New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-04
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
,,Rsr DAY OF THE REUNION AT PORTLAND,
NJ" Me.
AN GRAFTON BY GENERAL FRANCIS A. WALKER
-spEAKERs AT THE BANQUET
OFFICERS ELECTED.
INV rx1.ycaArH TO THE TRIBUNE.


OFFICERS ELECTED.
INV TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNH1
Portland, Me-, July 3.-foruaho is III hoiiu"'
-. 90 d., !, honor of the veterans who COM
.d ,h. Armv If the Potomac, this being the
erst dav of the annual meeting and reunion OF the
society in this city. Among the honored guests
:. ,hs city to-nignt are Generals Sherman, How
ard Francis A. Walker, Seldcn O'Connor, Joshua
7 chomherlain. c. II. T. Coils, Dickinson, John
NJ Corse Brodhead and Devens; Fln John forfr,
Da,yes McMahon, De Trobriand, Slocum, Hannioai
uomlin Secretary Proctor Horauo klng' uo'-
ernor Bureigh. ,.s,,,.
The exercises held in City Hall were Impressive
and interesting In the absence OF the Presiuen'
General C. II. T Coils, of Philadelphia pieSiueo
Horatio King read a poem The orauon was "
General Francis A. Walker, of Boston. lO wac
an eloquent effort. General Walker SAID In pafo
twenty-five years ago the 2Sd Of MAY une army %
tho poomac having fought good fight and finished It's
course with honor passed IN final review oeioro ~''
Prasident Of the United States prior 70 aso~n -
thu reviewing stand were General Grant, "e'i'i'i o
secretary stanton and members Of the CABINET sen
-. xr,1.on wada and Sherman and WAR Governors
os,rhao ~ Connecticut Fenton OF New-York and An
drew of Massachusetts, - ,.or,
,x-,ua ,ha, long march was IN progress man iron'
foreign land an trained to arms and inured 70
,ybo had seen almost every OF Europe operating IN INV
asa from the Crimes TO the Danish Duch1es' anu hHo
Known ali the great captains of the day who haa Wa..
ths course OF the Civil War In America Win ooHi :
ri,tarv and political interest, and had made bseN
n,. With its chief names leaders or OF bat
eaeds leaned from the balcony Of house ontins upO
the avenue noting with eager attention every Ie"u'o VI
that mighty display 49, ,.,u. .,....w1 Hs
w hoav Of cavalry highly unique little like any other on
which his eyes fallen yet more formidable 10 zoe IMAM
eoua number Of who rode together into
battle and serried ranks owed almost hons
10 the drill s less 10 the riding master Ahoee
sri troopers had been trained little in camp or barack
In some cases they had actually been mustered III e nu
In ALL they learned everything OF pracuc 'aue
which they knew. OF the few preceps relating 70 the
theory ana practice mounted warfare which hsa oeeh
taught he they had trial. rejected more than ey hao
retained Little by little traditions and prescriptions hao
dropped out little by little the severe experiences OF war
Of unxamped activity and ferocity had built the American
cavalry up TO an extraordinary efficiency 1t was in the
enemy and under the pressure OF seta ser
vice that the soldier acquired his seat the ocer his c
tics Hammered into shape by hard blows IN
the white heat Of battle, the cavalry wh'cn
that day rode at the head OF the Arm! Vi
the Potomac represented the utmost which human
daring skill could do in a mounted service They had
invented raid, that hitherto unknown instrument OF
war; and had developed all its capabilities They mac com
passed long and rapid marches cut their way through %
eats bridqed streams them, skmished In uniek
woods amid tangled underground demonstrated as infantry
upon tanks OF the enemy and when necessity arose
had fought with infantry upon equal terms mounted OF Oh
foot Beginning with technical discipline, and eener
sy the saddle they had encountered az
grave disadvantage the choicest body Of native hOrsemen
the world the flower OF the Southern ch''
airy led by captains brave as ever rode into
battle but gradually the Northern temper and the
stern experiences of four years OF continuous campaigning
had brought them the mastery
The man foreign parts saw too, an artillery hardly
less notable the degree In which 1t had made ie or
M the efficiency it had attained through long and trying
ool,,, ~ tan
service but it was as the great infantry column OF Ten
divisions into view that his interest rose 10 us
and he scanned the quickly succeeding ranks OF
eoarsely dressed sodiery with ntensest gaze THIS en
was the infantry had for four long and bloody years
batted with the superb army OF Northeastern Nirsma'
alike in dark tangled and forests like those OF the
chickahom,py the Pc and Hatchers Run and upon PIC
uresoue and theatrical fields like those OF sharpsbure
Fredericksburg and Gettysburg Here were troops Whh
had fought battles bloody than Horoolno anu
90 corps which had dropped one-thro ther NUMBERS ~
single contest where individual divisions lost one-han
origades two.thrds, regiments threeourths OF al '9
mad carried action Here were soldiers VINO hso on
three successive days engaged the enemy with uhsee
spirit and unmpared discipline their conouet pu' rsHs
49,, srh,ner heights OF courage and devotion as their
ranks grew thinner and thinner This was the maehce.
