Bridgeton pioneer., 1905-05-25
OLD VETS ARE
DROPPING OFF

TONIGHT at tie meeting of
A. L.. Robson Post. No. AZ, &. A.
r., the veterans of the Civil War be-
longing to that organization will make
all final arrangements for Memorial
Day. which occurs on Tuesday next.
A. l.. Robson Post has sixty-five
members at present. These three-sco
and five old soldiers are all that re-
mains OF an organization that at one
time numbered one hundred and thir-
ty-five. There are more graves of
soldiers to decorate this year than ever
before. There are more of the vet
Grams in the soldiers home than there
were a year ago.
1t is pathetic gradual death of
the great patriotic organization. Moth
ing can ever replace it-nothing can
ever be substituted for it.
1t has been forty years since the
great Union army was disbanded, and
the arms of the brave volunteers were
lard aside. Men who entered the SER
vice in 1861 at 81 years of age are now
I'd years old, and the man of Ga years
who saw the service OF the Civil War,
who shared it's dangers and privations,
is not physically as strong as the aver.
age man of seventy or more. Another
five years and will there be any A. L.
Robson Post?
The Importance of the question, the
solemnity of the query is apparent to
every one. But five short years will
bring remarkable changes in this band
OF sixty-five old men.
But to day those of the sixty-fve,
still sufficiently active, are arranging
for Tuesday, the annual Memorial
Day. There will be the tiny flag upon
each comrades grave. There will be
the strewing and scattering of the
sweet scented flowers upon the grassy
mounds There will be TIE short
march, the patriotic observance.
There won't tbe as many in the Post
line as last year. The marching won't
be as good, the ranks will not be as
military as of yore, but the old boys
will trudge along and do the best they
can. They know their duty md will
pursue it even as they took their lives
IN their hands back in the early sixties.
Tuesday morning the usual delega-
tions will go out to the cemeteries
about the country. There will be in
teresting exercises out at Deerfield.
There is buried Lieutenant Jno. G.
Cassel. He was member of Post No.
2, of Philadelphia, and each year the
post sends here flag for his grave.
By the way, the same post always
sends another flag for the grave of the
late Col. VIM. E. Potter, who was
member of that organization.
For many years when the Bridgeton
delegation went to Deerfield, Mrs.
Cassel, widow of the lieutenant. came
here and assisted in the memorial SER
vices. She lived in Philadelphia.
Some time since she made her last trip
to the Deerfield cemetery and she lies
beside her brave husband in peaceful
sleep-forever. But the plat is not
forgotten, and when the Robson Post
boys go out to Deerfield, they wait for
the Philadelphia train and two of
Lieutenant Cassel's daughters join the
detachment and take part in the SOL
emn observances.
Out in Shiloh there will be the
usual special observance, and at the
cemetery where lies the body of Lieu
tenant Burdsall, Rev. Mr.. Tilton, Of
Roadstown. will make an address.
In the afternoon exercises here will
be much as usual. There will be a
short parade so that the Post can visit
the Pearl street, Commerce street and
Broad street cemeteries.
In the parade Capt. Hedell will have
Company K, National Guard, and the
Guards Of Hope and Welcome Coun-
Gil, Jr. o. u. A. M, will also be in
line. The BOYS Brigade of Trinity
M. E. Church, all dressed in white
uniforms. will take a place in the
procession.
More than eighty years of age. the
oldest man in Robson Post, Capt.
Samuel r. Fithian, will act as mar
shal. He will have for his assistant,
Andrew F. Zane, less than GO years of
age, the youngest man in the organi-
zation. The latter, by the way, was
but boy of fifteen when he entered
the service.
At Broad street cemetery there will
be elaborate exercises. The speaker
of the day will be Rev. John H. Ros-
we'll, of Trinity M. E. Church. Com
pany K, will fire salute over the
graves of the dead.
There will be no band in the parade
it being impossible to secure the musi
I az r