The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-29
IN MEMORY OF SOLDIERS.
How the of Post
Conduct Decoration Service.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. May $50 long
as any of the old soldiers of Jackson Post
of the Grand Army of the Republic survive
patriotism and the beauty of the annual
Decoration day service will be cherished
for it's sentiment and simplicity. Jackson
Post is MADE up largely Of members Of
Companies ID and II of the Eighty-second
Indiana, of which the late General Hunter
was in command, and its meeting place Is
Schooner, Brown county, in a township
which gave TO the Union army more SOL
diers, in proportion to it's population.
than any like territory in Indiana, and,
perhaps, in the West. Annually the people
gather from miles around to commemorate
the memory OF the Nations dead. On Sum
day, in the cemetery on the hill top, where
are buried from year to year the comrades
as they pass beyond, perhaps a thousand
people gathered TO pay silent tribute. The
old comrades in arms gathered near the
cemetery, and, headed by the post COM
mander, marched to appropriate music into
the cemetery, passing by each soldiers
grave, where a wreath and bouquet of flow
ers were placed, halung at each sacred
spot for q moment- The graves thus all
decorated, the old veterans formed a circle
about a grassy mound near the entrance
to the cemetery, and with uncovered heads
q a dll4 1AAA GOlN - jill C4
in nonor Of the soldier dead who lie buried
in Southern cemeteries. on PARKWAY bat
tlefieids, many numbered among the I'M
known dead. A flag waved at half-maSt
from the sacred place, and the band gave
a dirge. The old chaplain read in faltering
words the q. A. r. ritual. The post COM
mander then announced that the old vet
Grams would pay tribute to absent COM
rades, whose memory is yet alive and dear,
but who sleep in graves far distant. Each
soldier in the circle held wreaths of flow
QrS a III nna nv one StenDinr forward m
the mound, they tenderly placed the floral
offerings, calling OUT, as they put down the
tribute, the name OF the soldier In whose
memory the offering was made. One COM
rade paid a tribute to a brother who fell
at Vicksburg; another placed a wreath on
a mound in memory OF a friend who died
in Libby prison; others offered q bouquet
IN honor OF a fallen commander; one old
veteran, as he laid down a beautiful gar
land, tenderly said: Il make this tribute
in memory OF my old commander, General
one by one the old soldiers placed flowers
on the sacred mounds OF brothers, friends,
commanders. A mother came forward, and
as she enderly placed a wreath said 1t
was in memory ''of a son who fell at
Chickamauga;' a wife named her husband,
who died in a Southern prison. and near
the close an old man laid a bunch of flowers
upon the mound 'in memory of BAN Red
dick, who died OF disease near Manila, "
and whose body Is now homeward bound
TO be laid at rest In the little cemetery.
The memorial address was given by Sem
ator Fulk, who has taken part in the serv-
ice for the past six years.
The little Schooner graveyard has a his
toric interest. In it lie the remains Of
soldiers that fought in all our wars-from
that Of the Revolution to the insurrection
in the Philippines. The gravestones tell
the following stories:
In the War Of the observation-disclosures
Hatchett.
War of lS12-James Wise and Bluford
Reddick.
Black Hawk w~ar-Bluford Reddick (also
in War of 1922
Mexican War-Wiliamson Wise, William
G.. Wise. Alfred McGuier, Charles Hacker.
War Of Isle. @. Brady. Felix Woods,
Erwin Parks, Alfred McGuier. Yenal Miles.
James BoWden, James Caldwell.
War with Philippines-Bam Reddick.
whose remains are now en- route on a
transport from Manila, TO be laid at rest
in the family lot.