Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-16
BostonEnthusiastical lyGreets
the G. A. R.
A FATIGUING MARCH
APPEARANCE OF THE DISTRICTS
REPRESENTATIVES,.
Gen. Blackmar Slated to Succeed Gen
Black-opposition to the Gillett
Civil Service Bill.


been given over to the annual parade Of
the veterans Of the civil war. the spectacu-
lar feature Of each recurring encampment
of the Grand Army of the Republic.
The Department Of the Potomac, COM
prisng the G. A. r. membership of the
District of Columbia. marched as divi-
sion. thirteenth in line among representa-
ton Of forty-five departments. Six hun
dred strong. the veterans from the ma
tional capital shared in the attention and
and plaudits of the thousands Of native
Bostonians and visitors from every sec
ton of the country, who lined the sidewalks
and filled the gayly decorated reviewing
stands along the short line OF march.
The veterans were actually on the move
about one hour and a half, but this. cou-
pied with the fatigue of assembly. proved
all that the old soldiers desired, for the day
is hot and sultry, strong midsummer sun
beating down from clOudleSS sky.
The District of Columbia men presented
an attractive appearance in line, all the
veterans being in neatly brushed blue uni
forms.
The Old Guard. under command of Capt.
James M. Edgar, turned out ffty-Six men
as escort to Department Commander Hart.
The DID Guard members were arrayed In
their sprightliest marching clothes. and
induced spO ,taneO' applause along the
rou'e Of the pro .essiOn. The enthusiasm OF
the crowd in the city was strongly in evil
dence today, II striking contrast to the
GOODNESS with which the marching blue
jackets and marines Of the United States
service were r c, ived during the naval pa
ra yesterday The officers of the big
fleet of war vessels in the harbor are In
clined to pass their indifferent reception
Off in a light manner, but 1t can be stated
positively that they felt the codness quite
keenly.
Applause for the Veterans.
Today. however, the graybearded vet
Grams evoked liveliest applause and cheer
ing and 1t is evident that the residents OF
the hub and their thousands of guests were
reserving their pent-up patriotic enthusiasm
for the real heroes Of the hour. who march
ed in a column which required three hours
to pass a given point. The District delega-
ton in the line received a signal ovation In
passing in review before Commander-in-
chief Black, whose official residence Is In
Washington.
Under command of Department Com
mander Hart. the Department of the Poto-
mac assembled shortly before 10 o'clock
this morning on Clarendon street just on
Commonwealth avenue. This point was
but one block from department headQuar-
ters at the Vendome and was perhaps the
most convenient assembly place assigned to
any of the forty-five departments in line.
The departments, with the exception OF
Massachusetts, marched in the order OF
precedence based on the date of organiza-
ton. Massachusetts being the host of the
occasion, brought up the rear of the line,
5000 strong. Under this arrangement the
Department of the Potomac ranked thir
tenth, Immediately after the veterans of
the green mountain state of Vermont. The
District of Columbia Grand Army men were
in turn followed by the Department of N1r-
ginia and North Carolina, those two states
acting as one division. Fifteenth in line
came the Department of Maryland, which
is very largely represented here = ].
The District Division.
The Commonwealth Band of twenty-five
pieces headed the District division of the
parade. This is local band and is ap-
parently quite popular with the people.
Next in line came the column of the Old
Guard. under Capt. Edgar. Then followed
Department Commander A. Hart and mem
bers of his staff all on horseback. the
staff consisted of Junior Vice Commander
A. p. Tasker, Assistant Adjutant General
Gilbert NJ. Hustled, Chief of Staff Llewellyn
G. Estes and the following past department
commanders who are here: Benjamin r.
Hawkes., A. H. G. Richardson, George T.
Corson, Samuel S. Burdett. William 5.
Odell. NJ. Emmett Urell. J. NJ. Pipes, A. f.
Dinsmore, S. E. Faunce, Nathan Blckford,
John McElroy. Thomas S. Hopkins ana
Ivory G. kimball.
The Potomac Department marched as five
posts. although nearly every one OF the
twenty-one posts in the District of Column
bia had representatives in line. 1t was
deemed best to have full ranks for each Or
ganiZation, however, and so the 300 mem
bers of various posts not largely enough
represented to march separately were at.
tached to the five posts which marched
thus: John A. Rawlins Post. No. /; John
Finn. commander, forty post members; Kit
Carson Post. No. =, Jacob l.. Winfield, COM
mander fifty post members; Lincoln Post,
No 3. Hazard Wheeler. commander, fifty
post members; Charles Sumner Post, No. y,
William George Hall, commander, thirty
post members: Phil Sheridan Post, No. 4.
Thomas H. jerks, commander, forty post
members.
Gen. Blacks Successor.
While apparently there is nothing but
the parade upon the minds of the veter-
ans today the game of encampment poll
tics has begun. and the District delegation
Is preparing to take hand in the proceed
ings. The encampment proper begins to-
morrow and there will be a lively skirmsh
for the various national offices in the gift
of the delegates.
The delegates of the Department of the
Potomac will caucus this afternoon ard de-
eide who shall be supported for comman-
der-in-chief to succeed General Block. ii
may be stated in advance that the Dis
trict folks will decide to vote for John r
King. past department commander of the
Department of Maryland. Mr.. King lives
in Washington, where he is Unit ed States
pension agent. The Maryland delegation
is working hard in his behalf. and last
night secured the Endorsement of the dele
gates from Iowa.
Comrade King was born In Maryland
and at the age of seventeen years enlisted
| in the 9th Maryland Regiment and fol-
| lowed the fortunes of the Sd and 9Th Army
Corps in the campaigns Of the Army Of the
| Potomac to the close OF the war He was
| a prisoner of war for six months and was
| thrice wounded In battle. being finally dis
abled for life.
| If the friends of Mr.. King find 1t impos-
| sible to win the Office of comma nder-in
! chief there will be strong effort to place
| him in the chair OF the national senior vice
commander.
AS matter of fact 1t is really the latter
office his supporters have in mind, for 1t lie
| beginning to be realized that the tide for
| commander-in-chiefh has set strongly in the
| direction of General Wilmon w. Blackmar
| OF Boston. General Blackmar has all the
| inside powers Of the Grand Army at work
| for him, and the ante-election conditions
are similar to those which In the past have
made 1t an easy matter to predict the re-
| suit of balloting for the highest veteran
| office. New York has brought a favorite
| son in the person of Colonel John c.
| Schotts. All signs point to Blackmar
| nevertheless. and his active campaign work.
ers say it is all over but the proclamati ton