The National tribune., 1901-03-07
THE VETERANS ArTnE INAUGUR ,TIoN.

Since our last issue there has been q
strenuous battle fought. under the lead OF
! Gen. ID. Il. Sickles, over the participation
by the veterans in the Inaugural Cerc-
monies. The veterans felt that as there
| was probability that this would be the
last veteran of the rebellion inaugurated
President. and as they were far from
being as good marchers as formerly, there
should be a special position assigned
them. But Gen. +. V. Greene, the Chief
Marshal, repeated his performance at the
Dewey celebration in New York, and as
signed them TO the head of the Civic Diyi-
sion. far down the line. with Gen.
Sickles in command. Gen. Sickles imme-
diatcly protested against this, and asked
that the veterans be designated to escort
the President from the White House to
the Capitol. This Gen. Greene declined to
do. He said that the West Point and
Annapolis Cadets had been assigned to
this duty, and it was too late to alter the
program. The veterans We're given pre-
cisely the position they had always had in
Inaugural professions, particularly when
Gen. Sherman was Chief Marshal, and
there was no protest then.
The Spanish war veterans were to form
behind those of the rebellion. \ meeting
was held, with Gen. Sickles, by /. W.
Stone, Commander of the Department of
the Potomac, G. \. r.; Gen. Robert G. Dy-
rcnforth, COmmander-in-Ch Chief, Union Vet
Grams Union; ]. Edwin Browne, Com
manding Union Veteran Legion, and
Capt. Lee VI. Lipscomb, Senior Vice. Com
mander Spanish War Veterans. 1t was
unanimously decided not TO march, and
Gen. Sickles so informed Gen. Greene and
asked to he relieved of command of the
division. Gen. Greene again declined TO
alter the program, reiterated that the
veterans were given their proper place,
and that no other could be given them.
Later he made the following proposition:
81 am further directed TO say. through
you, to the officers of the G.. A. r. Posts
and the Union Veteran Union of the Dis
trict of Columbia, that if these Posts
should desire to form an escort of honor
to the President. consisting of Il detail of
80 men from each Post, in uniform, if
practicable. and should make application
to that effect to these headquarters, the
application will be fayorably considered.
They would, in that event, take the place
of the veterans of the 23d Ohio, who were
originally selected for that duty, but are
unable to be present"
Gen. Greene said that this was his final
word. This proposition was at once
unanimously declined, saying that all
must march or none. One of the objcc-
tionable features of the plan proposed was
that it would cut out all visiting COM
rades
The President then took hand in the
matter. The Secretary of War invited
Gems. Sickles and Greene TO meet him at
lunch at 1:30 Saturday, and there handed
Gen. Greene a note to the effect that it
was the Presidents wish that the yetcr-
ans-this time not including those of the
Spanish war, who had withdrawn from
the controvcrsy-should march as his es-
cort. Gen. Greene Immediately wrote 4
note to the Secretary of War, stating that
it would afford him great pleasure to carry
out the Presidents wishes. Gen. Sickles
informed the Commanders of the veteran
organizations, and stated TO the Chief
Marshal that he would probably have
200 in line, many not being able to par
ticipate, owing to the shortness of the
notice. The Commanders of the Grand
Army, the Union Veteran Union, and the
Union Veteran Legion Immediately issued
orders to their commands, directing them
to turn out with full ranks.