause that was ever fought
Senator HawleY then introduced General
Logan, saying he felt sure, no matter what the
newspapers said about the gentleman they were
about to hear from, he was brave comrade
and honest man. statement which was re
ceived with applause.
General Logan, on coming forward, was greet
ed with warmth, and his speech was many times
interrupted by the applause of the audience,
While he was speaking President Arthur and
Secretary Lincoln entered the hall. AS soon
as their presence was made known the assem-
blage arose and cheered them loudly till they
reached the platform, the Marine Band, sta
TONED in the gallery, meanwhile playing Hail
When the President and Secretary had reached
the platform the presiding officer called for
three cheers for the President which were given
and for three chaers for the of Abraham Lin
coin, which were also given with will
Gen. Logan raised laugh at the beginning of
his speech by an alusion to the chroniclers of
battles and campaigns who never saw battle or
a campaign, but who can tell more about them
He then described at length the operations
about Vicksburg, taking occasion to make some
uncomplimentary illusions to Fitz John Porter
in the course of his remarks. Some Of these
illusions drew forth applause from some of
those present, especially one in which, speaking
of forward movement of certain troops in the
operations about Vicksburg he said, with
emphasis: I'VE knew there was a battle
going on and wanted to get There's;
statement that was greeted with
cheer, voice crying out There was no Por-
ter there" He closed his description of the cam
paign with the statement that the accomplish
ments and achievements of the late have no
parallel in the history of the world
After the assemblage had sung Marching
through Georgia. led by General Hawley, Gen
eral Grant was called for, and on coming for
ward was greeted with three times three
cheers, He said he was thankful for
the welcome accorded him. and had
been greatly pleased by the interesting
story of the campaign given by General Logan.
He felt called upon, however to give some
further details of incident mentioned by the
latter with respect to the orders issued to him
IGrant by General Halleck, to retire from be-
fore Vicksburg The orders he had received
from Washington were to turn back from the
Mississippi river, and go down that river and CO.
operate with Banks in his operations at Port
Hudson until that place was reduced the two
armies to then move together up
the river and take Vicksburg. This
order, issued by General Halleck. had the sane
ton of the President and the Secretary of War
but when the officer who carried it delivered it.,
he said to him that General Halleck had spoken
a little too late. After he got to Vicksburg,
Lincoln had written him an autograph letter,
characteristic, he said. of the man, in which he
said that when he Grant crossed the Missis-
sippi below Vicksburg he thought he should have
gone down the river, but that he then saw he
right, and he wished to offer him an apology.
General Grant added: 1--WE have had men to
occupy the position that he did, who probably
made more mistakes than he, but never ad-
mtted them"
General Raum followed General Grant He
SAID the capture of Vicksburg will be regarded
for all time as one of the greatest achievements
of war and, comparing General Grant with
other generals of the federal armies, said: 'tAs
we move away from the events of the war, the
name, fame and achievements of this great man
will rise up into the sunlight of eternal glory"
Major Mckinley, of Ohio, also spoke briefly,
after which the President and Secretary Lincoln
rose to leave, but the crowd called loudly for
speech from the President, who finally came to
ing to speak but simply to listen to the story of
the grand campaign which eliminated in the
capture of Vicksburg, from the lips of those who
took part in it. The Union he said would
honor them and their memory forever. He
was glad to be present to express
to them, not only as chief magistrate of the
country they had saved, but as an individual,
the gratitude of the country.
Serratarv LINCOLN wAs loudly CALLED nnnn To