The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-06-18
The Society Of the Army Of
the Potomac.
Rousing Welcome and Public Cere.
monies in New LOndo",
Entire City Bedecked With Bunting
and Alive With Visitors.


bunting on the heartiness of its welcome
to the society of the. Army OF the Poto-
mac, for whose visit the most elaborate
preparations have been made.
New London is arrayed in her prettiest
dress, and cordially welcomes the host
that crowds her streets. Never before has
the city been so deliberately adorned.
New London is rich in historical places,
and they are all marked for identifica-
tion, particularly the Washington and
Lafayette house, Oldest in the the town;
the old town mill, erected in 1850, the
Nathan Hale schoolhouse, and the old
Antietist burying ground. Early yester-
day the veterans and their friends began
TO invade the city, and yesterday afternoon.
under the direction of guides provided by
the reception committee, hundreds of
them visited the places of historical inter
est about the town. All trains last night
brought hundreds OF old soldiers, but il
vas not until this morning that the real
rush came. The streets were alive at an
Early hour with the veterans and their
friends, special trains and excursion
steamers adding TO the throng hourly,
ana by noon the occupation was practi-
cally complete. Governor Coffin and staff
arrived at / O'Clock this afternoon, and
were received at the depot by the Mayor
and city officials, and General George
Haven and staff. Governor Coffin was
escorted to the residence OF Alfred III.
Chappell on Huntington street by the
Third Regiment, G. n. G.
The exercises Of the day began with an
assemp bly, OF all the members OF the society
in the Third Regiment Armory, a t 10
o'clock this morning. II having been
found that the accommodations in the
armory would not be adequate for the
meeting of the several corps composing
the society entertainment committee,
secured outside accommodations, and at
II 30 the corps meetings were held in 20
different halls and assembly rooms i'm the
heart of the city. The annual meeting
and reunion OF the society took place in
the armory at 2 O'Clock this afternoon.
Several of the corps held reunions this
morning and early this afternoon. Before
the parade the Fifth Corps elected the
following officers:' President, General
Fitz John Porter; first vice president,
Captain II. Burnett Smith; second vice
president Captain Fred NJ. Sackett;
vice president for Army of the Potomac.
The parade this afternoon, which was
one Of the most notable features Of the
day, began at 3 O'Clock, all the organiza-
tions tbat mn ri ici,ata1 bo,,ip,, ra,,,,r. - ,,
Huntington street, according to orders,
shortly before that hour. Brigadier
General George Haven OF the Connecticut
National Guards, was the chief marshall.
His staff was made up as follows:
Major Walter Fitzmaurice, chief of
staff; Major Francis q. Beach, Major Will
liam +. Bidwell, Major George Il. Albee,
Major 5. A. Crandall, Lieutenant Colonel
J.. B. Almy, Medical Director Major How
ard Giddings Captains Charles y. Carter,
and Thomas Watrous. The line formed
in two divisions The first division,
which was commanded by Colonel A. c.
Taylor, n. g., was composed of troops
from Fort Trumball seamen from the
ships in the harbor, the Third Regiment,
&. n. G., third section signal corps and
third section Machine Gun Battery.
Major General q. Il. Calef, u. $. A.,
commanded the second division. 1t was
made up OF the Society of the Army of
the Potomac parading as army corps, pre-
ceeded by the general staff and the cav
airy corps, the artillery and signal corps
forming the rear. In view of the ad-
vanced years of the veterans, the line of
march was rather short.
The parade passed through State street
10 Main to Federal and through Hunting
tan, Broad, Claiming, Granite, Hemp
ssead, franklin, Jay, Truman, Blinman,
Sank and Scale streets back to Hunting
ton street, where the line, which included
fully 1000 men, was dismissed. At Will
.iams Perk the parade was reviewed
~ Governor Coffin and staff. The
several corps will reassemble at
their headquarters this evening and
march TO the armory where the public
exercises are to be held at s o'clock. Here
che addresses OF welcome will be delivered
NY Governor Coffin on behalf OF he State,
-
Daboll, president OF the Board OF Trade,
IN behalf OF the city. The responses will
be by Brevet Major General Alexander s.
Webb, u. s. ", president OF the society,
and Major General John Gibbon, u. S.A.,
who was commander OF the old Second
Army Corps, Army OF the Potomac, will
deliver the oration. The prayer will be
offered by Rev. James w. Bitter OF the
Second Congregational Church. II. c.
Yunner OF New York will read an original
poem and there will be brief addresses by
distinguished veterans OF the Army OF
the Potomac.
Tomorrow at 10 o'clock the veterans
will gather on board the steamer City OF
Lowell OF the Norwich line for an excur-
sion on Long Island Sound. They will re-
turn in the afternoon. The festivities
will close in the evening with banquet
oi the society and guests at the Pequot
House at o'clock.
The Sixth Army Corps was called to
,rder bv A " BaIlantine with AO mann.