Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-21

inere were Z.VO,oOU of men IN the Union
army" said Maj. John McElroy to a STAR re-
porter last night Fully one-half Of these at
one time or another during the war served in
and around Washington. Many of them were
not within sight of the city. but il was the CEN
trail point in their operations, the place in
which they were most interested. OF these
million men about $4,000 are still
alive. For twenty-five years they have
been talking to their wives and chill
dren and neighbors Of the national capital
they defended; Of the battles that had been
fought all around it; Of the marches that were
made and the privations endured. Since the
Union army disbanded but a small proportion
OF these veterans have visited the most beauti-
full city in the world, and now they are plan
ming, every last man of them, to be here in
September next and to bring with them largest
possible number Of relatives"
THE COMMITTEE on REuSIoNs
Maj. McElroy said this after the conclusion
of meeting Of the Grand Army encampment
committee on reunions, OF which he is chair
man. The meeting, which was a calmly en-
thusiastic one, held in q room in Grand
Army building. Plans were discussed at con-
siderable length and the most harmonious con-
clusions-some Of them Of especial interest to
Washington-were reached.
The Grand Army of the Republic" con-
tinued the major, has been in annual encamp-
ment several times, but it never held a session
in city in which 20 much interest was felt or
around which 80 many wartime memories
cluster. Now the great pleasure to be derived
from the meeting here will be the re-
unionA OF course the veterans will find
much to admire in Washington and
its environs and our hospitality
will engage a good deal Of their attention, but
q rnYl 1raal of MIA utll ha fha
meeting OF comrades, some Of whom have been
mourned as dead for years. And when the old
fellows do find each other there will be no such
thing rs separating them. The bond which
unites veterans who have fought and marched
and suffered together comes very near to being
the most enduring OF all ties.
Some OF TEE PLANS
Gan this We have in our minds, and our
plans are in full accord with this sympathetic
idea. At previous encampments there has
been no systematized effort to bring the boys
together or to aid them in finding each other.
We propose to introduce the feature. and if il
Is not the biggest kind Of a success then am
very much mistaken in my estimate Of the
soldier character.
possession of that section Of the city now
known as the White Lot 1t goes beyond that
but, as our friend X. kipling says, that is an
other story On this stretch Of sward we want
to erect buildings sufficient in number and
large enough for the purpose.
The scheme involves q classification of the
entire Grand Army into thirty-two corps or
suborganizations which will be one for each
OF the twenty-five infantry corps. one for the
cavalry Of the Army Of the Potomac. one for
the artillery OF the Army Of the Potomac, one
for the cavalry of the military division of the
Mississippi, one for the coored troops of the
military division Of the Mississippi, one for the
sailors and marines. one for the ex-prsoners Of
war, and one for the engineers.
CORPS HEADQUARTERS.
'For each Of these corps will establish
headquarters and in these several buildings
rosters will be kept. As the men arrive in the
city they will report at the headquarters of the
corps to which they belonged and their names
will go down on the roster. Then there will be
subdivisions of each corps in charge Of an ac-
tive subcommittee, aud just as soon as a man
lets the officer IN charge of corps head
quarters know what command he belonged to
he can be brought into immediate connection
with some Of those who were his intimate COM
rades during the war. All an inquiring veteran
will need to do will be to find his corps head
quarters and from that point he can easily
locate any division, brigade or regiment. Viii
it keep the committee busy? Well, i should so
imagine. That's the kind Of q committee to be
on. No; our organization is not completed,
because only want the very best Of working
roster Is still incomplete. There will be about
forty Of US when We are ready for business.
REUNION FfAcE.
another feature of our plan is to have as
many as possible Of the army commanders and
corps commander attend the encampment and
be with us in the reunions. This means more
than 10 at first apparent, and in order that it
may be made plain will have to tell you that
other story. We want to solemnly dedicate
the White Lot as a reunion camp ground, and
in place of its present absurd appellation desire
to substitute the title Reunion Place II we
secure the necessary permission we will have
the commsnder-in-chief and the chap
lain-in-chief come on in advance of
the encampment to perform the dedicatory
ceremonies; then when the veterans have
gone to their homes we want to erect in the
center Of Reunion place lasting memorial Of
the great and historic event 1t lie q sad state
ment to make, but il is nevertheless true that
this will be the last reunion at which the vet
Grams will have an opportunity of meeting with
their surviving corps commanders: the last
chance tens Of thousands of the boys will have
to see each other on earth. There is historical
Significance in the occasion and the location,
beneath the shadow Of the White House. within
q short distance Of the Capitol and in full view
of Arlington.
ave shall endeavor to shorten the distance
to Arlington" said the major in response to q
question as to means of communication be-
tween the city OF the living and the city Of the
dead. I'VE arc going TO endeavor to have the
engineers Of the United States army throw q
pontoon bridge across the Potomac from the
foot of New York avenue to Arlington. Every
man who can walk will want to tramp over that
pontoon bridge at least once"
TO BRING SURVIVING COMMANDERS HERE.
special effort is going to be made By the
committee on reunion to have all the surviving
army and corps commanders present at the en-
campment The corps commander now living
and on the invitation list are rs follows:
First corps-Gen- Abner Doubleday, Gen.
John Newton.
second corps-Gen. John Gibbon, Gen. & g.
Carroll
. Third corps-Gen Daniel sickles.
Fourth corps-Gen. d. 8. Stanley. Gen. T. J.
Wood. ,, -
Fifth corps-Gsn. Fitz John Porter, Gen. q
w. Crawford, Gen. J. j. BARTLETT
Sixth corps-Gen. W. b. Franklin, Gen. II
G. Wright Gen. L. A. Grant
Seventh corpe-0en. J. J. Remodel. Gen.
Cyrus Bussey. Gen. John W. Noble, Gen. C. K.
Eighth corps-Gen. Franz sissl. Geo. Ruthsr-
ford b. Hayes
Ninth corps--Gen. John q. Parhs.
Eleventh corps-Gen. o. o. Howard Gen.
Carl Schurx.
Tvelfth corps.Gen. H. W.. slocum. II
Thirteenth corps-Gen. John A. McClsrusnd
Fourteenth corps-Gen. John n. Palmer.
Fifteenth corps-Gen II. D. Leggsta.
sixteenth corps-0en. g. y. Dodge and
2~s