The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-09-21
in many places on account Of the number
of cars, being unable TO accommodate the
many who would have come.
Fifty thousand Veterans Repeat the March
Made at the Close of the War.


WASHINGTON, Sept 20-Through dense
lanes of thousands of people who lined the
pavements and side streets, past buildings
whose lavish display of fluttering banners.
flags and streamers attested the cordiallty
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 to-day marched up the broad.
smooth, asphalted Pennsylvania avenue.
along whose rough cobble-stones, as mem
bers Of the greatest of modern armies they
had marched twenty-sevep years ago.
tired, dusty, travel-stained. war worn, but
with fierce exultatlon and pride. born OF
the knowledge of their deeds and accom-
plishments. They were still proud that
they had been members of that great army,
but IN the years which had thinned their
ranks the fierce war spirit had died away
and left little behind but feeling of JOY
and good will to all men.
A longing to once more march up the old
avenue had long been felt by the veterans.
and when the invitation had been extended
to them to make their next annual encsmp-
spOnse In tho 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 reunions had said that, como what
might, he must see the old comrades once
more before the last call sounded. AS one old
and bent negro veteran. whose honest but
poverty-stricken appearance had caused
bystander to question him, remarked: Il
had to sell my stove to get here. but there
chill this old body If / can only
see Washington and the old soldiers
again." 1t was the last timc many of them
would see the national capital The long
roll had carried off many of those who had
been with them in that triumphant march,
10 which nearly all their minds reverted.
All their most famous leaders were gone
Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas Logan,
and still tho sad call might 90 on. The
grlzzled, aged and frequently infrm APP
pearance of those who were left showed
that all had passed their prime and that II
they returned to another reunion here it
must be with great sadness at their thinned
ranks So 1T was that they decided 20 make
the parade the greatest feature of this, the
twenty-sixth annual encampment
PRETTY ARRAY OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
The whole city joined with them and
united to make the scene such one as
even this city. accustomed to the great in
augural parades, had not witnessed in
peace times. The entire line Of march was
decorated with banners. bunting. corps
insignia and flags. until each side of the
long stretch between tho Capitol and the
Treasury Department. was as picturesque
and gay as the decorators skill could make
it. On the lawn adjoining the south wing
of the Treasury Building large covered
stand, named in honor of Lincoln and
handsomely decorated with banners and
bunting and evergreens, had been erected
ysnia avenue at its turning into
Fifteenth street. In this etand
sat some eight hundred young
school girls. all in white dresses,
but wearing alternate rows of red capes
and white veil turbans. OK white capes and
red turbans. producing the effect, with the
aid of mass of blue costumes In the upper
left hand corner. OF n gigantic American
flag. Each OF the girls also held in her
hand small flag. and. with songs. or peal.
ing shouts of Joy, and waving of their tiny
flags. they sped the veterans on their way.
This living picture was probably the most
beautiful and most observed of all the
memorable sights along the line OF march:
Further down the avenue. near tie central
market. the colored schoolgirl were
massed together on q stand. and, with
melodious voices, blended harmoniously in
. grand chorus, they renewed the greeting
Probably never was greater crowd of
surging. pushing humanity gathered on
that level expanse of asphalt pavement at
the foot of the entrance Of the Capitol than
was this morning assembled TO see the
grand parade start from that point on its
march up Pennsy lvania avenue. Long be-
fore the hour appointed for the parade to
assemble thousands of persons were con.
gregated on the broad marble steps.
porticos and every point where a foothold
In hoA m n sf n.
Ing Every window in the Capitol facing
the starting point was filled with faces,
and even oh the balcony around the dome
appeared line looking down below on the
bands. the handsomely caparisoned staff,
the commander in chief and the swapping
markers and banners Of the different posts
awaiting for the sound of the bugle to
Forward, guide right. march" Every
street leading to this scene Of the assem-
bling comrades. many OF whom had
gathered there before prior to the grand
review of 1865 and now forming in process
sion for their last time, In many cases.
was packed from curb to curb with people
who evinced the greatest enthusiasm on
all sides
THE PROCESSION STARTS.
It was the intention to have the head of
the long procession start promptly at $50
o'clock, but it was not until q half hour
later that the commanding general and his
staff arrived, aud delay followed owing to
the dense crowd and great confusion inci-
dent to belated posts arriving. so it was
past 10 o'clock when the word of command
was given by General Palmer and the
parade started Oft 10 the accompaniment
of q burst of music and shouts of many
voices. The parade was led by the Old
Guard band of this city In white and red
uniforms. Behind came the Old Guard
itself in four companies of double
columns. dressed In neat uni
form with head gear of black
waving shakos. Then came the Albany
City band, blowing and humping the live
Iiest sort of music. and the Albany Guard.
with their colors haunting defiantly to the
breeze. General Palmer and his staff Of
two hundred superbly mounted men were
next. The procession. after sweeping
around the east front of the Capitol
marched down the hill to the Peace monu-
ment, where it was met by the citizens
committee in black frock coats with silk
hats and unusually we'll mounted. The
parade then moved down Pennsylvania
avenue. marching between mass of peo-
ple, cheering, waving hats and In every
way giving vent TO pent-uD enthusiasm.
The scene from the VIce-presidents re-
viewing stand during the parade was an
extremely exhilarating one. Long before
the hour set for the column to move had
arrived fully twenty thousand people had
congregated in the two squares between
the Treasury and the State. War and Navy
buildings All of the capaoious public
stands were full to overfiowing and appar-
entlv every available foot of space from