The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-08
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE.
Address Delivered the National Encampmen GAR, Wash
ington, D. C., October, 1902
By Msi.6ea. GRENvILLE M. DODGE.

banded and the men went to their homes
without causing an unpleasant comment
or a painful thought in all this broad
land.
The Society of the Army of the Ten
nessee is endeayoring TO perpetuafe its
history and memories by erecting here in
this Capital of our great Nation monu-
ments to the memory of its dead COM
manders. which will place before the
world not only their deeds, but the great
events in which our army took SO i'm
portant part. First came Gen. Nc
Pherson. as he was the first to fall in
the great battle of Atlanta. He fell just
after watching the attack in the rear on
the Sixteenth Corps. which held the key
to the situation. He was dear friend
of mine, and the last words he spoke were
in praise of the fighting of that corps.
Gen. Sherman. iii reporting his death,
spoke of him rs follows:
Gen MCPHERSON
fell IN battle booted and spurred. as the
gallant and heroic gentleman should wish.
Not his the loss. but the cOuntry's, and
the army will mourn his death and cherish
his memory as that of one who, though
comparatively young, had risen by his
merit and ability to the command of one
Of the best armies which the Nation had
called into existence to yindicate her
honor and integrity. History tells of but
few who so blended the grace and the
gentleness of the friend with the dignity
courage. faith and manliness of the SOL
dier. His public enemies, even the men
who directed the fatal shot, never spoke
or wrote of him without expressions of
marked respect. Those whom he COM
manded loved him even TO idolatry, and I,
his associate and commander, fail in
words adequate to express my opinion OF
his great worth"
Gen. Mcpherson was 50 dear to our
old army that the great victory at the
battle of Atlanta was never spoken OF by
our army except to express our great grief
at the loss of our commander. His faith
in what he could accomplish with our
army was unbounded. He spoke of US on
July 4, 1863. as follows:
with tireless energy, with sleepless
vigilance, by night and by day, with bat
terry and with rifie-pits, with trench and
mine, you made yOnr sure approaches un-
til, overcome by fatigue and driven to
despair in the attempt to oppose your
irresistible progress, the whole garrison
of over 10000 men, with all their arms
and munitions Of war, have, on this, the
surrendered to the invincible troops Of
the Army of the Tennessee. The achieve
ments of this hour will give new mean
ing to this memorable day, and Vicksburg
will brighten the glow of the patriots
heart, which kindles at the mention of
Bunker Hill and Yorktown. This is in
deed an auspiciOus day for you. The God
of battle is with You. The dawn of a
conquered peace is breaking upon YOU
The plaudits Of an admiring world will
hail you wherever you go, and it will
be an ennobling heritage. surprising all
riches, to have been Of the Army of the
Tennessee on the Fourth of July, 1863"
GEN. JOHN A. RAwLINS.
Next we erected the statue facing
Pennsylvania Avenue, of Gen. John A.
Rawlins, who, above all. represented the
organization and spirit Of our great army
and who shared it's fortunes from begin
ming to end as Chief of Staff Of its first
and greatest commander. In 1873, upon
the death of Gen. Rawlins, Gen. John A.
Logan spoke of him thus:
"But there is one whose tongue is now
still in death whose name l can not for
bear to mention: one who, though gone
from our midst. is with us in memory
for who can forget John A., Rawlins?
Faithful in every duty, true in every
trust, though dead he is not forgotten;
though gone forever, yet he will ever
live in affectionate remembrance in the
hearts of all who knew him. his name is
woven in indelibIe colors in the history
of our country, and is linked with q fame
that is undying"
Gen. Rawlins, in giving history of
the Army of the Tennessee, paid this
tribute to it:
''In no army did the soldier enjoy
greater liberty, consistent-with military