The morning call., 1893-05-31
AT THE PRESIDE.
thomas Post Unveils Its Monument
TO Dead Comrades.


The day was observed by George II.
Thomas Post No. .. Grand Army of the
Republic, at the National Cemetery. Spe-
cial exercises were held, as a monument to
the dead soldiers was unveiled amid salvos
of artillery and in presence of large con-
course of people.
Members of the post met at Washington
street and Central avenue, whence they
We're escorted by the Naval Battalion,
Second Artillery, y. G. g., First Infantry,
n. 6. c., and Fifth United States Artil-
lery. The procession passed a.ong the
splendid roads of the Government reserva-
ton. through the Preside to the cemetery,
which is picturesQuelY situated nearly
midway between the buildings and Fort
Point.
When the veterans, soldiers and visitors
arrived they gathered around a tempo
rary platform decorated with flags and
stands of old arms. TIE Thomas Post
veterans took seats upon the elevated stage,
while the military were drawn up in
double lines in front. A detail of United
States soldiers acted as police to keep the
crowd back from the new monument.
In the front ranks were r. 81. Warfeld.
grand marshal; Charles II. Blinn, chief OF
stiff; A. j. Vining. Z. I. Allen, E. A,
Bulls, NJ. X. Cheever, j. c. Cnrrier, Phil
|. Fisher, John Tuttle, T. K. Stateler, L.
u. NJ
comber and John r. Savers, who had acted
as aids to the grand marshal.
An appropriate prelude by the Second
Regiment Artillery band was played, and
Rev. c. o. Brown, ID, led in prayer
The young ladies OF the Girls High
School sang the Battle Hymn OF the Re-
public" accompanied by the band, after
which the monument was unveiled by
Joseph Simonson. AS the heroic form OF
a soldier, with greatcoat buttoned and
standing at ease while resting on his rifle
was slowly exposed to view the artillery
fired a salute Commander Elisha Brooks
formally received the monument for his
post.
"The Vacant Chair" and "The Old
Brigade" were sung by f. Bell, Charles
Sumner read a poem aud c. A. Woodruff
delivered an GRAFTON.
This is sacred duty" said he. ''that
our nation owes TO herself, and to these,
her dead sons. ard one which the veterans
OF the war can perform but little longer.
And now that Memorial day. with its
flowers, its dirges and tender speech, again
makes its appeal to the thankful onsider-
alton of every good citizen, it is a fitting
time to impress upon the young the object,
the meaning and the national Importance
OF the day. For the perpeiuation of these
ceremonies, it they are 10 be perpetuated.
will soon develop on those who saw not
by some of the nobility of spirit that
characterized that war for national exist
ence and human freedom, and imbupd
with the idea that these exercises are bene-
fetal; unless they realize that this day
inculcates lessons of duty and patriotism,
Memorial day will be Renaissance only
when taps shall be sounded over the
grave of the last comrade OF those grand
armies that saved our Union"
The girls chorus filed the air with
America" to the accompaniment of mill
tary music. Rev. DR.. Brown pronounced
a beuedictiOn and the graves were deco
rated with fragrant blossoms:
Already there are as many as 100 Off
GERS and soldiers and $50 members of their
families resting in this national cemetery.
That they are affectionaiely remembered
is shown in the tireless attention to their
resting place. which has become a beauti-
full sn0t in few years. First of all its site
was selected with good judgment. 1t is on
a gentle slope facing the bay and affOrdin g
a view of AlcatraZ, Angel Island post, the
Preside. Fort Point ana the batteries of
Lime Point Odorous eucalypti shelter 1t
from the winds and high stone wall pro-
tects its graves from intrusion. WE'LL kent
avenues, grass plats and evergreen trees
and shrubs do the rest to make it an ideal
Gods acre.
In one large plat among the dead of
Thomas Post stands the memorial monu-
ment, graceful creation in white and
black granite, with base, plnth and
column forming celestial for soldier.
The Inscription is, "Our Dead, George Il.
Thomas Post No ., Department of Cali
tornia, G. a. h. 1S61-1665. Erected 1892. -