Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1892-09-23
PARADE OF VETERANS.

Line of March i'll the Review of 'G5 Como
Over by Aged Survivors.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20. - Through
dense lanes of thousands of people who
lined the pavement and side streets, past
buildings whose lavish display of flut-
tering bal',ers, flags and streamers at
tested the cordiality of the welcome of
their owners, cheered on by the fresh
voices of hundreds of school children
singing patriotic airs, the Grand Army
of the Republic, many thousand strong,
marched up the broad, smooth, asphalt
ed Pennsylvania avenue, along whose
rough cobblestones as members of the
greatest Of modern armies they had
marched twenty-seven years ago, tired,
dusty, ravel-stained, war-worn, but
with fierce exultation and pride born of
the knowledge of their
Deeds and Accomplishments.
They were still proud that they had
been members of that great army, but
in the years which had thinnel their
ranks the fierce war spirit had died
away and left little behind but feel
ing of joy and good will to all men. A
longing to once more march up the old
avenue has long been felt by the veter-
ans, and when the invitation had been
extended to them to make their next
annual encamplnent in Washington, it
found ready response in the hearts of
the old soldiers, and they resolved that
they would make it the greatest reunion
Of them all. Many an old soldier who
had never felt able to attend other re-
unions had said that come what might
he must see the old comrades once more
before the last call sounded.
Slow in Moving.
The hour for the moving of the parade
was $3.50 o'clock, but it was long after
that ere the body started.
The procession moved under the orders
of the colnmander-in-ch chief in double
column, rows Of twelve, one on either
side of the Car tracks, platoons being
twelve PAGES apart, and between depart
ments, twenty-four PAGES. This process
sion was, as far as possible, strictly a
G. A. R. organization, the first and last
divisions containing. the only nom
soldiers. Heading the procession was
the citizens committee on parade. They
were mounted, and with the aids sup
ported by the chairman, numbered q
hundred or more.
Following them came the escort to the
commander-in-chief the Old Guard, of
Washington, and the Albany IN. W
Grand Army battalion. General Pal
mer's determination to have the process
sion march in double column was the
means Of avoiding possible controversy
between these two organizations over
the right of the head of the line. AS it
was, they marched side by side, and
the amour propre was fully preserved.
General Palmer, commander-in-ch chief;
Henry M. Duffield, Detroit, senior vice
commander; accompanied by the official
staff Of the commander-in-chief,a and his
aides-de- camps followed. The Grand
Army escort, post of honor, was ac-
corded to the survivors of the famous
Sixth Massachusetts, regiment, and the
first defenders of Washington. The
United States Signal Corps Veteran as
sociation, which is holding its seven
teenth annual reunion in connection
with the G. A. R. encampment, closed
the first part of the procession. Then
came the G.. A. R. posts, by depart
ments. The old soldier was apparent in
every step, and the proudly martial
bearing of the veterans was strength
ened by the the plaudits of the multi
tude which rang continually in their
ears as they passed. The posts marched
Il the order of their seniority, beginning
with Illinois where the G.. A. r. was
organized. The rear of the procession
was brought up by the Naval Veterans
association,