The record-union., 1896-05-30

WASHINGTON PRIrlARY.
Interesting Address Delivered to
Pupils by nayor Hubbard.
The assembly-room at the Washing
ton Primary Schhool, Thirteenth and G
streets, Miss M. E. Woods, Principal,
was crowded with parents and visitors,
who frequently testified their appreci-
alton Of the manner in which the pro-
gramme was rendered.
The children did excellent work in
their rotations, and the drill move
ments showed the good results of pa
tience and hard work done by both
teachers and pupils. Miss Woods, the
Principal, introduced Mayor Hubbard,
who had been selected to address the
school. He was listened to with great
interest, and spoke as follows:
| MAYOR HUBBARD'S ADDRESS.
| The purpose of our coming before the
schools to-day as representatives of the
Grand Army Of the Republic, said Mayor
Hubbard in his address, is to explain
to you the meaning Of Memorial Day,
and the reasons why we and all good
citizens, young and old, should observe
this day.
I This is not day that should be given
over to frivolities, merry making or
sports of any kind.
After the great war of the rebellion,
which lasted four long years, from 1861
| to 1865, the President Of the United
| States, the representatives of the peo-
pie in Congress and the loyal citizens
of this country decided to set apart one
day in each year to show their respect
for and to honor the memory of those
who gave up their lives that this great
| republican government of ours might
be perpetuated.
On this day every child in this Ma
tion should be reminded of the terrible
struggle and the number of lives that
were sacrificed, of the hardships and
sufferings that were endured, Of the
| homes that were made deSolate by the
loss of fathers and brothers, that our
Government should be sustained and
that you children could enjoy the bless
ings that you do to-day. Few Of you
can realize the magnitude of this war;
which cost 100000 loyal lives; that
made 100000 Union soldiers and sailors
cripples for life, and left more than a
million devoted mothers, wives and sis
ters to mourn for their loved ones who
| never returned.
We old soldiers feel that the rising
generation do not appreciate fully why
we and they should honor the memory
Of those heroes who died in that war.
1t is to awaken a feeling Of patriotism
of love Of our country, and that dear
old flag that we are here to-day.
You, children, see the stars and
stripes our beautiful flag, floating over
you to-day. 1t does not mean to you
all that it does to US old soldiers, who
have looked upon it under very diff
ferent circumstances. We have formed
on the colors (or f1ags) before going
into battle; we have kept in line with
the flags as they were carried forward
midst the smoke and roar Of battle,
midst burning Of shells and singing of
bullets, midst death and destruction; :;
we have seen the flags almost hidden
from view by battle smoke; we have
seen the flags go down as the color
bearer received his death wound; we
have seen other willing hands grasp
and carry them forward, and we have
seen death lower them again and again
as the line moved on to victory, and
we have seen these same flags borne to
the rear when the enemy were too DOW
No one who has never been in battle
can understand or appreciate the great
joy there is on seeing the flags going
to the front and to victory after a hard
fought battle, and no one who has never
experienced 1t can understand the de-
preston, the utter despair of the SOL
der when his flag is borne to the rear
in defeat; no wonder the old soldier
loves that flag, and no wonder that he
expects you to remember that this day
is set apart to honor the memory of
those who fell fighting beneath that
flag.
| 1t may be more interesting to you If
I could give you, In as few words as
! possible, a history Of the service Of
one Of those soldier boys from 1861 to
| 1865. It will be hard to condense the
| four years of service into q few lines
but maybe I can give you enough to
think over, and your imagination can
fill out the rest
You, children, who were not living
at that time, can hardly understand
the intense patriotic feeling that was
awakened ait the time the seeding
States fired on Fort Sumter in Charles
ton Harbor. The whole people Of the
North seemed to rush to arms to de-
fend the Government. The President
called for $4,000 men. So many voIun-
tered that the different States could
accept only small portion Of them.
Then came the battle Of Bull Run,
where our army was defeated. The
President then called for more troops
On the list Of June, 1861, in a little vii
lage in Eastern Ohio a company of us
boys (for we were all boys them was
organized. We offered our services to
the Government and soon were ordered
to report at Camp Chase at Columbus,
the Capital Of the State. Here we were
| organized into a regiment and In
short time were sent into the mountain
district Of West Virginia, where our
soldier life began in earnest. We were
drilled for many hours every day until
we became familiar with all the duties
Of a soldier. We secuted all through
those mountains until we were better
acquainted with the roads and passes
than the people who lived there. We
had many little skirmishes or battles
with bushwhackers during the summer
OF 1861.
In September we went into our first
battle at Carnafix Ferry. In this battle
+, our company was not brought under
fire Our troops drove General Floyd's
| command out Of their position and fol-
lowed them to White Sulphur Springs,
where General Lee had a large Confed-
crate army. We then fell back to Kan
awha Falls and went into winter quar-
ters. Occasionally, during the winter,
our company was sent out scouting.
When in camp. If the weather permit
ted, we were drilled from four to six
| hours each day. AS soon as the roads