The National tribune., 1885-04-30
longing to clasp the hand and look into the eye of

| out Inc very Jaws OF death, guard ana preserve
| your life, blessed boon 10 all the boys who wore
| the blue.
And now your hand With this firm grasp may
you feel the electric thrill of pure affection that
/ wells up from the heart of every comrade in this
| Department of your great command. and who
pTays that ever around thy pathway through life
| peace may scatter flowers; from sorrow may the
canopy of a sweet contentment shield thy heart
may the dark clouds of adversely that would dim
the brightness of thy sky always have silver lin
ing, and when the hand of memory shall touch the
harp strings of your recollection may one chord
vibrate the name of California Comrades atteii-
ton! Let us now give voice TO the language OF our
hearts in three rouSng cheers to our brave Com
mander-in-C Chief.
| The cheers were given with a will.
RESPONSE OF GEN. KoUNTZ.
The Commander responded as follows.
LADIES AND COMRADES: You have not only taken
me completely by surprise with your generous hos
pitality since we put foot upon your golden shores
put now you come as my esteemed Comfade
Holmes has said, Ito do honor in humble way "
| way-and present me with this beautiful testi-
| monial the magnificent insignia of the rank TO
| which have been elevated by the sutfragcs of my
comrades, than whom single one contributed
more to bring about than my esteemed comrade,
| Walter Ill. Holiness of California. / accept this
| handsome gift as an additional evidence of your
| fraternal esteem and goodwill, with feeling,
| however, that you have honored me more than
deserve and now. comrades, with heart overflow
ing with gratitude ard in the name of the dear
| ones at home, IN the name of my comrades of the
Grand Army of the Republic, in the name of the
| Woman's Relief Corps and its beloved President,
well in my own, thank you for this beautiful
badge, and assure You il shall have place among
! my most cherished treasures.
THE BADGE.
This badge, which is the design of Comrade
| Elleau, of Thomas Post, is most beautiful one,
| being made of solid gold, ncrusted with dia-
monds. The top piece is the badge of rank of
| the Commandcr-in-Ch Chief, being an officers
shouder-Strap, with gold border and a black
enameled field, in which are four silver stars,
the insignia of rank, each having diamond
| in the center. Pendant from this croSS-p piece,
| by buif-colored ribbon, is the beautiful badge
| itself. In the center is the well known insignia
| of the Grand Army, regulation size, the figures
| in the center-pie being chased. Above this
are the letters j. S. K" in a neat monogram,
made of gold and heavily incrusted with dia-
monds. On either side of the center-pie are
n gold lance and an American flag, the latter
! being painted enamel. Surrounding the
American standards is beautiful laurel wreath
of gold, the branches bearing, rs if buds 16
diamonds, eight on each side. The base of the
| badge consists of crossed rifles and two crossed
sabers, made Of gold and platina, resting on
which is a miniature golden snare drum. Pend
ant from the drum, and resting on the butts of
two OF the rifles, are pair of crossed drum
sticks. The letters F., c. and L." made of
gold and incrusted with diamonds are sus-
pended from a golden laurel branch, the ends
number so, 81 of which are briliants. On the
reverse of the badge is the inscription, Z" Pre-
scented 10 Commander in Chief John S. Kountz,
Grand Army of the Republic, 10y the Depart
ment of California, its Posts and Comrades.
San Francisco, April II, 1885"
At the close of the reception Gen. Kountz
and few friends adjourned to the Occident
Hotel, where pleasant little banquet was held.
AT SANTA ROSA.
Austin, and an escort of SO members of the
Grand Army, under command of r. II. War
field, departed on the following morning for
Santa Rosa. Mrs c. M. Kline, Department
President of the Ladies' Relief corps; Mrs. r.
H.Warfeld, President of the Headsburg Corps;
Mrs. j. l.. Tharp and Mrs w. Ii. Holmes ac
companied the party.
The "City Of Roses" was beautifully deco
rated for the occasion. The party was received
by c. NJ. Barnhardt, John Miller and J. d. Bar
nett of Ellsworth Post and were escorted to
the Occidental Hotel by the comrades, where
the usual military honors were extended to the
guests, and as they filed into the hotel three
rousing cheers and tiger" were given them,
and the comrades marched to headquarters and
dispersed.
THE RECEPTION.
AT $50 in the evening "a reception was ten
dered the COMMUNICATIVE Chief in Germania
Hall, which was largely attended The address
OF welcome was made by ComTadc j. I. Camp
bell, and its eloquence drew round after round
OF applause from the audience. Gen. Kountz
replied i'll his usual graceful manner.
Judge Advocate General Austin was then in
PRODUCED, and made an address which was
rep!ete with eloquence and mirth. The quartet
then sung Tenting Tonight on the Old Camp
Ground. The remaining exercises were as
follows: Address by A. G. Burnett address by
L. A. Norton, President of the Mexican War
Veterans Association; song, Red White and
Blue" Miss Minnie Poat Mrs j. B. Davis, w
J. Eariley and Coinrade S, B. Babcock; recita-
ton, "Sheridan's Ride" Comrade +. ID.
Edsall, of Lincoln Post; song, Rally Round
the Flag" quartet; addresses by Comrades c.
Mason Kline and Walter II. Holmes; song,
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp" quartet; recitation,
" Paul Revere's Ride, Comrade c. N. Barn
hardt; song, " America
On returning 10 the hotel a supper was served
to the COMMANDMENTS Chief and his friends, and
the festivities were kept up until late hour
The following day was spent in visiting points
of interest in the city until 1856, when the party
returned to San Francisco. On Monday the
party went to San Jose. Tuesday and Thurs
day will be spent in San Francisco, and OH Fri
day Gen. Kountz and Judge Advocate General
Austen will sail for Portland, Ore.
In consideration of the many courtesics OK
tended comrades al all times by Col. t. II. Good
man, General Passenger Ticket Agent of the
Central Pacific Railway Company, Commander
in-Chief Kountz has appointed him upon his
official staff. Col. Goodman is deservedly popu-
lar with the comrades OF the golden shores who
will rejoice that ne has been thus honored.
HEADQUARTERS NOTES.
Adjt-Gen. w. w. Acorn returns from Port
land much gratited with the results of the trip
and impressed with favorable outlook for the
coming grand Encampment. He tells us the
committee are doing all in their power to pro-
vide for the assignment Of delegates both for
the Grand Army and the Woman's Relief Corps
The accommodations will all be good, but there
will, of course be scale of prices as to location
and so on.
The committee, therefore. very earnestly re-
quest Department Commanders and others
sending in for entertainment to state the names
OF those for whom they are applying: or, rather
whether the application is for husband and
wife, ladies alone, Or gentlemen alone. 1t will
be seen at glance how greatly this will facili-
tate the work of the committee, and how it will
relieve them of much embarrassment. The
Adjutant-General has circular of information
about prepared, which will dwell specially upon
these points.
The comrades of Forsyth Post and Corps have
taken another new departure, keeping III line
with their extensive ventures of former years.
To replenish their relief fund they are
arranging for grand Maumee River car
nival for juno II. A fleet of boats will con-
vey pleasure-seekers from Toledo and upriver
towns TO Presque Isle where the day will be
spent in a grand picnic. All the excursion
tnat- tofichiO at Toledo how haan