The Portland daily press., 1892-09-20
THE NATION'S DEFENDERS.
Battle Scared Heroes Once More at
the Capital.
THE OLD MASSACHUSETTS SIXTH
IS WITH THEM.

who Manned the Kearsarge = They
/ Found Their Ship Reproduced for
Them-Grand Army Place Dedicated
| The Speeches of Commander Palmer
and Vice President Morton.
WASHINGTON, September 19. All
through the night the streets were alive
with marching men, G. A. R. posts and
their friends on their way from railroad
stations to their quarters. Despite all
the exertions that the railroad companies
made to handle the crowds promptly, the
visitors were from two to twelve hours
late in reaching the city; but as rapidly
as possible the trains are rolling into the
city and unloading their human freight.
The passengers accept the situation with
the best possible grace, and whatever the
measure of their discomfort, it is all dis
sipated upon arriving at the capital, as
they look upon the generous and artistic
manifestations of welcome and find them
selves surrounded with "reminiscences of
| the war, and in the society of those whose
friendship was knit in the blood and
smoke of battle. Despite all delays, it is
believed that every one who is bound for
theencampment and reunion will reach
4 the city in time to witness the great par
| ade tomorrow.
| Among the notable arrivals was that
of the famous Sixth Massachusetts, the
first to respond
To President Lincoln's Call
| for troops. Several hundred men are
! present with the command, and as they
marched up the avenue late last night,
with their tattered flags at the head of
the column, they were greeted with
| cheer upon cheer all along the route un-
| til the quarters were reached. Detroit
Post, whose membership is limited to
| $50, also came last night. Vice Com
mander Ell. M. Dufield and Gen. Alger
came, making faster time than the regu-
lar east-bound limited. One post has a
gigantic color bearer in the person of G.
W. Reynolds, who served in a New
Hampshire regiment He is six feet
three inches high and weighs nearly
three hundred pounds.
| Distinguished visitors are abundant.
Ex-President Hayes, Major Generals How
ard, Miles and Brooks and Gen. B. F..
| Butler are among them.
| The first formal ceremony of the day
was s'hand-shaking" among the crew on
| board the Kearsarge on Grand Army
| Place. The ship was fully trimmed, a
| from stem to stern over the top of the
| mainmast. No other object is sosgener-
ally admired as the ;Kearsage, and the
| proudest man in sight is Major Michael,
whose conception the ship was.
After the reunion on the Kearsarge
| came the dedication of
Grand Army Place.
| The fifteen hundred seats on the plat
form were occupied by prominent G.. A..
r. and w. R. G. officials and government
officials most distinguished gathering.
The assembly, call on the bugle secured
| part order and the Marine Band played
| national air, after which Comrade Nc
Elroy formally called the assemblage to
| order and introduced Rev. S. B. Paine,
chief, who delivered the dedicatory
prayer.
| Another air by the Marine Band fol-
lowed and then Commander-in-C Chief
Palmer made the Introductory address.
| As he rose the old soldiers gave him a
most affectionate greeting. He spoke as
! follows: -
'sCoinrades, for the first time since the
close of the great civil conflict you will
have an opportunity of meeting your
| comrades in arms in headquarters pro-
vided for each of the great corps that
existed during the war. 1t would be in
vidious of me to single out or attempt to
mention any particular corps for its gal
| liant service. know that human nature
in the average is about alike, and can
appreciate how every soldier takes de-
light in speaking with pride of service
rendered by the corps in which he served
and no one will object if, when you get
together today, the recollections of past
danger tempt you to be enthusiastic.
have often heard the boys say, My
corps won the fight in some particular
contest; but you must bear in mind
| that large number of the boys who
were on the other side will mingle with
| you during your visit in Washington, and
it is very likely that they will have some
recollection of what occurred
| In 1861 to 1865.
sWhatever differences of opinion we
may have as to the gallantry of the sew
eral corps, there is one point on which
we all agree, that whether it was the
comrade who wore the star OF the eagle,
whether it was he who wore the insignia
of non-commissioned officer or the
| common soldier who carried his musket
| in the ranks, each was loyal to the COM
| mon cause for which he served, and each
| tried to do his full duty as he saw it.
! The same can be said for each corps and