The National tribune., 1906-09-06
Colums,. Post, Chicago, Ill.

One of the notable features of the
parade OF the Grand Army at Minne-
apolIs, Aug. Is. was the appearance of
Columbia Post. 706. Department of IL
lineis, of Chicago. Promptly at $50
Wednesday morning this splendid body
Of men, about IS strong, in uniforms
consisting Of a blue-black sack coat
white trousers and white helmets, with
cleaning brass spikes. swung into COL
umn of sections and. preceded by its
own band. playing soul-stirring airs.
moved with the old-time long swinging
stride the boys in blue were noted for
to its position in line as escort to the
Commander n-Chief.
Columbia Post is composed Of busi-
ness and professional men of Chicago,
officials of one Of the large railway sys-
TENS of the Northwest, and numbers
among its membership, which is limit
ed to $50 men. one OF the most elo-
quent of divines. Some of it's members
distinguished themselves in the service
of their country. and were promoted for
gallant and meritorious conduct on the
field of battle. The men are well pre-
served, carry their ages lightly. pride
themselves on their military bearing,
and are extremely particular to MAIN
tain the strictest discipline on all pub
lie occasions.
The present Commander, II. G. Pu-
rinton, is a veteran of three wars. He
served in the civil war as a private. in
the Spanish War as Major of the I'd
Ill. Vols, and in the Philippine War as
Captain in the 29th U. S. Vols. Maj.
Purinton is a good drilimaster and a
strict disciplinarjan, and under his
| leadership the Post has gained Ma
| tional reputation for proficiency in mil
| itary evolutions.
! 1t was a spectacular demonstration
| to look upon As years after the boom of
| the first gun to usher in that mighty
conflict between the States had died
away in the echoes of the historical
past those survivors Of that unparal-
| leled conflict marching with a firm step,
| proud and erect bearing to the inspir-
! ing strains of a good band between
dense lines of their admiring country
men, whose shouts of applause rent the
air and made the welkin ring again
and again.
| The writer stood at the intersection
| of cross sties: with the line OF parade
| and near a bevy of handsome young
| Minneapolis damsels. whose demonstra-
tions of delight as the veterans with tho
white helmets approached set all the
| spectators in that vicinity aflame with
unbounded enthusiasm. At the head o,
the column, abreast of and on the right
/ Of the Commander, came the righ
guide or First Sergeant. former
member of the United States Zouavt
! Cadets, a military company the pride
and glory Of Chicago when the war ol
the rebellion broke out, commanded by
Col. Ellsworth, who was killed at Alex.
andria, Va. in 1861, in the Marshal
House, by Jackson, the proprietor. I'm
mediately following the First Sergean
came several squads of men over siI
feet two inches in height, of magnif
cent physique and well proportional
and with eyes straight to the front, un
mindful, SO far as outward appearance
went, of the plaudits of the crowd
; which lined the walks on both sides o
= the streets, and with almost perfec
! alinement they covered the entire dis
tance of the line Of march without an,
Indication of fatigue. Notwithstanding
the weather was intensely hot.
Columbia Post has a National repu
tation FOR its hospitality. At the ais
National Encampment. held at Buffalo
NJ Y, II gave a banquet to PresIden
Mckinley and his Cabinet, and eve
since it's organization has made IL
5 practice to entertain Grand Army Post
at its headquarters wherever the Ma
> tional Encampment is held. Long liv
4 tho men of Columbia Post. May thei
cleaning brass spikes. pointing stradgh
l upward, be an inspiration to all goo,
!. citizens of this great Republic to b.
true to its cherished Institutions. an,
. may they appear on parade for years t,
, come.