Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-08-20
SCENES AT CAMP GRANT
TWO AUsPlcious OPENING DAYS.
The City Literally Fiiied-The Tented
Field The Fine Program for
To-day-Minor Notes.


BasFos HAKBos, Aug. lS--kyeryt thing IN
shs city is red, white and blue, aud II has
been decidedly lovely aud noisy for the past
thirty -siI hours Last night upwards of
thirty Grand Army Posts had reported and
registered a. Camp Grant" and II Is esti-
mated that fully two thousand people oc-
eupied tue tents during the frst night, while
twice this number are trying 10 occupy them
aud are earnestly seeking the calm re-
storer" in one of the liveliest. noisiest, most
wide-awake soldiers encampments held
since the close of the recent unpleasantness.
life place has never seen great a crowd
before and everything promises that To NOR
row will far eclipse to-day III this respect.
The camp IL we'll located and arranged. and
thus far the soldier boys have been pleased
with their surroundings. have had good
places To sleep, good food 10 eat and plenty
OF 10, and the program has been well carried
out Every veteran present speaks IN the
highest terms of the arrangement of the
oommisssry department. and the abundant
water supply The first dinner served the
soldier boys on Tuesday consisted of pork
and beanr. furnished by the ladies of the city.
bread and butter aud coffee. To-dsy's
tions consisted of roast beef, potatoes, sweet
corn, bread and coffee. The food IL cooked
entirely by steam in fourteen large watts pro-
vided expressly for the purpose, and during
the noon hour to day the commissary de-
partment issued 9sS rations in - minutes
Early this morning the incoming trains
brought thousands of sight-seers, u. A. X.
Posts, drum corps, etc, and the gathering
thus far il the most successful that has been
held in the history of the Association of the
soldiers and sailors of Southwestern Michi-
gan. Tuesday was occupied principally in
the erecting of the tents, enrolment, etc,
but early this morning the familiar
and interesting scenes OF real army
life were lived over again. There was
the reveille at daybrea the artillery salute
at sunrise, breakfast at a. m, sick call at
7:sU. At O'Clock this morning there was a
guard mounting, and at $50 details of SOL
diers marched To the cemetery to honor their
dead mrades and strew their graves with
flowers. The national salute was given as a
salute for dinner at the noon hour and the
boys in blue partook of their rations with
much relish. The sham battle at = p. m,
although participated in by "a small number
of the veterans assembled, WAS witnessed by
a large and appreciative audience. The scene
OF the battle was upon rolling ground just
aorth of the camp, and after two retreats and
some lively diminishing the Union forces,
under command of Capt. Botham, captured
the Rebs and the fine battery. The dress
parade was given at p. M, and was one of
the features of the day. Supper was called
at 6, and at O'Clock the camp fires began to
illuminate the vast field white with tents.
Col. John Atkinson, OF Detroit, delivered one
Of his stirring, patriotic and eloquent
speeches, amid round after round of ap-
plause from the soldier boys, and he was fol-
lowed by others, who spoke briefly, relating
many mirth- provoking anecdotes of the war.
The Chicago battery gave fine shell prac-
tice later in the evening from the bluffs east
Of the camp, and the tattoo sounded mt $40
and the veterans began making preparations
to turn in. At 10 o'clock, when the taps
were sounded for silence, silence did not
reign, at least not supreme. Groups of
smugglers could be eeen crawling ont of
camp TO make inroads upon the farmers in
tho neighborhood. who had no dogs and no
padlocks upon the hen-coop. Many re-
turned before midnight with hats full Of eggs
and several aged chickens under each arm.
The ''grand rounds" was the order for the
FIRST half Of the night and the noises which
walked the echoes Of the lake bluffs were loud
and various enough to wake up the residents
Of South Chicago. Tomorrow Gov. Alger
and stafY are to be present, and it will be the
big day of the reunion. The following is
the program:
Officer Of the Day. Gen. B. ID. Pritchard.
Rova Ia n In xhroo