Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-09-28
THE q. A. n. REUNION.
WAuKEsHA, Wis, Sept. Is, 1850.

since Inc close OF the ". a. II. EncamPment
held at Milwaukee the last week in August,
and my letter giving you an account Of that
afta ir is still unfinished This delay is ow.
ing TO my having taken trip TO Washing
ton for a week, with my brother, who is
employed in the Mint there. However, /
presume it is better late than never, and
| thinking that brief description OF the
union might be of some interest to your
readers, especially the old vets. of Nevada,
have concluded to send it, even at the risk
Of its appearing stale.
The Encampment opened August 25th
and lasted through the week, but the two
great days, and the ones thar drew the larg.
est crowds, were Tuesday and Thursday.
Tuesday was the day set for The great parade,
and as | was anxious to see it, and see 1t all,
| took an early train from Wakesha. took
the early train because | wanted to avoid
the rush if possible, but should have gone
the ,ay before to have escaped the crowd.
| The train was over filled with passengers,
notwithstanding the fact that it was made
up of twenty coaches; and then, the crowd
at the Milwaukee depot! Men, women and
children, white and black, old and young,
lat and lean, all crowding and jostling one.
another SO that person could hardly pass
along. However, l managed to squeeze
through the throng and then l looked around
at the city itself. 1t was in holiday attire
from hovel to palace. Not building, how
ever small, but had some decoration for the
great event. Such q profusion of United
Colors never before saw. The Stars and
Stripes were waving from every building,
while the fronts of the houses on every street
were covered with red, white and blue bunt
ing, cut and arranged in very tasteful de.
signs. Portraits of some of the more noted
war heroes were everywhere TO be seen, and
Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Logan and Sheri
dan looked down from among the maze of
decorations.
Knowing the line Of march would be on
Grand Avenue, and wishing to get a good
view of the parade, l secured very fair
seat just opposite the reviewing stand.
though paid a good round sum for the
privilege. The sun shown down hercely.
and perspired at rate that would have
irrigated number Of acres Of Nevada's arid
land, but l was bound to keep my place, if
melted. Soon the sound of music told the
waiting crowd that the procession had COM
menced its march. A troop Of cavalry, with
Commander in Chief Warner at the head,
lead the procession, after which came the
| Olu FCtCIduS, HalluiHS IOui tWCtVC " SiA-
teen abreast, and arranged in line by States,
the several Posts OF each State forming one
groupe. Soon after the march began a car.
rage drove up to the grand stand and five or
six uniformed persons stepped out and walk
elk quickly up the steps to the platform.
Among the FIRST I Immediately recognized
the we'll known features of Gen. Sherman.
He had hardly gotten out OF the carriage
| hefore the peoDla recounized hin, and a
tremendous cheer went up for the old Com.
mander. 1t was a great satisfaction to me
to see the greatest living American soldier,
and as ! sat looking at his old weather.
beaten face could not help thinking how
much the people Of the United States owed
this man. Among the other big guns on the
platform were Secretary Rusk and Governor
Hoard, Of Wisconsin. All this time the
procession kept moving, The crowd cheering
as it passed. 1t was as grand sight as any
one could wish to witness. Both sides OF
the sidewalk were blocked with people as
far as he eye could see. The greater nun.
Der of the veterans walked along without
mach difficulty, battle-scared though they
were, but there were some who had to use
crulches, while not few used canes. 1t was
easily observed that there were no young
men in the ranks. believe every State in
the Union was represented except Nevada,
at any rate, looked In vain for some Post
or delegation from the battle born State.
California made up for it in numbers and
appearance, however. AS the California
delegation passed the reviewing stand bear
ing The picture Of tine grizzly bear on its
banner, and carrying several flags that had
seen hard service in the war, they were
heartily cheered. 1 could not describe the
appearance of all the Posts in lhree.col
umn article, but the one that seemed TO
attract considerable attention was that from
Chicago. from the fact that each man carried
colored umbrella arranged so as to form
the red, white and blue. The procession
was fully three hours in passing a given
point, the number in line being about 2o,
900, nerly half the number being Wisconsin
men. There was large number of veterans
in the city who did not take part in the
parade on account Of their old age and in.
iirmilies, an old vet. who sat beside me
told me there were fully $1,000 who felt
themselves unable to make the long march.
The parade being over strolled out to the
s'old camp ground" where hundreds OF tents
were pitched, and where I'll warrant many
an old vet went over the thrilling scenes Of
the war. l made inquiries at several places
for Nevada delegation, but no one seemed
TO know of one, and as failed to see any
in the parade | take it for granted Nevada
was not represented. returned home in
the evening but got back to the city early
Thursday evening, in time to see the sham
naval battle that took place at o'clock on
lake Michigan. 1t was an attempt on The
part of hostile feet to repulse the land
forces guarding the city by landing a force
of marines in small boats right in the face
Of the enemy 1t is impossible for me to
give you any idea OF this grand spectacle,
or to give you anything like good descrp-
ton of the battle. can only say that the
thousands of people who lined the shore
that evening must have felt well reJaid for
having come to see it. The flying Of rockets
in the air, fash and boom and roar Of guns
and cannon, and the screaming Of the shells
made it seem as though real battle was
going on, and when the old ship Holley,