Northern infantry which had after struggle
IN warfare conquered and captured the magnnceh hiuS
Lee. . .,..,.
-. But what Of the column OF that great naion
defenders IN It's hour Of drest peril which wouio ne
summoned by such call as 1 have supposed 70 pass
through the beautiful streets OF the new "asohson
Where its leaders nowf Grant is gone anu Sneu'
and Meade Gone are Mcclellan, Burnside. Hooker.
Mcdowell all who commanded that army except
the 1 will not name. Gone are Hancock Humphreys
and Warren, Griffin. Ayres and Mott More than man,
doubtless OF those part in the grand review are
now at rest while among survivors the shafts OF
death are falling to-day faster than they fell IN ~ or .
or T. Of those who should come up at such call
how changed the aspect ouantum nutatus alb lilo
How enfeebled the limbs flow ashen and shrunken the
,ha nfth
pride and v1gor OF youthful manhood How many MINK
YOU out could this day compass that one
long march much undertake the stern duties OF
soldiers lhel
Yes comrades our stay is over Mustered out OF ser.
vice eofeebed by years disabled by wounds we are no
longer 10 be counted among the military reserves o'
the country Another war should II occur, would have
70 be fought by younger and stronger hands than ours
But no one from our certhcaes OF honoraoe
discharge or diminish the part had In the nations
deiyerance Whenever see the statue OF one OF our
heroes dedicated amid the applause OF thousands and the
hunders Of cannon whenever we hear some moving tae
~ the war in Virginia whenever some crippled
yeeraa hating in his steps each Of US may stand up and
proudly cry a. too. Of the Ary OF the Potomac"
Speeches were made by Generals sherman,
Howard Cham erlain. Porter and Devens. AT the
business meeting the following officers were
elected:
Presldent-General selden Connor.
Vice.presidents-Ifa NJ Hedges John d. Billings
Philippe r. De Trobrand Nathan Appleton, Redfeld Proc
,or F. w. Swift George B. Dyer. Oliver o. Howard.
Herbert r. Sargent George Beal s. E. Chamberlain,
Joseph Dickinson.
Recording secretary-Horsto c. King
Corresponding secretsry-George II. Sharpe.
Treasurer-Sanuel Truesdel
II was voted to hold the next meeting at
Buffalo sumptuous banquet was spread for
the society Tonight. Following is list OF
regular tOasts The United States and its Presi
dent" Secretary Proctor; The State of Maine,
Governor Bureigh; The City Of Portland, Mayor
Melchr; /" The Army" General Sherman; " The
Navy Admiral Gherardi: The ARMY OF the
Potomac, General Slocum " The Armies in the
Vest General Howard; The Orator, General
Francis A. Walker; :" The Poet" Horatio King
Woman in the War;" General Charles Deyens.
NETWORK MONUMENTS DEDICATED.