Evening star., 1902-03-17
TO MEET OLD FRIENDS
Planning for Reunions at G..
A. R. Encampment.
COL. McELR0Y'S IDEA
THE WHITE LOT OR SOME OTHER
CENTRAL LOCATION.
Veterans to Register Names. Regi-
ments and Corps in Which They
Served in the War.

"The greatest feature of the national en-
campment Will be its reunions, said Col.
John McElroy, who is past commander OF
the Department Of the Potomac. senior vice
commander-in- chief Of the Grand Army Of
the Republic and chairman OF the commit
tee on reunions for the national encamp-
ment which will open in Washington in
the first week of October next.
"The reunion features Of the encamp-
ments Of the veterans Of the civil war grow
in interest and Importance as the years
since Appomattox increase. The desire OF
these men to meet again their comrades OF
the camp and march, the bivouac and the
battlefield intensifies those who bore the
burdens Of four years Of fighting are obliged
now. because Of increasing infirmities to re-
tire from active labor. They live over I'm
memory Incidents Of their army life. recall
the comradeship OF those strenuous days
and long to meet the men who suffered with
them, who endured with them the horrors
of prison life. the dangers OF battle. the
long months In hospitals, and who with
them rejoiced when victory came and this
country was proved to be AN indestructible
Union. composed of indestructible states.
Anxious to See Old Comrades.
This desire is so strong that men have
crossed The continent with one hope to buoy
them up, that at the end of the long jour
ney they might touch again the hand OF
some commander whose orders had been
their law as they marched to the music or
the Union. bearing up the folds of the flag.
have known them to suffer severe depriVa-
tons for year or two that the pitance
thus saved might be used to defray eX-
pense while In attendance upon natl )nai
encampmeut; where the poor comrade, too
poor to pay the smallest sum for room,
accepted the meager accommodations of the
f,aa pf. eff
hungry the whole week through, ana Yet
was happy-yes. light hearted as boy, be-
cause among those thousands and thous-
ands Of men who wear the bronze button lie
found one or two perhaps who We're in his
regiment. or possibly only brigaded with
him.
incidents Of this character are very
familiar to those who have attended many
of the encampments and each city tries TO
simplify and make easier the opportunity
for these comrades to find each other
Colonel McElroy has plans which. though
somewhat nebulous as yet. will probably
work out exactly as thu colonel Indicates.
for it is sad he never was known tn ahan-
don an idea after it once took posse ssl"n ot
him He was chairman of the committee
ten years ago, and ii was said then that
the plan of reunions was never before as
compre henSiveiy and Compactly arranged
An attempt has been made to carry out the
McElroy idea in other places watr. en-
caIapsneEts were held, but no oth<r city is
SO well ada pied for it as Washingt n. This
year Colonel NcEiroS HttHdS TO improve
uson his own idea.
The place for holding the reunions has
not vet been settled. but two or three loca-
tions have been discussed. One Is the
white Lot" where the reunions were held
ten wears ago; another is the vacant space
at 9TH street and the avenue. and a third is
the square which holds the monumcnt-like
snnhestack of the burned power house
Many incline to settle the last-Eamed
location. 1t is central and the space seems
to be sufficient Several unique suggestions
have been made regarding the decoration
of the huge smokestack. Col McElroy would
like to have a Grand Army badge In cleo
tric lights at the top of the chimney. He
would have this badge about l5o feet In
length The other decorations would lac fes-
toons of red. white and blue. On this lo6
he would have a small city of tents. and
here is where the system Of his reunion
idea would be worked out.
To Be Met at Stations.
All incoming veterans are to be met al
the stations and they will be sent at once
TO register, according to the army corps In
which they served. All the army corps viii!
be represented by headquarters, and in each
Of these will be the register and plan OF
the reunion grounds where the comrades
win be found under the company. regi-
mental division and corps formations. The
comrade has but to name the corps II,
which he served. when he will be directed
to the headquarters of ,-.at corps. Here ht
will learn the day and the hour when the
particular organization he represents will
hold it's reunion. AS al the reunions will
be held on this s,rare Of ground. there can
be no possible chance Of missing comrades.
The old idea scattered the reunions over
a whole city. A veteran would ma his
brigade reunion set for parIcnlar sa , nou'
in one section Of the city and his regi-
mental reunion set for the same hour miles
avay in another sectlon. 1t has also been
customary to held the reunions In school
houses and churches, even In private
houses. SO far removed and ut such incon~
yenient hours that one must miss many OF
the features of the encampment to attend
the reunions.
1t will be the endeavor Of the reunion
committee of the thirty-sixth national en-
campment to overcome all the mistakes Of
former years ana entirely eclipse any othex
reunion plans ever offered. - -. --,.-<