The National tribune., 1901-05-30
THE GRAND REVIEW.
A Renaissance of the Pageant in Washing
ton, May %, 1865.


Grand Review was a glorious event, and
one that shall never fade from the memor-
les of those who witnessed it. Words can
not describe. pen cannot portray, or
painter convey on canvas the grandeur of
that grand parade of over 100000 victor
ious Union soldiers through the streets of
the National Capital after four years of
bloody strife and untold haTdShips in up
holding Old Glory and saving the life of
the Nation. Thirty-SiX years have passed
since that great event and thousands of
the boys in blue who marched proudly IN
that great pageant have been finally
mustered out and now rest on the
other side"
Well do | remember the 23d and 9th
of May, 1860, when the brOnzed and tat
tered troops Of our immortal commanders,
Grant and Sherman, followed their lead
crs in the grandcst military parade the
world has ever witnessed. 1t was my
good fortune to be in the ranks Of the
Army of the Potomac on the I'D, and to
| be in Washington as n spectator when
/ Sherman's boys paraded on the 18th, and
even now, when | brush back the cObwebS
from my memory, the whole scene is as
vivid as if it had occurred only last week.
| can see the forms and features of my
old comrades as plainly as if we were to-
Scther but yesterday, and | often wonder
| how many there are of the boys who
marched in my company that day who are
still on this side Of the Dark Valley.
| distinctly recollect the preparations
we made for the Grand Review. Our bri-
gade was campcd on the hill near where
the Orange X Alexandria Railroad crosses
the turnpike, i'll the vicinity of Bailey
| Cross Roads, and we had a fine view of
the majestic Potomac, with the City of
| Washington in the distance. OFF to the
right was Fairfax Seminary, and beyond
. h., TI.,., th Haya
there a foTtification to add variety to the
landscape, while the white tents in rows
among the scrub-Oaks and in cleared
places made Il picture that yet remains in
my memory. At dress parade on the even
ing of the 22d orders were read for the
morrow, and when we returned to our
company streets, preparations were at
once begun to clean up Belts, car
tridge-boXes and boots We're cleaned
buckles, buttons, bayOnetS and rifle barrels
polished until they glistened, and when
taps sounded we crawled into our tents
| filed with pleasurable excitement at the
| thought of our visit to the city on the fol-
lowing day.
When reveille sounded next morning
most of the boys were already astir and
hard at work brushing up their faded and
dusty uniforms and putting the finishing
| touches on their arms and equipments.
1t was a bright, beautiful morning. and
as the rising sun gilded the dome of the
Capitol and kissed the church spires of the
| city, it made an enchanting picture.
The company cooks and 'cOffce-cOOlers'
were soon at work and breakfast was
hastily disposed of. Soon after the bri-
gade bugle gave warning to the regiment
al commanders to form up their cOln-
mands, and in due time We were in
line"
White cotton gloves were handed to us,
with orders to not put them on until after
we had crossed the Long Bridge. 1t was
laughable to see the boys trying on those
gloves, and TO hear the chatting comments
| that were made. The gloves were no
doubt intended to make us look reSpecta-
bic. but they were sadly ''out of joint"
with the rest Of our raiment, which was
faded.
Finally We received the commands AT
tcntiOn-Fours right-FOrward''- and we
swung into column, and followed the bri-
gade flag down on to the turnpike and
headed for Washington. We had six or
seven miles to march, and the road ahead
of us was filled with a solid mass of boys
in blue with their rifles gitteiing in the
sunlight and tattered flags Tapping in the
gentle morning breeze. 1t was sight to
| behold.
When the bands would cease playing
marching tunes the boys would strike up
| Rally Round the Flag" John Brown"
When Johnny Comes Marching Home,
or some other well-knOwn war song with
| a vigOr that made old Virginy ring, and
the ground fairly trembled with the tramp,
tramp of horse, foot and artillery. Clouds
of dust envelOped the marching columns
and when we reached the Long Bridge we
were in a woeful plight, between perspira-
zion and Il plentiful supply of the red soil
of Virginia. But soon we were in the
city, and short respite was given us in
the side streets, where We bivOuacked on
the curbstOnes and sidewalks long enough
to MUNICH hardtack and brush up lit
tie before we started from Capitol Hill
down Pennsylvania Avenue on the Grand
Parade.
Finally we received the order, and on
went the white gloves. Fix bayonets-
Right shoulder shift arms-forward by
platoons-march," and away we went
down past the Capitol and on to the
Avenue, which was lined with people.
Steadily, shoulder to shoulder,
Steadily, blade by blade,
Marching along, steady and strong,
Went the boys of the Old Brigade.
Every loyal State had sent delegations
| to the Capital to extend a welcome home
| to its returning soldiers, and Pennsylvania
| Avenue was a bower of beauty with its
| many gaily-decOrated platforms and
stands, drapcd with the National colOrs,
| flowers garlands and notices. One large
| motto, which was cOnspicuOusly displayed
on the Capitol, bore the words: The Only
| National Debt we cannot repay is that
which we owe to our victorious Union sol
| dierS." Right here it may be appropriate
| to observe that on that day the above
| sentiments was uppermost in the minds
of the people, and was indeed gratifying
to those who had suffered hardships,
wounds and disease in these dark days of
| the Nations peril; but, alas. how soon was
that sentiment forgotten. Thirty-six years
| have elapsed since that motto was dis
played, and there are thousands of those
Victorious Union Soldiers who have
been denied even the smallest pittance
which the pension laws can bestow.
| Twas ever thus.
when war prevails and danger is nigh,
God and the soldiers is the peoples cry.
But when war is o'er and all things
righted,
God is forgot and the soldier sighted"
But I am DEPRESSING. The time will
probably come when those who bore the
battles brunt'' will receive their reward,
and we will live in hope of some day see
| ing justice done to the old soldier.
All that afternoon the tramp of march
| ing feet resounded through the city, as
regiments, batteries, brigades, divisions
| and corps passed in review before the
President and Cabinet, the Foreign
Ministers, and the leading Generals of the
armies. Cheers and plaudits greeted the