Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-04
LOOKING BACKWARD.
Grand Reunion of the Society Of the
Army of the Potomac.
ADDRESSED BY GEN. SHERMAN,
Who Gives q BIT of Unwritten History
Regarding the Grand Review.
BUFFALO NEXT PLACE OF MEETING

meetings were held in the City Hall. Some
of the corps were largely represented. Of
others only a dozen members or so were
present. Secretary of War Proctor was
elected President of the First corps. Among
the prominent officers who are in attendance
are General Sherman, General f. A.
Walker, Hon. Horatio King. General Fitz-
john Porter, General Selden Connor, Gen.
eraI Collins, Colonel Horsce G. King, Cen
eral Hodges, General Dickinson, Generals
Locke, Clarkson, Besle, Vanviel, Goddard,
John W. Corse, General Brodhead, Devens
and Howard, also officers of the war vessels
in the harbor.
Mayor Melchor, of Portland, welcomed
the comrades in an admirable address,
which was responded to by General Coils.
The mention of the names of General Sher-
man and Hannibal Hamlin by the latter
speaker evoked the widest enthusiasm.
The meeting was called to order by General
Coils, who presided in place of General
Parke. Alter prayer by Rev. Norman Fox,
Of New York, and music, General Walker
delivered the Grafton, which was an his
torical review of the Army of the Potomac,
looking backward from the time Of its final
review, prior to disbandment.
GENERAL sHERMAN's SPEECH.
After the Grafton Of General Walker was
finished the Chairman introduced General
Sherman, who received a prolonged ovation
and spoke as follows:
Comrades Of the Arm of the Potomac and Ladies
and Gentlemen of Portland:
1t is not the food we eat that gives health
and strength, but that which we digest. 1t is
SO with the mind. 1t is not the books we read,
or the newspapers either, or even the speeches
we hear that enlarge our understanding but
those We comprehend and digest. Now my
friends. have had good deal of experience
in my life, and have learned since have been
upon this stage that the grand review IN WASH
1ngton terminated when the Army of the Po-
tomac passed. 1t reminds me Of a story Gen.
eral Taylor is SAID to have told to an
applicant for office in Washington who urged
his claims from having been at Buena Vista
General Taylor said he had heard of so many
things having occurred, that although he
thought he was there himseif, he had come to
the conclusion that he was not there at all.
Now 1 have 80 many fresh memories of that
grand review that think was there, and I
think that review occupied three days
The first day the Army of the Potomac had
L Z
as 1 am now, taking notes of the posi-
tions, that 1 might profit by them.
For if you remember, the Armies
OF the West and did not have a fair reputation
for order, drill and discipline. You got your
news of us through rebel sources and we
chased them l, 800 miles into your very camps.
They had not very good opinion of our West
ern armies, and we found that even the author
ities at W Washington had not a very good opin-
ion OF our Western armies. They thought we
were rather liable to disorder. Now assure
you. my friends of the Army of the Potomac,
we were better drilled army than you were.
know it, because I was their Commanding
General. Now, let me give you
BIT OF PRIVATE HISTORY,
which have not given except to my most init
mate friends. 1 was that stand before |
Meade was and indeed, before Pres
ldent johnson and the Cabinet had
gotten there. Meade came with his staff, as
you have heard described, and as he wheeled
into the gate of the White House grounds, up
came Custer, and some lady flung him a
wreath-one of those circular wreaths-and in
trying to get it his mare made off with him and
he went by like shot. And Custer was not re-
viewed at all, and his brigade of cavalry would
not have passed muster on the Champ De Mars
in Paris. The horses were good, the men were
sublime, but not good-looking for review. Now
four corps passed in succession, and the inter- |
vals between them were too large. kept my |
eyes upon them and watched them all |
the time. And the worst mistake the Army OF |
the Potomac made was that you had two bands |
loaned you by stay-at-homes in Washington. |
There were those elegant bands, designed to |
play music of the highest order and the late |
operas. You could not understand them, and |
don't blame you for it. You did not keep |
step and dress right and keep his eyes to the /
front. Now good many of them turned their |
eyes and heads around like country gawks, |
looking at the big people en- the stand. Those
are little things. You know tehre are tricks IN |
avery trade, my young friends.
TRICKS IN WAR TACTICS.
1 turned to Meade and said: II am afraid my
poor volunteer corps will make a poor appear
lnce contrasted with your wellfed men,"
And Meade replied: well, Sherman, the |
people in Washington are now SO well disposed
,oward the army that they will make all allow
lnce You need not be afraid" Well, that
evening got word from General Anger saying
f wanted those two bands, could have them.
said, ''Thank you. think will stick to ny |
I'D bands" and sent word to all my corporal |
to be careful about intervals, ac-
,ording to tactics, and keep your dress to left
.oward the reviewing stand. ana don't let your
nen be looking around over shoulders. We
md see everything after the review is over.
Let them keep their eyes Is PAGES to
ront, shoulders square and march
n the old accustomed way They did so,
Well, after the reviewing was over contend
hat YOUR review was over, but mine was not,
The two constituted thing of magnificent pro-
portions, ,creditable to both. As to the patriotism
within their hearts, as to the principles which
moved those great masses of men to a common |
purpose, we need not speak. because history
las treated of it for % years. But upon the
imple question of instruction and discipline |
We can take lessons to the very last day Of our |
ives. Now General Walker, for whom have |
,reat affection, as well as profound re-
pect, did not give , an account OF
ne that bold cavalry, nor the great
orps that furnished the war with muscle and
rain. 1 do believe, as do in Him who rules
yer this that this country spent S1OO, O,000, QUO
nd 100, 900 precious lives to teach them the art
f war. Now, let your children digest these
houghts well and give credit to all alike and
inent and is not confined to one part and that
here are good people everywhere.
Hon. Hannibal Hamlin was then called
or and was greeted with three cheers. He
poke briefly, thanking the society for the
eception and expressing pleasure in being
resent.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
An invitation was received to hold the
ext session at Buffalo, and it was unani-
nously voted to accept.
The following officers were elected:
President, General Selden Connor, of Maine;
lice Presidents. First Corps. General Ira NJ.
hedges, of New York; Second Corps, John ID. |
Billings, of Massachusetts,; Third Corps Gen.
raj P. r. Detrobriand, of Louisiana; Fifth
.orps Captain Nathan Appleton, of Massa-
husetts; Sixth Corps. Colonel Redfeld
'roctor, of Vermont; Ninth Corps,
ieneral F. w. Smith, of Michi- |
an; Tenth Corps, Colonel George
;. Dyer. of Washington; Eleventh Corps Cen
raj Q. 0. Howard of the United States Army;
,welfth Corps, Captain II. r. Sargent, of
iane; Nineteenth Corps, General George l.
ieal, OF Maine; Cavalry Corps, General S. L.
ham berlain, of Massachusetts,; Staff Corps, |
feneral James Dickinson, of Washington; Re-
ordlng Secretary, Colonel H. c. King, of New
orK; corresponding Secretary, General |
ieorge ID. sharpe, of New York; Treasurer,
oionel samuel Truesdale, of New York. Gen.
raj sherman was elected an honorary member.
The meeting adjourned with cheers for
ne new President, who made short speech.