Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-21
VETERANS GRAND RALLY.
A Glittering Pageant of the
Boys in Blue.
Scenes of Twenty-seven Years
Ago Re-enacted.
The Remnant of Grants Triumphant
Army Reunited.
Fifty Thousand Scared and Grfzzied
Veterans March Once More Up
WashiDgton's Most Historic
Thoroughfare.

By the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D. O., Sept. 20.-The
feature in today's proceedings of the
Grand Army reunion was the parade Of
veterans. In the early morning the
weather was mild and hazy. Later the
sun came out, shedding genial warmth,
but the sky soon clouded over again and
cold wind made it uncomfortable in
exposed places. The hour set for the
starting of the parade was $50 a. M,
and long before that time great crowds
had lined up against the wire cables
stretching outward along the sides of
broad Pennsylvania avenue from the
capitol building.
The various veteran posts formed at
their headquarters and marched to the
places assigned them on the di-
agonal streets on each side Of
Pennsylvania avenue, beginning
at the west front Of the capitol. The
Illinois posts, coming from the state in
which the order was organized, had the
place of honor at the head OF theiline,
next to the general officers, and the
Wisconsin posts came second. So, in
due order. through the dense lines of
thousands of people who lined the pave
ments and side streets, past buildings
lavishly decorated with futtering ban
ners, festoons, flags and streamers; !;
cheered on by the fresh voices of thou.
sands of school children, singing patri-
otic airs. the grizzled veterans who, ~
years ago, occupied two days,in passing
in review along this grand national
avenue, moved today with thinned
ranks, whose numbers did not pre-
clude the completion Of the journey in q
single day. Then over rough cobble
stones they marched az the members Of
the greatest OF modern armies; tired,
dusty, travel stained, war-worn, but
with fierce exultation and pride born Of
knowledge Of their deeds and accom-
plishments. Today over smooth as
phaltum pavement they marched again,
still proud that they had been members
of that great army, but in the years
which thinned their ranks, the fierce
war spirit died away and left little be.
bind but feelings Of joy and good Viii to
all men. In their grizzled locks and
reminiscent faces, one could read the
recognition of the facts that it was the
last time many of them would see the
national capitol. So it was they de-
cided to make the parade the greatest
feature of the encampment, knowing it
was coincidence which could never be
repeated.
On the lawn adjoining the south wing
of the treasury building, in large, COW
cred stand, named in honor of Lincoln,
were placed 800 school girls, so arranged
in red, white and blue dresses as to pro-
dIce living star spangled banner. Fur
ther down, near the Central market, col
ored school girls were massed together
on etand, with their melodious voices
blending harmoniously in grand chorus
as the old soldiers marched past.
The order OF march was as follows:
Citizens committee and guard, of
Washington, ae an escort of the COM
mander-in-chief Grand Army battalion
of Albany; commander-in.c chief; senior
vice commander-in-chief; Junior vice
commander-in-chief; official staff of the
commander-in-chief; aides de campyto
the commander-in-chief; escorts of the
Grand Army first defenders, the Sixth
Massachusetts United States Veteran
Signal association.
Department of Illinois, Edward Har-
Ian, commander, with % posts and
about 1900 men in line, gathered from
all parts of the state.
Next came the Wisconsin department
with more men than the state ever had
before in an encampment parade,
headed by Department Commander
Col. G. B. Welton. G. w. Sutherland
carried Old Abe, the famous war eagle
carried through the rebellion by the
Eighth Wisconsin regiment. Theodore
Riel carried q badger, emblematic of
the Wisconsin shield, and Doc Aubuery,
the original newsboy of the Iron brigade,
carrying a number of the identical
newspapers he had unsold at the close
of the war. There were 23 posts in line.
Next came the Pennsylvania depart
ment with the largest representation in
line.
Then came another heavy department,
that OF Ohio, headed by Commander l.
F. Mack.
Then in order came New York, with
ten brigades, with Slocum, Sickles,
Howard and Reynolds in the ranks
Connecticut; Massachusetts, with Gen
eral Butler; New Jersey, Maine.
The Californians came next, all
mounted, and carried crimson silk
banner, with the picture of grizzly
bear. Department Commander J. B.
Falls led fourteen posts, and the admir-
able riding of the men was subject of
general comment.
Next followed Rhode Island, New
Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina,
Maryland, Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan,
and Indiana.
Wyoming and Colorado were included
in one department, and made a fine
showing, with 33 posts. led by Depart
ment Commander John G. Kennedy and
staff.
Then came Kansas, Delaware, Miss.
ouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Arkan-
sas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Florida, Oklahoma, Texas. Alabama,
South and North Dakota, with credit
able showing, and Indian Territory.
The procession closed with the posts
OF the department OF the Potomac. and
naval veterans.
The scene from the Independents
reviewing stand during the parade was
an extremely exhllaratine one. All the
capscions public stands we're overflow