The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-09-08

THE BOYS IN BLUE.
onco More They WIN Parade the
- Streets Of Washington.
chs Grand Review In the Spring Of 1865
Tho Contrast Between Then and
Now - Tho Citizen Soldier
and His val0r.
Especial Washington letter.

Inc coming OF the veterans OF the
Grand Army of the Republic has been
anticipated and provided for by the peo-
pie of this city, under congressional au-
thority. 1t is believed that over one
hundred thousand survivors of the
greatest of all the grand armies of the
nual encampment, and that probably
half of them will participate in the
parade.
On a bright May morning in the year
1866, peace having been procured and
accomplished after four years of inter-
necine struggle, the armies of the east
and the armies of the west marched up
Pennsylvania avenue in grand review,
passing before grand stand on the
sidewalk, far in front of the white
house, where the president of the United
States, members of the cabinet, loyal
senators and representatives in con-
gress and members of the diplomatic
corps, representing the nations of the
entire civilized world, viewed with emo
tons of wonder, pleasure and pride the
disciplined thousands of the armies of
the union.
The Army of the Potomac, under
command of Gen. George G. Meade,
with the Army of the Middle Military
Division. and the cavalry corps of the
Army of the Potomac under command
Of Philip b. Sheridan; the Army of
the West Virginia with that gallant
officer who distinguished himself at
Antietam and Cedar Creek, Gen. Ruth
erford B. Hayes, at their head; these,
with the detached soldiers of contiguous
departments, marched all of the first
day in the presence of the commander
Of all our armies, Ulysses S. Grant, and
the dignitaries before mentioned.
On the second day there came march
ing over the same route troop after
troop, through all the hours from early
morn until dewy eve, hundred thou
sand citizen soldiery, looking less like
the superior army of a great people
than their predecessors of the eastern
armies. Yet these men were at that
time characterized rather as the real
heroes of the civil war than their bet
ter-clad comrades of the first days pa
rade. The men who marched on the
second day of the grand review in 1865
were known as ''Sherman's BURNERS.
They had tramped not only from At
lanta to the sea, but from Chattanooga
through all the bloody conflicts to Sa-
vannah, Charleston, Columbia, Benton
vile and Arlington Heights. Writing
If them officially to the secretary of
war five days before the grand parade,
his letter being dated 'Near Alexan-
dria, Virginia." Gen. Sherman said:
my men will not look as well as the
veterans of the east, but better set of
legs and arms, and truer thousands of
loyal hearts never existed in any army
IN earth"
Following. or rather amalgamated
with, this splendid army of successful
soldiers was the Fourteenth army corps
If the Army of the Cumberland, under
command of Maj. Gen. George H.
Thomas, the hero of Iuka. Corinth,
Stone river, Chickamaugua. Missionary
Ridge, Franklin and Nashville. Proud
est of all the soldiers on that days
parade was Gen. George Il. Thomas, a
Virginian by birth, who had remained
loyal to the union despite many adverse
influences at the commencement Of the
war. Early in December, 1864, after
his continued refusal to give battle to
Gen. Hood, his removal was ordered