Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-03
CAMP FIRE.
n Reunion of Grand Army Men at
Granger's Hall.

n Reunion of Grand Army Men at
Changers Hall.
he members of the Grand Army Posts
of this city, Sumner, Warren and Far
Oaks. met at Changers Hall last evening to
welcome their Department Commander,
General E. s. Salomon and members of his
staff; 7. S. Taylor, Assistant Adjutant-
General of the Department; +. II. Bacon.
OF The Department Council of Administra-
ton; S. E. Goe, Assistant Inspector, and
others. After the usual Post exer-
cises the company repaired to the
dining hall where i" bareback "
layout was partaken Of The dishes"
consisted of pie-plates and tin cups, and
the "viands" bareback, cheese and sand
witches. The boys were not proud because
their service had the appearance of silver
and they sat down TO their rcpast with their
hats on aud tackled the grub SCI before
them something after the style OF camp
life" The only thing that seemed to be
lacking were the clay pipes and "terbaker"
The seating capacity of the dining-room
was sorely taxed, over one hundred bows"
representatives of the Union side of the
Late unpleasantness, being seated around
the camp fire." During the time
of eating merry laughs went up
on every side, as first one and
then the other recalled scenes of camp
life or INDUCED in the slang so common
among the boys in blue when they were
engaged in preserving intact Uncle Sans
vast estate. After ali had satisfied their
appetites Comrade Maydwell, Commander
of Sumner Post, who presided at the ban
quet, called to order, and after a short ad-
dress of welcome to the visiting officers
announced the first toast, THE Depart
ment of California" and called upon Gen
eral Solomon to respond
The General, who is an eloquent speaker,
started out by saying that it was impossible
to speak of the Department of California.
We in California, like the grand and glori-
Gus State that we live in, take broader,
grander view of the Grand Army than
can ever Commanders who live in the
Eastern States. If the Department Com
mander of Massachusetts were called upon
to respond to the toast, THE Department
of Massachusetts" he would speak to the
soldiers who responded to their country's
call from the old Bay State. If the Com
mander of New York was called upon TO
respond to such a toast, he would address
himself to the soldiers who battled for the
Union from the Empire State. If The De-
partment Commander of Illinois was SIM
ilarly called upon. he would confine his re-
what they call us; | am one myself
whose deeds of bravery on every battle
field is sung in song and told in story.
As Department Commander of California,
i speak to the comrades of the grand
volunteer department of the United States,
for in our ranks every State that sent forth
the boys in blue is here represented. There
fore, l say, can take a wider scope-can
speak not only to the California soldiers,
but to those of every loyal State. You
have served in every army of the Union.
Some of you fought at Gettysburg, and
others on the same day saw the walls of
Vicksburg crumbling in the dust. Here
we find representative OF every battle
field. AS | look into your eyes tonight, nv
comrades, hear the laundering of the
guns at Gettysburg; | see Sherman
going up Missionary Ridge; l see old
fighting Joe Hooker scaling the nights of
Lookout Mountains hear the rattle of the
musketry, the booming of the cannon as
you bravely press your way onward and
upward above the clouds. All these
memories crowd themselves upon me. l
see before me tonight men from all the
States, from all the armies that Joined
bands in their country's cause that gained
the victory that perpetuated our nation.
This truly is an old camp fire love TO
see these tin plates and cups, this simple
fare. 1t is fine diversion from our usual
grand banquets, to have layout such as
this, and have little OF that " bareback +"
sc were so glad to get in days gone by
Such assemblages as this, where all are vet
Grams, Always carries Us back in memory to
the Tented field. and brings wildly to our
minds the scenes of soldier life" a few
months ago 1 arrived in Chicsgo. and was
met at the depot by 113 men. all that was
left Of the old regiment which / had the
honor to command during the war. They
had sent to Springfield and obtained our
battle SCARED flag. When l met this REM
nans of nay old regiment 1t brought tears to
my eyes. took each by the hand, and I
was so strongly impressed with the