Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-09-07
THE G. A. R.
Meeting Of the National Encamp-
ment at indianapolis.
A Great Throng in Acknowledgment by
Ex-President MISUNDERSTANDING
Camp-SpIendId Weather and
aJoyful Occasion.
Veterans Meet.


INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept 5.-Thanks
to the weather and the successful car
rying out of the admirable arrange
ments perfected by the local commit
tees, the twenty-seventh national en-
campment of the G. A. r. opened most
auspiciously. So far the number of
visitors from outside points is con-
cerned, the success of the encampment
is already assured. All day long the
railroads poured a stream of people
into the Hoosier capital, and some
where in the neighborhood of 10000
people must have been turned loose
into the streets of Indianapolis
Almost on the very spot in Military
park where, thirty-one years ago, the
citizens presented to Col. Harrison
and his newly organized Seventieth
regiment of volunteers the standards Of
Indiana and the United States to carry
before them to the war, the eX-presi-
dent yesterday afternoon dedicated
Camp Wilder, the name bestowed upon
some 800 tents in which reunions of
regiments and old soldiers societies
will be in full blast for the remainder
of the week. About 5000 people par
ticipated in the exercises, which in
cluded addresses by w. A. Ketcham,
Gen. G. T. Wilder, for whom the camp
is named, and Gen. Harrison; patriotic
music by the band and the raising of
the stars and stripes to the top of
towering pole.
When the ex-president was intro
duced he was greeted with volley of
cheers that was thrice repeated. He
apologized to his fellow-citizens for
having remained SO long at the sea-
shore, while they were working hard
for the success of the encampment; ad-
mitted that he felt in some degree ''a
shirk;' indulged in some interesting
"reminiscences regarding the park and
surrounding neighborhood in the days
of the war, and eulogized the bravery
and devotion to country of the Indiana
troops.
mo Indiana soldier" said he, s'need
be ashamed to open to the world, in
friendly competition, with the records
of sister states, the story of Indiana'S
part in the great rebellion. But the
beauty of it all was that these regi-
ments from Indiana and these from
Illinois, and these from Ohio were all
one. They were not Indiana's soldiers,
Ohios, or Illinois soldiers, but soldiers
of the United States. The cause was
one, the glory is one, and, visiting COM
rades from other states, we are not
here to eXalt ourselves, but to take your
hands as comrades and share with
you the glory of the greatest result
that was ever achieved by war in human
history. If there is any man anywhere
who does not honor the union veteran
he does not live in Indiana. If there is
any man anywhere who suspects him
or would detract in the smallest degree
from the merits of his service he is not
here to-day. You will not meet him on
our streets If there is anyone who can
ever find it in his heart to speak of the
wounded or disabled veterans of the
war or of the veteran who has now
fallen by the way, after a brave
struggle for nearly thirty years
in the pursuits of civil life, he
does not live here. My comrades,
these tents about us are pitched many
days march nearer home than those in
which you dwelt here in 1861. They
will stand but for day and vanish.
You go to your own homes, to the shell
ter of those roof trees, to the compan-
ionship of those families from which
you separated yourself in time of war
and to which you returned with an in
creased love and conservation. You
Will go back TO pick up the duties or
your citizenship, with a higher sense
of these duties, of the glory and sweet
ness of this flag, than you had before
you came here to mingle with these
comrades, to listen to these stirring
songs and to stir each other by the re-
membrance of those bloody days"
The reception rendered by the citi-
zens' committee at Tomlinson hall to
the officers and delegates to the ma
tional encampment was a brilliant
social function. Gen. Harrison de-
livered the address of welcome, and
Commander-in-Ch Chief Weissert made the
response.