Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-03
-locaIIy as the phiIadelphia scott Ieelon.

locally US the PhiIadelphiA Scott Legion,
was dedicated. Alfred 0raighead, Secre-
tary of the Association, recounted the
work done by the committee in charge of
the monument, and James McLaron un-
veiled the monument. After prayer by
Rev William Fuito. Speaker Henry X.
Boyer delivered an eloquent Grafton. Cap
tain Thomas II. Leabourn, Of General John
q. Reynolds Post, reviewed the history and
exploits of the regiment and delivered the
monument formally to the Memorial As
sociation.
The great event of the second DAYS ami
versary did not happen until late in the
aft rnoon. 1t was the grand reunion of the
Blue and the Gray, and it may safely be
called the most impressive and the most
dignified and inspiring of any of the meet
ings of the survivors of the war that have
occurred, since Appomatox, The place was
she National cemetery where beneath the
sloping green sward, shaded by mur-
muring trees and dotted with con-
centric lines of granite marked
with their names or else marked
sands of the nations dead in peaceful
sleep. The ac,ors were the very men who
defended the Ridge, on whose slope the
cemetery lies, against the repeated and de-
sperate assaults led by the very men twen-
ty-five years ago, this very day who Joined
them here now in pledges of friendship,
loyalty to a common flag and unity
of devotion 10 a common country
The place, scene and the living figure.
of the men themselves were inspiring.
Five thousann spectators, men who wore
the blue, men who wore the gray women
who toiled and wept at home, children born
-, Nh.sh .oNr III
and cheered and laughed and wept by turns
The procession to the cemetary marched
out from the dusty town at a little after
o'clock. The regular troops led the way,
the Ninth New York militia came next,
and behind all their brave array
of new uniforms. sprinkling of gold
lace and glistening helmets marched
body of men whose older faces, dusty
clothing and hands bearing no arms were
more eloquent than ALL the glitter and
parade in front. These were the Grand
Army n en-. amounting in number to
battalion and the thin ranks of their former
foes. There were not many of these Con-
federate veterans, but the people who lined
the wayside cheered until they were hoarse
as their thin ranks tramped by. Men were
among them from Virginia, North Caro-
lima, Georia. Mississippi and Louisiana As
the line of ex-confederates neared the
cemetery they were made a little
fuller by recruits. These were men
who had been crippled most of them had
lost leg and had hobbled out the road and
waited for their comrades to come along
None OF the marching troops were admit
ted within the cemetery gate, but the
veterans and the threng of people poured
through and gathered about the arbor at
the western end of the great enclosure
They stood closely together, the crowd
scattering little at its edges and there
must have been 1000 Of them. The center
of the gathering was the arbor, platform
OF earth about twelve feet above
the ground. Brick columns supported
a roof and these columns are covered with
ivy. On the platform were gathered q
group of veteran officers and scattered
among them were not few of those who
wore the gray The corps commanders
were Major Generals Sickles and Siocum.
The division commanders were Generals
Barlow, Crawford and Robinson Then
there Brigadier Generals Lynch, Carr. Gra-
ham, Berdan and Ward. and Major GEN
eral Butterfield, Meade's Chief of staff.
Representing the Confederate side were
Generals Longstreth and Gordon, of
Georgia. and Hooker, of Mississippi
In the midst of this array of veteran OIL
GERS. nearly all clad in civilian attire, but
with badges OF the army OF the
Potomac and of the army OF the Northern
Virginia, was Governor Beaver, surrounded
by his staff. George William Curtis and
ex-senator Warner Miller sat near him.
General John c. Robinson, President Of
the Army of the Potomac, introduced as
the presiding officer of the reunion General
Daniel Sickles. General Sickles with few
words of acknowledgment introduced Gen
eral Gordon, who spoke on behalf of the
As his swinging SEN
tences, eloquent and ringing, were uttered
there was frequent applause. The intro
duction of Governor Beaver and the glow
ing tribute paid him as soldier, states
man and patriot, was the signal for an
other outburst of applause and three
hearty cheers. The Governor stood
resting ON his crutchAs just behing a scroll
bearing the immortal words of Lincolns
speech. and the National mon
itself at whose dedications those
words were uttered looked down upon the
gathering from q little distance. After
General Beaver had finished his address the
telegram from Mrs. Picket was read .She
was a soldier too" exclaimed Gen. Beaver
amid the applause and cheers that followed
the reading of the dispatch.