The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-08-25

GENERAL HARRISON IN 1864.
department early in the seventies. His
injuries compelled him to withdraw from
prominence in Grand Army affairs, and
for 20 years he has been lost to view ex-
cept among the members of his own
post. But at his death the comrades of
the city united to give him military
burial. A guard was placed over the re-
mains, and the services of the order were
read in the presence of a large body of
comrades, who made up worthy cor
tege to follow the well nigh forgotten
hero to his tomb. Who in the rushing
metropolis would stop in the excitement
of financial panic and brave the swelter-
ing heat to remember veteran, although
he shed his blood to prevent pillage and
destruction of the city in 1868? But for
comradeship to hold vigil over the ebb
and flow of life and death and revive old
memories ten line obituary would be the
ignoble ending of glorious career.
Nor has the enthusiasm for comrade-
ship died out in the land of its birth. It
was an Indiana comrade who after "a
years of familiarity with its ceremoni' =,
time long enough to have discover I'd
their true character and significance,
in his presidential message to con-
gress, declared that amid all the carNs
and honors of the Office of chief mag1s-
trate he could not forget that the ties of
comradeship in the Grand Army of the
Republic placed obligations upon him
equally with the most obscure veteran.
General Harrison may be forgotten by
the nation at large, as dethroned king
is fated to be, but the old soldiers will
ever remember that while he was presi-
dent he was always comrade in SIM
pie, unaffected and hearty way.
To explain this comradeship, which
had its birth so humbly in the hearts of
a few men and has grown until it af-
fects the lives of 500, 900 veterans, would
puzzle the shrewdest of the initiated.
Many an idea from the time of the great
Galilean down has swept the world
from its feet and yet could not, be ex-
planned. A veteran one day entertained
a company of his regimental comrades
in arms at his home and introduced
them to his devoted young wife us "peo-
pie think the most of in all the world"
Tears came into the startled woman's
eyes, and looking at the babe in the cradle
and two or three little tots hiding bash
fully in the corners of the room she re-
covered herself enough to say between
her signs, THAT is saying good deal,
husband"
Eyes, it is saying good deal, but it
comes from my heart, and mean it as
an expression of how dear my old COM
rades are to me. We braved death to-
gether, and that is the whole Of it."
It was that sentiment common to men
of one company or regiment who had
been close companions in many battles
which the enthusiasts of indianapolis
believed would be broadened so as to
thrill the breast % "a c c;'; man who wore
the blue, Friends and neighbors are
doomed ~ separation; real brothers in
arms, like brothers of the blood, cannot
always keep together. Comradeship left
to itself would lose cohesive power and
vanish amid the clashing changes of ac-
tive civil life. And If it was sublime to
face death together it was sublime to
have faced death at all for the same
cause. So the old and powerful ties Of
state pride, Of army conceit, of corps en-
thusiasm and Of regimental and battery
feeling were swept away. A new stand
ard was held aloft and the old soldiers
thrilled by bugle blast never heard be-
fore except in the thunder and smoke of
battle, where all were for once alike in
the presence Of death, where the inspira-
ton that nerved the arm Of each was but
a spark of the fire that swayed the hearts
of all.
II the war fever had been nothing
more than extravagant enthusiasm, then
fraternal bond based upon it would
have proven rope of sand when it came
to the test of strain, for men are not
angels, take the best of them. But the
old soldiers are prouder today Of their
war enthusiasm than they were then.
1t has long since given way to stern,
unyielding conviction. The war was
an awful reality, and patriotism of the
grandest and Hottest kind saved the
country, and naturally pride in the en-
thusiasm that made them comrades and
pride in the deeds performed while COM
rades are sentiments common to those
whose Gag and whose cause and whose
sufferings and risks were common.
A great many spectators on the out
side of the Grand Army are alarmed be-
cause old soldiers show little sensitive
ness where the honor Of veterans is ap-
parently in jeopardy. 1t is because the
test of honor was applied long ago. The
Grand Army is past all that. If COM
rade or a body of comrades forget them
selves and do foolish thing, they hsv'
the same quick conscience to discover
the error as their more discreet brothers
only give them time. They will see tn
error and undo it or avoid repetition
and 1t Is comradeship to give them TIM
and not force the good work by Eealou
preaching. There Is only one spirit tina
can rule the Grand Army or that doe
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