Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1906-09-06
G. A. R.
As They Go Down to "The River u
Let Us Make Their Pathway as
Smooth as Possible
FOURTEENTH ENcAMpMENr
As Seen at Minneapolis by a Journal
Representative

As Seen at Minneapolis by a Journal
Representative
Taking the word of the old soldiers,
the encampment at Minneapolis was
the greatest of their many assemblages
|-greatest in its many happy sur
roundings.
As to numbers, though they were
older, infirmer, feebler, they answered
in muster roll on the march fourteen
thousand one hundred and forty mine;
an army, or the Representatives of a
greater army unconquered and I'M
conquerable. OF course they were but
fragments broken fragment of q
mighty host; but it was easy to be
seen that they were of that stern solid
stuff of which the minute men of Bos-
ton and the sufferers of Valley Forge
were made.
The American people will never see
grander army than that of the Poto-
mac, the Cumberland and of the West.
All the great generals are gone-Grant,
Sherman, Mcclellan, Meade, Han
cock, Sheridan, Schofield, and others,
too, only less worthy Of mention. The
soldiers on whom they rested, with
whom they fought-they remain, these
fourteen Thousand one hundred and
forty-nine, and they are yet able to
uphold and defend their country and
mount guard if need be. Some of them
were in the Spanish war: or what Is
more their sons, and perhaps their
sons sons. The spirit of '76 lie the
same as the spirit of 1860 and of 'O6.
To have seen the veterans in march
in August, 1906, is to have witnessed
one of the grandest sights possible.
No triumphal march on the Appian
Way equalled it. The glory of the
Army of the Republic is the glory of
the world and of Liberty and Of Law.
Henceforth and forever there will be
no lash, no chains, no slaves, no mas
ter. In our land there is no North, no
South. We are all brethren of ono
blood. That was and is the accom-
plishment of the Army of the Repub-
lie.
Minneapolis excelled all other cities
in the care of these great soldiers. Let
Minnesotans everywhere be proud of
this fact. From the day they began
to gather, to their solitary scattering
throughout the land, they were look
ed after. No pains or money were
spared to care for them by individuals,
posts or companies. They were enter
tanned in hotels, school houses, tents
and welcome guests in private homes,
and princely palaces. Minneapolis
threw wide her arms and clasped them
to her breast in warm embrace. No
soldier WAS houseless or homeless
OF them j. Adam Bede has voiced
the growing sentiment that "The lit
tie brown button of the Army of the
Republic shines with a brighter lustre
and more ettulgent glory than the
star of general or the diadem of q
Caesar and my blessing upon the man
who wears it,"
1t is reckoned that the population of
Minneapolis was swelled that day by
more than quarter of million peo-
pie. Minnesota turned out from all its
towns and cities to extend glad well
come.
The soldiers marched-and how we'll
they marched under the old flag tat
tered and torn by shot and shell! There
were black men from the south who
had fought as bravely as those at San
Juan with Roosevelt. Six states sent
over thousand men each. One of
them was distant but glorious Penn
sylvania that gave our president a
majority in the election Of over eight
hundred thousand votes.
There was the Bucktail regiment
with bucktails in their hats. There
was the Iron brigade from Wisconsin,
aud the regiment that carried the bald
eagle, "Old Abe" There was the fam
Gus corps that captured Jeff Davis.
Why, there was wilderness of hon
ored men representing every field of
battle, and likewise Farragut on the
sea.
There were the sailor and the lands.
man, shoulder to shoulder, and step
with step, and what scene! When
the old Minnesota First stepped into
line--the men of Gettysburg-the men
who won the day-the men that. few
in numbers, charged an army, broke
through it, dubbed their guns and
charged back. leaving more than two
thirds dead and wounded, and what
shall we say of that? Tears and sill
ence more welcomed these brave COM
rades of war and death than shouts of
praise.
Amidst the bravest of the brave,
Minnesota has no cause to be ashamed
Of her sons-her bows of go. When
JIG SiCoG OClCS0UlOuO VI SOlOIhuO lOCluou
into line and the magnificent band of
Denver of one hundred or more men
in uniform of red and black, struck up
the hymn, Onward, Christian Sol.
diers, Marching as to war, with the
Cross of Jesus going on Before" it
seemed as if the climax of all present
glories was reached. The trumpets
filled the air with militant strains of
triumph. 1t seemed as if the Millen-
ium had come when, forming into the
fashion of living cross, they still
poured forth with voluminous sound,
Onward Christian Soldiers" The
old flag that never flew but to victory
unwrapped its folds to the breeze and
tie people that had shouted itself
hoarse grew suddenly silent and voice
less as though it had seen or felt q
great omen had come-an omen of the
| victory of Liberty and Law under the
leadership of Christ.
Footsore, aged, weary, worn in body
and limbs, the Old Soldiers will never
march again. Therefore the wondrous
scene at Minneapolis will never be re-
peated.