New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-30
TILE DEAD IND TIE LYING;

Twenty-Five years ago men were talking Of
Gettysburg and Vicksburg. The years since
Sumter and Appomattox are now I" a mist that
rolls away" The grand army Of citizens en-
rolled for the campaign OF this year will be re-
cruited with thousands upon thousands who
were unborn when the grand army of the Union
filed through Pennsylvania-ave. for final
review at the close Of the war. Lads who were
then at school, restless and impatient because
they had been born too late for service in the
heroic period, are now in middle age, with the
ardor for the forced march and the battle
charge a Renaissance Of their callow youth.
The veterans of the armies of the Potomac, the
Tennessee and the Cumberland are all past
fifty now-very many are approaching seventy.
Every year thousands Of names are dropped
from the rolls and the decimated files that
march to the cemeteries with garlands from the
living to the dead grow thinner Years ago
the dead outnumbered the living soldiers and
the veterans who remain are aging fast. The
old light is in their eyes when they meet their
comrades Of the camp, but they know in their
hearts that they are old and care worn SOL
diers whose vital force is spent and whose DAYS
are numbered.
Although the world takes no note of their
going and their comrades alone know where are
the new graves to be strewn with flowers, the
modest veterans are passing away as rapidly as
their distinguished commanders. Already
there is only one survivor of the seven gen.
erals who commanded the Army of the Poto-
mac. Gallant Phil Sheridan was called the
best of the young soldiers during the war; and
he as Memorial Day comes again is battling
n: - II. 81
companions have done before him. Grant,
Mcclellan, Meade, Hooker, Hancock, Thomas,
Mcdowell, Logan, Burnside, Halleck, Gill
more Custer, Ord, Weitze Humphreys. Casey.
Emory and Hazen have all passed from the
scene. Sherman, Sheridan and Resecrans re-
main in the centre Of rapidly diminishing
group, surrounded by Schofeld, Terry, Howard.
Slecum, Pope, Sickles, Butler and Crook as
the chief survivors Of the generals of the War.
30, too. Farragut, Foote. Winslow, Wilkes and
Dupont have gone, and Porter, Rowan, Worden.
Luce, Ammen and few more remain from the
navy that blockaded.the Southern coast sunk
the Alabama and seized the Trent. How few
of the heroic figures of the Union cause are
left to remind less patriotic generation of
the sacrifices and the glories of one OF the
greatest wars of modern times Like the
generals, the privates in the ranks are rapidly
passing from view. Without the rumble of
a drum or the furling Of a flag, the men who
followed their great leaders on the battlefelds
are falling silently out Of the ranks, each in
his own place
This is day when the living soldier thinks
tenderly of his dead coairade and honors the
place where he lies IN sS'llness and shadow.
1t is not the only day d the year when his heart
goes out to the living and the dead of the
Union Army I'm works Of mercy and love. The
veterans who will be seen to-day, marching
with Struggling files toward the cemeteries, arc
banded together In The cause Of charity Every
year the Grand Army Posts expended $500, 900
or 81 90, 900 for the relief of destitute soldiers
and their families. For the living they do
what they can every week Of the year, and for
the dead they bring their annual tribute OF
flowers and praise on Memorial Day. To-day
they are secure against Misrepresentation and
reviling, for their mission 70 the graves Of the