Smyrna times., 1886-09-01
For the Smyrna Times
The Grand Army Encampment.

MR.. EDITOR Il have Just returned
from my trip, after three weeks alb
sence, in attendance at the twentieth
national encampment of the G. A. R.,
at San Francisco, where l met with
the Delaware delegation, composed of
COmrade J. NJ. Dunn, Department
Commander of Delaware; Daniel Ross,
Past Commander; w. S. McNair, Past
Commander; DIR. A. H. Grimshaw,
Lieut.. Colonel; r. S. LaMatte, 18th U.
5. Infantry, original organizer of First
Delaware Volunteers; Geo. w. King.
Assistant Adjutant General, and J. S.
Litzenberg, Past Commander. Among
the Delawareans whom we met and
who have lived in California for MANY
years are ID. J. Sullivan, Mrs. Clough,
A. S. Robinson, w. B. McGilligan,
VIM. Shay, Billy Fisher, DR.. William
GibbOn, Mrs. Bingham formerly Miss
InhOff0, John G. Lacey, B. F. Nc
Daniel, John T. Friel, DR.. J. Cameron,
w. M. Bailey, and N. r. Herrick. |
speak of these people that your readers
may know that we met them, and
they are all apparently doing well.
The Delaware delegation was espec-
tally cOmplimented by the press of San
Francisco for their fine marching.
After the business of the encampment
was over they were by invitation the
guests of DR.. Gibbon at dinner, who
lives at Alameda across the Bay. In
fact they were rendered special recep-
tiOns by number of former Delawar-
cans, but owing to the limited time
and so many public receptions to fulfil
it was simply impossible to comply
with them all. Our headquarters were
at 2l5 Past street, near the centre
of the city, where was suspended
from a large bay window a banner
with painting of a large Blue Hen
and a group of Chickens. The re-
union was Il gigantic affair, the entire
city being most gOrgeOusly decorated.
The Encampment was not confined to
San Francisco alone but all over the
State from Sacramento to San Deigo.
excursion tickets to the delegates being
free. The weather was beautiful dur
ing the whole time. The City of Oak
land, seven miles across the bay, took
up the programme of exercises adopted
by the General Committee and had a
grand parade adding to it the various
societies in regalia-fre companies,
special wagons for ex-prisoners of war,
Women's Relief Corps, &C., and sue
cession of grand entertainments after
the parade. Magnificent fruits of
every variety, wines and spacious
dishes were as free as the waters of the
ocean. / do not think their peaches
are as fine flavor as the Delaware
peach but they are equally beautiful and
their wines beat the word. The ther-
mometer at San Francisco averaged
80', while at Los Angeles it was as
high as 1852. Seven steamships were
chartered for the benefit of the G. A.
Il. to eXcurt around the Bay, two
thousand persons on each ship with a
band of music and banquet below,
leaving the wharf at 10 A. NJ, passing
Goat Island, the Golden Gate, out at
sea, passing the Seal Rocks, arriving
back at half-past four P. NJ, during
which time cannon from gunboats and
forts wore fired il salute. Excursion
tickets were issued to the delegates to
Sacramento, Santa Cruz, San Jose,
The Geysers, Big Trees, Los Angeles
and San DeigO, and intermediate ban
quets and receptions rendered all over
the State; in fact, the like has never be-
fore been witnessed on the American
Continent. And strange to say, but
nevertheless true, amid all this moving
mass Of humanity not an accident oc-
CURED, nor was there a single member
OF the &. A. r. seen under the influence
OF liquOr-at least l saw none.
The people of San Francisco were
more than pleased that so many people
from the East attended the encamp-
ment that they might see for them
selves the only Objectionable feature
which has unfortunately befallen them,
is that they have in that beautiful CITY
about one hundred thousand Cinnamon
which is an abOminable curse to anv
civilized country in the world. Icould
tell you much more about them.
| omitted to state but in conclusion
will do so, that in our Surgeon Gen
erals official report there were seven
teen thousand deaths out of the Grand
Army of the Republic since the last
encampment last year at Portland.
Me, an increase of ten thousand over
the preceding year, so you see the old
veterans are fast passing away.
Governor Fairchild was elected Com
mander-in- Chief for the present year;
Comrade Backus, of San Francisco.
Senior Vice, and Comrade Allen. of
Richmond, Va, Junior Vice. The next
encampment will be held at St. Louis.
Yours,
J. w. BARNEY.
Las He0eS ~ NJ. AH0. Doth 1895