The Florence daily tribune., 1902-10-08
AGED VETERANS
IN BIC PARADE
Reviewed by President and
His Cabinet.
White Banner and the Dove Of
Peace Carried at Head of Col
umn Entire City Gay With
National Colors.

Washington, d. G., Oct s--''Let's
brave 1T. comrades; it may be the last
march we will ever take part IN.
This was what a gray haired veter-
an of Iowa said this morning at the
departments of the G. A. h. to move
toward their formation places for the
big parade. The belief that it might
be their last chance to march again
shoulder to shoulder is what led many
of the age worn veterans to brave the
torture that followed for several long
hours.
But the old veterans stood the tire
great majority Of them marched with
precision. even il they were not as
quick at obeying commands as in the
old days. And they demonstrated
that forty-fiv years does not take
man out of service, whatever may be
the civil-service rules. They carried
the old flag, and some of them carried
their muskets and knaspacks and
blankets.
1t was 10 80 O'Clock when the signal
guns to start were fired. The start
was made from the Congressional Lii
brary building. The white banner of
peace and the stars and stripes led the
column. The flaming stripes and
starry field of the flag were the more
brilliant beside the white banner.
above which perched the white dove
of peace with sprig of ivy in its
beak So the column approached the
reviewing stand, and then between
them rode the commander-in chief of
the Grand Army, General Eli Tor
renee of Minnesota, Beside him rode
Colonel A. Noel Brakeman grand mar
shal of the day and his aids, who es-
|
corted the commander to the stand
while the beauty aud chivalty of the
national capital gave him a welcome
befitting hero who conquers in
peace. On the reviewing stand were
seated the president and cabinet Off
GERS and numerous other dignitaries
The flag of the G, A. r. was hung
out. the stars and stripes and the bar
ner of peace approached, and the col
umn moved forward again and kept
moving for several hours. The exec
utive committee of the Grand Army
and the Sons of Veterans escort led
the way, aud then came Illinois lead
ing the veterans of the Grand Army.
The bands played Tramp, Tramp,
Tramp, the Boys Are Marching" and
Columbia Post, of Chicago, 100 strong
marched down Pennsylvania avenue
as bravely as they marched on that
memorable day of hte grand review
of 1865. But the strains of music ana
the applause took the heart out of
amry of the old soldiers and the only
wonder is that it did not make them
all as sentimental as were many OF
those how looked on and let the tears
course down their checks as they saw
the Grand Army on probably its last
grand review.
1t was long after the noon hour
when the last of the veterans had
marched by the White house. The
entire route was decorated layisbly.
every building, public and private,
being adorned with the stars and
stripes, bunting of red, white and blue
and the insignia Of the q. A. X aud
the various army corps, until the eye
of the spectator was sated with varied
display. 1t is estimated that 800, 900
persons witnessed the pageant. The
morning trains brought hundreds of
visitors from all points within n ra-
dius of hundred miles of Washington
and seldom has the capital entertained
larger crowd.
The parade was the feature of the