The National tribune., 1885-03-26
The GRAND ARMY.
New Post 0ficers---Camp-1ireS and
Entertainments.
HEADQUARTERS BULLETIN.
The Tireless C0mmaBder-in-Chief Still on His
Travels.

Travels.
TOLEDO. o.. March 30. 1885.
Leaving Kansas City on Saturday morning
following the Encampment, the Commander
in-Chief reached Xix Falls, in Elk County, !0J
miles West of Kansas City. at 5 o'clock p. m,
and was met at the depot by comrades Of John
A. Rawlings Post Commander Welty>. and es-
corted 20 hall in the village, where he received
a hearty welcome from the comrades and citl-
zens The address Of welcome was delivered by
Comrade Head, who said it was difficult 10 find
words 10 fittingly express the great appreciation
of the honor conferred upon Rawlings Post by
the presence of the DrGmmer Boy" Com
mande1 in Chief in their midst 1t was the
first time the majority of the comrades had the
pleasure of greeting and taking by the hand
the Commander in-Chiof of our grand Order,
TO whom they extended thousand welcomes.
The Commandcr-in-Chief responded, thanking
the comrades FOR the hearty welcome awarded
him, and congratulated them on having met
in such large numbers on 50 short notice,
and spoke at considerable length, fully ex
planning the purposes Of the Graud Army, and
reporting the wonderful progress of the Order
throus shout the whole country, and particularly
in the great State OF Kansas. which has the
largest membership, according to population, of
any other State, but which was not surprising
when it is known that Kansas is
THE GREAT SOLDIER STATE
of the Union, in which one can find represent
atives of almost every regiment that went forth
TO battle. In closing, the Commander-in-Ch Chicf
urged the comrades 10 advance the Order.
"Letus, ne said stand together III fraternity,
Charity and Loyalty. and, i'll The spirit of the
Good Samaritan, extend the blessings OF oar
comradeship TO every worthy soldier and sailor
who wore the blue; and let our noble work
never be sullied by bigotry, or desire TO
cherish the hatro1s engendered during the
war. We arc the represcntative5of those whose
devotion 10 liberty was untal;Cring, and / an
sure our principles tend to make patriotism
more intense and strengthen love OF country
in tic hearts of the rising generation"
On Sunday the Commander iH- Chief visited
an uncle AT Grafton, Chautauqua County, whom
he had not seen since 1853, and whose where
abouts were 10 him unknown until after his
election at Minneapolis last Summer. The
comrades of Stone River Post, a, Sedan, some
10 miles distant, and near the line of
THE INDIAN TERRITORY,
having learned that the Commauder-in Chief
was at Grafton, sent over committee TO urge
him to give them visit, as it would prob
ably be the only opportunity the comrades
would ever have of extending like honor.
Although the distance was 23 miles, aud
he would be compelled to ride in buggy
nearly all night 10 reach the train in time to
make his Fort Scott engagement, the tireless
soldier chief agreed to go. On Monday a. m.
he was conveyed TO Sedan arriving q little
after noon, and was met by the comrades of
Stone River Post, which number pos members
and the band. He spent the afternoon with
the boys and in the evening attended the re-
oeption held in the Methodist church, the
largest room in the town, and which was packed
to oyeriowing by comrades, old soldiers and
citizens, who extended royal greeting. The
ADDRESS OF WELCOME
was delivered by Comrade Ben Henderson, the
Presenting Attorney of Cbautauqua County,
who said. in the course of his remarks:
Many of the opinion that meme but he who
has worn star is capable of holding this high
that rank in the army is not the only test by which
aCommander-in-Chiefis is selected. In proof of this
let tell you that III lS6l little boy, only ID
years old, enlisted a drummer, and at the battle
of Mission Ridge. with youthful pride and patriot
ism Joined the ranks in one of the grandcst charges
of the rebellion and in that struggle for possession
of the rebel stronghold he was wounded and left
bleeding the field, where he was afterward
found and rescued by the bravery and strong arms
OF gallant comrade. and am proud 30 inform
you that or beloved Com mander-in- Chief, whom
we welcome tonight. j. this little. brave drummer
boy-Gei. John :. kountz. iGreat and prolonged
applause. And 10 you Commander permit me 10
say, behalf Of the citizens of Sedan, we heartily
welcome You; and in behalf of Stone River Post,
No ~, and each member thereof, / assure you of u
cordial and fTaernal greeting. Ccmmander-in-
Chief since the organization of Post have
buried more than one comrade. and in behalf of
their widows and orphan children who still live in
our midst. say welcome, thrice welcome. And,
remember with pleasure your visit to Sedan, and
when you leave you take with you our best wishes
for your success a Ccmmander-in-Ch hcf, we'll as
for your personal JOY and prosperity.
THE CoMMANDER-IN-C CHIEF REPLIES.
Comrades thank you more than have words
60 express for this magnificent reception and fra
teTnal greeting, and let j; be understood that do
moi accept this royal welcome as compliment per
sonal to myself but rather TO the high office which
have the honor just now to fill am at loss 10 un-
derstand how such a large audience could as
semble on short notice you have had of
my coming. j am glad 90 be here, ] assure
you, and it gives me pleasure 10 meet many
comrades III your great state. We rejoice. my COM
radcs, that cur old Commander-n-Chief Ulysses <
Grant, has been restored to the rank of General
lgTeat applausej, and we extend 10 him fra
ternal sympathy. with the earnest wish that he may
speedily recover. and long be spared to enjoy the
blessings of peace and happiness in the land he
tnbuted so much 10 save.
The COmmander-in-Ch Chief continued in an
eloquent address of some length TO explain the
purposes of the Grand Army, detailing its re-
markable growth the last few years and its
present proud position in the country. He
urged the comrades to continue in the grand
work of extending the Order, that its blessings
may be enjoyed by every old veteran whose
record OF service and character entitle him to
come iuto our ranks. q" Let u.s." he said, rally
more lovingly than ever around our banner Of
patriotism and preserve the memories OF the
great struggle that wroathed the emblem of
this grandest of Republics III victory. Let US
stand together; let US help each other until the
last of Us shall answer the rollcall on the other
side"
Prolonged applause followed these earnest
and fraternal remarks; when, after taking
every comrade present by the hand, he left at
$50 with Comrade Henderson for Elk Falls
riding all night on the wrong trail, as has here
tOfore been mentioned, when he was due at his
destination at ] o'clock that night.
On the trip TO Fort Scott the COMMANDMENTS
Chief was accompanied by large delegations,
fully three cars being filled with comrades who
were going TO the Kansas Encampment. 1t
was at lola ltbe train was delayed four hours
for connection with the Fort Scott Railway
that the comrades of McC0ok Post, 81 having
learned Of the presence OF Commander KOuntz,
arranged a reception for him at their hall,
where he met a number of the comrades, and
was shown plans for proposed Memorial Hail.
to be built by the Post at cost of $4,000. This
Post has membership Of 153, and of the num-
Der $50
TAKE THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
which fraternal interest must largely account
for the earnest. soldierly zeal which seems to
animate the entire Post and the loyal COM
munity, of which they are so important part.
The next soldier Outpouring after leaving lola
was at Fort Scott, where, as soon as the train
arrived, procession was formed, headed by the
Fort Scott band, and escorted Gen. Kountz to
the Opera Hall. AT the arrival at the hall
GOV. GEO. T. ANTHONY
In the following language introduced to the
comrades Gen. John 5. Kountz:
Comrades, it is not often that a more unex-
a NiR nfl pINaS