The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-20
THE FIFTH DAY.
THE REUNION DRAWING TO a
CLOSE AND MANY OLD SOL
DIERS GOING HOME.
Ten Thousand People Witnessed the
Fire Works and Sham Battle
Last Night.
Two Members of the Winfield Com
pany Of National Guards Court-Mar-
tailed ang Discharged.
Joe Hooker Pest of Hutchinson Presented
With Fine Silk Flag For Having
The Biggest Turnout

The fifth day at the reunion closed last
night at the fair grounds in blaze OF
glory which included fire works and q
sham battle. The sham battle was not
visible enough in the darkness to be APP
preciated fully; but the fire works were
very good. In fact many people said they
were the finest fire works ever seen in the
| city OF Wichita. The sham battle was
participated in by the military companies
from Winfield, Wellington, Marion and
| this city and also the light artillery Of
Wichita. The Winfield company repre-
scented the confederacy while the other
companies played the federatsts The
former defended Yaliantly; but the bravery
Of George Lewis and Fred Ross, both OF
this city was too much for them.
! These two young soldiers sealed the
fortress. made dash for the Confederate
flag staff and after terrific hand to hand
struggle they succeeded in pulling down
the stars and bars and raising the stars
and stripes in its stead amid loud hurrahs
and the war of small arms and artillery
from the attacking party. The Wichita
boys are very proud that the flag was cap
tured by two of their number. The crowd
that attended was very large and the aver
age estimate placed on it is 10000 The
street cars and every vehicle in town was
pressed into service and still it was IL
o'clock before the crowd had returned to
town Notwithstanding the fact that every
avenue leading from the grounds to the
city was absolutely crowded with pedes-
TRANS. When the fireworks were
| about over thousands of people iocked
out to the street car track so as to catch
cars, and hundreds of them walked three
| blocks in the direction of the city so as to
secure passage. Crowds crowded on top
of cars and hung to windows. straps and
everything they could get hold of, and 1t
is not too much to say that each of the
first batch of cars that left the grounds
pulled nearly 100 persons
AT RIVERSIDE PARK.
The fifth day at Riverside park was a
success IN every particular. The crowd
was not so large as it was the previous
day and in consequence there was more
comfort. The stands did an immense
business and the two merry-go-rounds,
the Federal Captain" and the Battle of
Gettysburg cyclorama made fortune
The merry go-rounds paid $500 for their
privilege, and it is said they made nearly
81 900 over and above their expenses. The
street cars did an immense business and it
is said they have hauled Yearly IS, 600 pas
sengers to the grounds up to date The
business at the grounds today will be
go-as-you-please arrangement. and it is
probable it will afford more downright
pleasure than any day of the reunion.
While the crowd was gathering at the
big tent yesterday. afternoon preparatory to
the entation of the flag ceremonies, sew
eral patriotic songs were sang by gathering
comrades. At2 O'Clock Commander Greene
came upon the platform and after several
announcements and music by the Sedg-
wick band, the Hon. Rodolph Hatfield was
called upon for a speech and he responded
about AS follows:
1t gives me the greatest of pleasure to
appear before such a large audience rs
see gathered in this tent | feel that it is
an honor conferred upon me that little
merit, and it is one of the greatest of hon
ors to address the comrades of the Grand
Army of the Republic. The Grand Army
is one of the grandest organizations in the
world. In the Grand Army we find dig
nifty, loyalty and patriotism of the highest
degree. In all the wars that have ever
been fought in the orient there was never
so great war as that OF our
rebellion of '61 to '65. La that war brother
was arrayed against brother, father was
arrayed against son, and the history OF
that four years. struggle is the bloodiest
in the annals of all time. In European
nations there is no higher ambition in the
hearts of their people than to be known rs
great military chieftain. In this country
it Is the reverse; but there is no honor
more TO be sought after, nor can be cou-
ferred, than TO be true member OF the
Grand Army of the Republic.
1t is now twenty-seven years since the
war closed and the Grand Army is de-
oreasiRg ia membership very fast. And he
would speak a word to the young man, the
voter who is soon to take the reins of gov
eminent, pause, reflect, read and consider
well the principles for which the war was
fought. 1t seems but a short time since
the war closed, and it is a short time as
compared TO the same period of time look
ing into the future. Most of us who
are gathered here were too young to go to
the war. But some of us remember quite
WILDLY the days during that struggle and
the impression it made upon our minds
The time seems short to US who were mere
babes then but how long and dreary are
the years that have passed since then 20
the widow AID the orphan. How long and
for life These reunions are times OF joy
and happiness to the old soldier. Here
they renew the friendship and the affec-
tions formed during that memorable strug
Gle Here also are the lessons of patriot
ism aud love of couRtry taught TO the
children and the citizens of our country by
adoption. He, the foreigner VINO has be-
come or wishes to become a citizen, hears
how the grand old flag was carried through
the rebellion by It's brave defenders. Here
they also learn that there Is 40 room ID all
this broad land OF ours for any other flag
than that grad and glorious banner, tue
stars and stripes. There Is no room
in this country for men who do net
love aud revere the flag of the
United States of America There is no
room anywhere from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. from the great lakes 20 the gulf,
fer the red rag of anarchy. There is no
room IN this grand coaatry of ours for
the men who say there is no God, no
patriotism, no love of home or country nor
no sacresiness in the marriage relation.
IL is said that when our foretathers cut
loose from the mother country they de-
cided to have hag 10 represent the ideas
upon winch they wished TO build the foun-
dation of this government \ flag that
where ever found would tell TO the world
what ideas they wished TO peTpetuate. so,
after great deal OF discussion. they de-
clded TO adopt flag made after the pat
tern of tue coat OF arms of the Washing
ton family. This WAS nlghly proper, as
the Nashingtons in those days were
highly patriotic people, even If ehey did
bring their coat Of arms from England,
and This WAS the only legacy which Joha
Ball had ever given the United States OF
which We are proud
This azure field, this blue upon which
the stars are placed meaus sonnet ing.
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