The San Francisco call., 1898-02-23
VETERANS
 PARADE AT
 LOS ANGELES Three Thousand Old Soldiers in Line
 of March. A Reunion of Blue and Gray of Southern
 California. Men Who Fought in the Sixties Honor the Name of
 Washington.
SPEECHES AND BANQUET.
Martial Tunes and the Old Army Tells Resound in the City's
 Streets.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 22.-The vete- rans of the blue and the gray, residents in Los Angeles County, united to-day In commemorating the birthday of the Father of his Country. It was no extempor- aneous affair, but a well planned and programmed celebration, lasting through the entire day. In the morning there was a parade, in which 5000 Union veterans participated. The Con- federate veterans were not invited to participate in the parade for the req son that the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic has by ukase forbidden such thing. Despite this fact there was quite sentiment among the Union veterans In favor of extending to them an invitation, but in order to prevent any trouble and pos sible reprimand from the national con- mander 1t was not done.
 The parade formed at 10 o'clock and the procession moved at once, cover ing nearly all the principal streets of the city. It was quite an inspiring spectacle-3000 veterans of war that closed thirty-three years ago. Many of them were maimed and crippled, while
  wheeled in his chair by half-dozen of his fellow-comrades.
 After the usual mounted police at the head of the column came the rifle squad of the local police force, comprising twenty-six men under the command of Captain NJ. A. Roberts. The men made an excellent showing, as they were well drilled and well uniformed. Then came the Soldiers Home band, an or ganiZation made up of Union veterans who are living at the National Home. Chief Marshal c. F. Derby and his aides. William Young. chief of staff, and Henry Enispar, chief bugler, fol- lowed The Union Veterans Legion, made up of 300 old soldiers from the National Home, came under the com mand of Moses Wiley. These men were eXcellently drilled.
 Individual veterans from the home followed. representing the Uncle Sam the John A. Martin and the Rosecrans posts of the Grand Army and the Beach Post of Long Beach, Godfrey Post of Pasadena, Dan Bidwell Post of Norwalk, Glendale Post of Glendale, Fort Fisher Post of Santa Monica, Po- mona Post of Pomona, Shiloh Post of Compton and Burnside Post of Azusa followed in the order given. The veteran drum corps under the com
  lowed by the three local posts of the Grand Army-Stanton, Kenesaw and Frank Bartlett.
 The parade was witnessed by dense throng of people, who stood along the sidewalk on the line of march. When the drum corps struck up some of the old-time martial tunes the old soldiers could restrain themselves no longer. They broke forth in the old army-song chorus, and although their voices were weak and husky they made the streets ring with their enthusiasm.
 After marching for about an hour the column headed for Hazards Pavilion. There a bounteous luncheon had been prepared for the Relief Corps. The food had been generously contributed by the citizens of Los Angeles, and every old soldier and his family were invited to eat to their hearts content. The supply was amply sufficient.
 AS soon as tables could be cleared away the afternoon exercises began, but for about an hour prior to this the veterans held informal reunions In the corridors and in front of the Pavilion. Comrades who had not Snet before in a long time came together and talked of old times and of the boys of the same regiment they were In who had gone l before.
 Superior Judge B. U. Smith called | those in the Pavilion to order for the afternoon exercises. In doing so he made few very pleasant remarks ap- propriate to the occasion. The Veteran Drum Corps rendered stirring army march, after which Rev. w. A. Knigh- ton invoked the divine blessing. The comrades then made number of short speeches, which were full of patriotism and manifestation of love of country and flag. A number of amusing incl dents of army and prison life were re- | lated
 Among those who spoke were Captain A. M. Simpson, Comrade A. c. Shafer | Colonel R. B. Treat Comrade H. c. Gooding and General H. A. Pierce.