Huntsville gazette., 1886-06-05
OUR HONORED DEAD.
Patriotic Observance Of Decoration
Day at New York.

The President the Honored and Applauded
Guest of the Occasion-Impressive
Ceremonies at the Tomb of Gem
eral Grant at Riverside.
NEW YORK, June Long before the
National Guard and G. A. R. met at their
rendezvous at Fifth avenue and Fifty
sixth street, Madison Square began to
fill with people. AS early as nine O'Clock
the grand stand on the west side OF the
square, from which President Cleveland
was to review the parade, was nearly
filed, and at quarter after ten O'Clock
the glistening rife of the guard was
placed diagonally across the narrow en-
trance to the stand, forming barrier
none could pass, even on presentation of
ticket. The dense throng took slight
shower which fell early in the morning
almost as matter of course, and their
spirits did not seem dampened in the
least. The stand was under guard of
First Lieutenant Beneke, of the Twenty
second Regiment, assisted by Sergeant
two corporals and twelve men. Police
Superintendent Murray directed in per-
son the movement of his officers in the
vicinity of the stand. The patrolmen
were under the direct command of Cap
tain Williams, of the Twenty ninth pre-
cinct.
Conspicuous on the grand stand were:
General Rufus ingalls,, Comptroller VIM.
| V. Loew, Inspector of Police Steers,
Colonel Hart, of the regular army; Presi-
| dent Mooney of the board of aldermen;
W. J. Florence, charity commissioner;
H. Fl. Porter, city chamberlain; VIM. M.
WINS, school commissioner; Miles
'O'Brien, Dewitt J. Seligman, J. Gould
Warner, General Lloyd Aspinwall, Com
missioner John McClave, ex-Lieutenant
| Governor Dorsheimer, General Thomas
Kilby Smith, Sheriff Grant, r. M.Waters,
| +. f. Farrell, Edward Mitchell, General
| Lewis SeaSongood, of Cincinnati; Col
| onel Lopez De Queretta, Colonel Hodges,
of the United States army, and E. S.
| Ridgeway.
| There was notable group Of three Of
| the war veterans of 1912. They were
| headed by General Abraham Daily, who
| is ninety years of age. He was dressed
| in full uniform of the time and presented
| a most picturesque appearance. His
companion, r.rv IIvnry MOTIFS, eighty
six years, and General Crygler, eighty
eight years. After the procession had
| passed these veterans proceeded to the
| Sturtevant House, by invitation of Louis
and Horace Leland, where they were
given complimentary dinner.
At half-past ten O'Clock the advance
line of the procession could have been
seen halted away up Fifth avenue, the
familiar uniform of the Old Guard stand
| ing out in bold relief in the midst of the
| restless mass which surrounded it.
The presidential party left Brooklyn by
| the Twenty-thrd street ferry, reaching
| the New York side at fifteen minutes be-
| fore eleven O'Clock. An escort of mount
ed police then preceded the carriages to
Fourth avenue, and thence to Twenty
sixth street, where the Old Guard, under
Major Mclean, was drawn up to act as
an escort of honor. The column was then
| formed by Mayor Grace and city officers
| in carriages, and the Old Guard, headed
| by it's band, marching in front of the pres
| idential party. The President and Cabinet
| officers rode in an open barouche, the re
| mainder of the party being in closed car
rlages. The procession moved along
| Twenty-sixth street to Fiftv-eighth ave.
nue.. When the President was recognized,
| handkerchiefs were waved from windows
| and shouts gave him hearty welcome.
As soon as the President appeared in
front of the reviewing stand, the March
of the column was taken up. When the
| Twenty second regiment reached Del
monico's, Twcnty-tifth street and Fifth
avenue, the band, under the leadership OF
| J.. S. Gilmore, struck up Mendelssohn's
wedding March, until after Twenty
Ing the Fifth avenue Hotel, the enthusl-
asm of the ladies at the windows told
that they recognized the strains so differ
ent from the other marches which had
preceded it. 1t was also evident that the
| President knew the import of the music,
for as the band approached flush OF the
face indicated that he knew why it was
PLAYED on that occasion. He recognized
| the honor by raising his hat to the militia
nv salute of the band master.
The President did not show the least
| fatigue. He smiled and shook hands
with those he knew. He took his posi-
ton firmly in the box, placed his hands
behind his back and looked steadily be-
fore him, occasionally bowling in acknowl-
edgment of salutes offered him. He was
dressed entirely in black, wearing a frock
coat and high silk hat. He wore mar
row necktie Of black ribbon crossed with
fine white stripes. Next to the President
stood Mayor Grace, and then in the order
named General Sheridan and President
Mooney of the board of aldermen. Be-
hind the President was General Nc
Dowell, of Governors Island, and Ad-
mral Jewett. The President occasional
ly addressed a remark to General Sheri-
dan or Mayor Grace, but made such
strict business of reviewing the parade as
would indicate his mind was preoccupied.
During halt in the parade, the Presi-
dent was asked if he thought himself
equal to the fatigue of being present at
the ceremonies at General Grants tomb.
Mr. Cleveland replied:
II am here to do what the people of
| New York want me to do, and shall not
grumble at any arrangements you make;
! but remember have long night before
me-"
| 1t was finally decided that the fatigue
| would be too much, as the President had
| done early morning duty in BROOKLYN.