Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-08-30
VETERANS IN LINE.

Y NEIERANS In LINE.
HEROES OF THE CIVIL WAR HoNoRED
BY CHEERING THOUSANDS.
Greatest In the History of the G. A. r.
Veterans Too Old to Tramp Long Dis
tance and Line of March is Shortened.
Many Fall by the Wayside.
Chicago, Aug. 29.-For four hours
and a half yesterday the thinning
ranks of the irand Army of the Re-
public passed in review before their
leaders and before probably million
spectators packed in almost solid
masses along the four miles of the
line of parade, 1t marked the climax
of the Saith annual encampment of the
association of veterans who filled the
pages of history with deeds of hero
ism during the weary years OF the
Civil war. and was. according to Com
mander-in-Chief Shaw, the greatest
parade since that day in Washington
when the hundreds of thousands of
veterans, the most powerful army on
earth marched in review to their final
disbandment. Probably 10000 mem
bers of the army of veterans took part
in the parade. For exactly four hours
and twenty minutes, most of the time
with ranks almost perfectly aligned
but occasionally faltering under the
burden of years. they filed past the re-
viewing stand on Michigan avenue.
saluting as they marched by General
Nelson A. Miles, Commander-in-C Chief
Shaw. General Daniel E. Sickles and
the Spanish minister, Duke de ARGOS.
Il Weather conditions We're almost
ideal for the parade wearisome enough
at best for the silver haired veterans
The line of march, too, was much
shorter than ever before mapped out
for the annual parade, it's entire length
not being over four miles, but notwith
standing this. here and there. vet
eran. dazed and exhausted, dropped
out of the ranks Especially was this
true after the reviewing stand was
passed, and many pathetic scenes We're
witnessed down the long stretch of
Michigan avenue as the veterans fell
by the wayside.
One especially sad incident occurred
to mar in degree the glory of the pa
rade. Charles Beckwith of Algonsea,
Mich, dropped dead as the line was
fling past the corner of Michigan ave.
nue. and Madison street. The parade
4 was halted for II moment, the body of
the veteran who had responded to his
last call was tenderly removed and his
comrades passed on.
The first cheers from the reviewing
stand were given to the famous old
war eagle of the Wisconsin troops
"Old Abe" the stuffed figure of which.
borne along by brawny, buckskin-
dressed veteran, was heartily greeted
by the crowds and saluted by General
Miles and the others in the boxes
The postN escorting "Old Abe" was
closely followed by Lucius Fairchild
post, which startled the crowds by
stopping in front of General Miles and
Commander Shaw and giving the
familiar .'Rah. Rahs'' of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin. 1t was somewhat
cracked and feeble. but it showed the
undimmed spirit that made the Iron
Brigade famous. and it started the
crowd to cheering again. A few mo,
ments later Georsa G. Meade post No.
!: of Pennsylvania fled by. Borne
aloft by "A Silver-haired veterans were
as many battle flags. tattered and torn
by bullets and close behind them ten
equally ragged corps flags. They were
the first of the many battle flags car
ried in the parade that were seen by
the thousands along the line of march
and everywhere the ragged banners
We're greeted with cheers.
i, One of the most striking features of
the parade was the appearance of the
Iowa veterans. thousands in number.
and headed by the A. o. w. band of
Cedar Falls. Speaker Henderson re-
ceiyed an ovation from them. He
: was recognized as the veterans from
the Hawkeye state reached the stand
and the band. stopping in front of his
box, ceased their playing and raised
their voices in a song, From Iowa.
Il iNtuiSSluS lSdlulcS WeIt supplied
by the Louisiana veterans, who carried
pieces of sugar cane topped by great
punches Of cotton; by the veterans of
2 North Dakota, carrying small sheaves
II OF the wheat of their prairies into
: which was stuck small flag and by
the South Dakota posts, each man
< carrying an enormous ear of corn
mounted on staff.
Shortly after passing the reviewing
stand the line of march disbanded, and
the most of the veterans, tired with
, the hours of march, sought their hotels
and lodging places.
The evening was given up entirely
to affairs of a social character In 2f
, different places in the down town dis
trict reunions OF states We're held. The
: ladies of the Woman's Relief Corps
and the Ladies of the G. A. r. also
I,,ll =: =. ~