, 1889-05-31

The services at the Methodist Episco-
pal church were attended by a large num-
Der of people. The church was filled,
many of the audience being obliged to
stand during the exercises.
The services were opened BY prayer,
followed by the roll call of the &. A. R.
Five additional names received the sol
emn answer dead over the list of one
year ago.
The department commander, Thomas
M Fisher, welcomed those present to the
services. The choir rendered Cover
Them Over With Beautiful Flowers"
The G.. A. r. ritual for Decoration
Day was recited by Commander Fisher,
with responses by Senior Vice Command
er A. A. Maher, Junior Vice Commander
s.. A. Bristol, Officer of the Day 4. S.
Smith and Chaplain w. o. Smith. A
solo by Comrade Philip F. Powelson fol-
lowed.
Gen. j. W. Fisher, who with Gen.
Miner and Judge Rittenhouse occupied
the pulpit, introduced the orator of the
evening with an amusing anecdole of the
war.
Judge Rettenhouse rs a tall, scholarly
looking man with genial expression and
graceful delivery and gestures. His
speech, a synopsis of which follows, was
devoid of attempt at fancy flights of ora
tory but was a fitting tribute to the menu
DRY of the dead members of the fraternity.
He prefaced his remarks with the state.
ment that his title of colonel came to him
In time Of peace that during the civil war
he was a private soldier,
The G. A. r. have reason to feel CRATE
full and pleased when as each Decoration
Day cones around the citizens
of the country devote the day to
the commemorative services. Especially
should they feel grateful in Cheyenne
where a regiment of United States troops
had marched from their quarters to the
cemeteries and aided in all the ceremonies
of the day. But while the G. A. r. feel
grateful for this attention it is de-
served. No acts of the present
can do full justice to the COM
rades who died N the great cause
and We often feel that what we do in their
honor is unworthy the great deeds done
by them during the dark days of the re-
bellion. Decoration day has been chosen
to commemorate the dead of the war. 1t
is proper that the G. A. R., in turning
out should take the chief part in these
commemorative exercises. The term
odd soldier" is becoming an appropriate
title to the members of the order. We
were, some of us, young fellows twenty
eight years ago when we heard that Stump.
ter had been fired upon and when the
noblest of presidents called for troops. In
the prime of life, In the strength OF
youth and aver in the weakness
of old age the American citizens embrac-
ing the outgrowth of the foreign element
which had settled in our land. responded
to the call and went out to fight for the
great principles which were at stake.
1t was a nation unused to war. Clerks,
business men, laborers. farmers, rich and
poor, left homes and avocations cheerfully
at the call OF the president and became
part of the great army of the Union.
While many thought the war would be
settled in a few months and went out as if
they we're off for a picnic, yet the parting
with friends and family formed some of
the most pathetic scenes ever witnessed IN
our country. The serious business
of the war soon began, and
an anxiety such as the coun-
try had never before experienced
| settled down upon the folks at home and
the soldier in the field. The surging tide
of battle swept forward and back with de-
feat or victory alternately filling the hearts
of the soldiers with fears of ultimate dis
aster or hopes OF permanent victory.
Sometimes there seemed no ray OF hope
ahead and then a big victory reversed the
feeling. Four years of uncertainty,
of stormy scenes of battle, of desolate
prison exp eriences. remain with us as
memories and are read of by our children
III oOoiy auu IcCdlleu III song. Inc ser
vices OF memorial day serve to impress
upon those who have never heard of the
the turmoil of battle the lesson of those
trying days when the life of the
nation hung in the balance.
Gettysburg was the turning poiut of the
war, and we recall Its glorious story of
success and the closing scenes of Peters
burg and Richmond. and the field at
Appomatox. The history of the battles
have been told in song and story better
than | can tell it, yet the mere mention of
the names of the great conflicts OF Anti
etam, Charlottesville, South Mountain,
Gettysburg, Vicksburg and others stirs up
memories which are fitting on this day.
After the surrender what a marvellous
transition. An army of hundreds OF
thousands of soldiers turning back to Il Q
pursuits Of peace. Although writers at