The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-31
Veterans of Two Wars and
Sons of Veterans Join in
the Exercises.
REV. CAMPBELL'S ADDRESS
PROGRAM CLOSED WITH REGU-
LATioN THREE VOLLEYS, THE
SOLDIERS LAST TRIBUTE
GRAVES DECORATED.

Yesterday the veterans of two wars
of the Republic, the Civil War and
the Spanish American War, assisted
by the Sons of Veterans, kept green
the memory of their dead comrades
who sleep in the various local cem-
eteries. The committees of these or
ganizations spent the morning deco
rating the graves of the dead. thous-
ands of flowers of various kinds be-
/ ing used for this purpose, the bulk
of which was furnished by the chill
dren in the publis schools. In the af-
ternoon the Memorial Day program
was carried out at the east front OF
the court house, the ceremonies be-
ing witnessed by hundreds of people.
The parade from the G. A. r. hall
to the court house was an impressive
sight. Promptly at 2 o'clock the pa
rade formed and began it's march
west on Main street. First came the
Richmond City band playing mar
tial air. This organization was fol-
lowed by a large delegation of the
w. r. c. and about twenty school
children, one, clad in white. Then
came the division of the parade
which was the center of attraction to
the large crowd which lined both
sides of Main street the whole line
of march, This division was compos-
ed of the veterans of the two wars.
First were the Spanish American vet
erans-all young men straight
and jaunty of step. Then came the
Sons of Veterans and after them the
true heroes of the day-the grizzled,
stopped and aged fighting men of the
bloodiest conflict in American his
tory.
Care Free Step Lacking.
The lively marching time Of the
band took them back to other days
and their step was the rythmatical
stride of the trained soldier, but the
care-free, swinging stride of the youn-
ger veterans who proceeded them
was missing. The picture presented
by these old lads in blue" some
perhaps on their last march. stirred
the crowd such as no. other spectacle
can, and hundreds of spectators rev.
erently doffed their hats to the colors
and the men who followed them.
When the corner of fifth and Main
streets was reached the Spanish
American Veterans formed in two
lines, facing each other, and the Civil
War veterans, eighty-five in number,
passed down the lane they formed.
The younger men remained uncover
ed until the last of their aged COM
rades had passed between them.
The Day Most Suitable.
No more suitable day could have
been picked for the occasion than
yesterday. The sun shown warm and
a light wind blew. These favorable
weather conditions resulted in the
east yard of the court house being
crowded with men. women and chill
dren. The crowd was seated in chairs
and the front of the court house was
beautifully decorated with flags and
bunting of American colors. draped
in mourning. The program was rem
dered with military punctuality.
First the monument to the unknown
dead was erected and then to the
tune of a bugle call, the monument
was draped with flowers. The Hon
Henry G. Fox acted as master of cere-
monies and opened the program with
few short remarks. These remarks
were followed by selection from the
band and an invocation delivered by
the Rev. w. II. McMaster. the fight
ing chaplain of the 145th Pennsylva-
MIA Volunteers, who is in the city at