Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-26
TO FIGHTING JOE. I"
Handsome Statue Of Gen.
Hooker Unveiled at Boston.
A Great Parade, With Large and In
posing Military Display.
Eloquent Grafton by Gen. C. p. Mat
tocks at Dedication.

Boston, June 25.-Elaborate honors to
the memory of Jos. Hooker, Mexican
war captain and Civil war general, COM
mander of the Army of the Potomac,
We're paid, Thursday, by the state of
Massachusetts, who claimed the famous
soldier as her son. A beautiful eques-
trian statue placed upon the grounds of
the state house was dedicated with
simple ceremony, although in paying
tribute to the distinguished military
leader, the city of Boston joined with
the state, and for the great parade,
which was the feature of the day,
scores of the most distinguished mili-
tary men of America; regular army and
navy representatives in troops, squad
rons and regiments; the state militia,
veterans who served with Hooker, men,
bers of the Massachusetts department,
G. A. R., veterans of the Spanish war
and the Boston regiments participated.
Gov. Bates as executive, occupied his
place at the head of the column as
commander in chief of the. military
forces of the state, while in the line
were officers notable in the regular
army and in volunteer and veteran
circles, including Lieut.. Gen. Miles,
Gen. Wesley Merritt, Sheridan's old
cavalry leader, Gen. John R. Brooke,
who commanded the LIST Army Corps
in the Spanish-American war, and who
was military governor of Cuba, pre-
ceding Gen. Leonard Wood; Gen. Oliver
o. Howard, of the old 18th Army Corps
at Charlottesville and at Gettysburg;
Gen. Daniel f. Sickles, who placed
Hooker's third corps in the front rank
at Gettysburg; Gen. Alexander S.
Webb, U. S. A, and Gen. Joshua l..
Chamberlain, who held the Thin blue
line" on Little Round Top.
The program of the day included the
unVeiling Of the monument at A. M,
the parade starting at A. M, and the
formal dedicatory exercises in Me-
canics' hall at o'clock p. NJ, where
the grafton was delivered by Brig
Gen. Chas. p. Mattocks of Portland
Me. In observance of the occasion Bos-
ton had a semi holiday, many places of
business closing for all day, following
the heads of state departments and
offices in city hall.
The buildings in streets along which
the parade was to pass were generally
decorated and at vantage points obser-
the first time in many years. save per-
haps that in honor of Admiral Dewey
in 1901, that there has been such a
general participation in a demonstra-
ton of this nature, or that such a mil
itary spectacle as that afforded by the
parade has been seen here.
The prediction of the weather fore
cast officials cloudy but without rain"
was literally fulfilled, though rain fell
during the night. The decorations did
not suffer greatly and by the middle OF
the forenoon the streets We're fairly dry
for marching. There was no sunshine
although now and then Il mellow glow
seemed to indicate that the sun wanted
to come out. The temperature was be-
low GO and the wind northeast.
1t was scarcely breakfast time or
those of the ordinary day when the
streets began to fill up, Thursday morn
ing. 1t was only 7.30 when the sur
vivors of the Hooker brigade began to
assemble at Faneuil hall, their head
quarters for the day, and by s o'clock,
the veterans of the Goth Army Corps
We're gathering in Pemberton square,
adjacent to the site of the statue.
The state house was the center to-
wards which all steps were bent during
the early hours and long before 0
O'Clock the streets, the northerly end of
the Common and all other available
space within sight of the memorial had
been packed.
The Hooker survivors and the goth
Army Corps veterans. members of the
Legislature and guests occupied i'm
mense grand stands erected on the state
house grounds and huge in proportions
though they We're, the stands were far
too small for the crowds who wished
to find places on them.
The unwilling exercises were very
brief. Opening with selection by the
Cadet Band, there was a prayer by the
chaplain of the day, Rev. DR.. Arthur |
Little of Dorchester, who was chaplain |
in the war for the Union.
Lieut.. Gov. Curtis Guild, Jr., in be- |
half of the committee of the executive |
council, turned over the Hooker me-
mortal to the State Guard and care of |
the state. Master JOS Hooker Wood, |
srand-nephew of the general, pulled the
cord that released the veil and as the
Continued on page 2.) !