The National tribune., 1906-11-08
THE SPANISH WAR VETERANS.
GREAT SUCCESS OF THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT AT WASH.
d NGTON.
Pleasant Reunions Enjoyable ospitaes Exhibitions Of Faer
nal FeeIngs-Memorabe Incidents Important Legislation.
q Gratifying Growth of the Great Order

The third Annual Encampment OF
the United Spanish War Veterans.
which was held in Washington the
week beginning Oct. 8, has passed into
history as the most successful meeting
of the soldiers of 1898 yet held. The
Armory of the National Guard of the
District of Columbia, in which the ses-
sions were held. was invariably crowd
ed to its seating capacity. The build
fngs along Pennsylvania avenue. the
main thoroughfare of the National
Capital, were ablaze with the tri-color
of "Old Glory" and on every hand
appeared the hospitable legend, "Wel-
come. Spanish War Veterans"
The grim and gray veterans of the
civil war were here in considerable
numbers, too, and the welcome they
received from the younger soldiers of
the Republic was a warm and hearty
one. The blue and gray uniforms of
the soldiers of the war with Spain
were in evidence thruout the city, and
all Washington was astir with the SOL
dierly hustle.
The parade on the afternoon of the
second day was one of the marked fea-
tLses of the Encampment. The De-
der the command of B. P. Entrikin.
Department Commander, was given the
position of honor in the marching col
umn of veteran soldiers. 1t was on the
right of the veteran division. Follow
ing it came the United Spanish War
Veterans frGm the States and then the
Department of the District of Column
bia, at the head of which marched De-
partment Commander J. Walter Mitch
ell and his staff.
The Grand Marshal of the parade was
Col. NJ. Emmet Urell, a veteran of two
Spain. Col. Urell was desperately
wounded while serving in a New York
regiment at second Bull Run, and was
left on the field for dead. He finally
partially recovered, and re-entered the
service of his country, serving until
nearly the close of the war. He is
member of the Medal of Honor Legion
and Past Coramander-in-Chi of the
Spanish War Veterans.
Gen. Geo. H. Harries, commanding
the District of Columbia National
Guard, was Marshal of the military di-
vision. Maj. Fred s. Hodgson of the
veteran division, and Capt. Lee NJ. Lips
;. comb of the second or semi-military
and civic division.
/ The parade was pronounced to be
one of the best ever witnessed in
4 Washington. 1t was marked by one
I fatality at least. Maj. ]. H. Stine, who
( served as private in the 18th Ind in
the civil war, being seriously younded,
died on the day following the parade
as a result of marching in the column
/ Of Grand Army members. He was a
member of Old Guard Post of Dayton,
o., but held Government position in
Washington.
The Campfire.
/ The Campfire which was held Monday
night, Oct. 8, in the Armory. of the
Washington Light Infantry, was thet
largest soldier meeting ever held in this
city. approximately $500 men were in
attendance. The guests of honor were
Commander 3. P. Entrikin, of the De- |
partment of the Potomac, G. A. r., and
his staff, accompanied by members of
the Department, and ''The Old Guard,"l
its military escort. -
These venerable veterans were most |
heartily welcomed to the Campfire of
the young soldiers of the Spanish War
by Capt J. Walter Mitchell Command |
er of the District OF Columbia Depart
ment of the Spanish War Veterans, ana |
who was the presiding officer of the i
celebration. Commander Mitchell paid
high tribute to the soldiers of 1861
1865. He said in part:
Your young comrades of the war of i
1898 extend their warmest greetings to
the grim and gray fighters of the COS. |
mere IN the COlum Dld the |
boys of the War with Spain love the |
grand old heroes who marched and
fought with Grant and Sherman and
RosecranS and other notable command |
ers of the old armies in blue. Theyl
taught us lesson in valor and endur- I,
ance that We profited by in Cuba the |
Philippines and China, and had it been |
necessary in 1898 to have fought a COM
bination of European powers, we would |
have had the object lesson of 1876 |
before US as our guiding star and our
inspiration to have fought and won big |
battles. Now, in the piping days of
peace we still follow the lead of the |
elderly veterans of the civil war and
will take up their glorious work OF
patriotism as heritage when they lay |
1t down to answer the last roll call and |
the final earthly taps"
Commander Entrikin followed. and
told the young soldiers that the older |
ones of the days of fire and smoke in |
the SOS appreciated the cordial well |
come and comradely words that had
been spoken.
Col. Benjamin F. Chase and other
members of the G. A. r. spoke, and
one of the prettiest incidents of En-
campment week followed. Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee Camp of Spanish War Vet
erans, from Richmond. Va, fresh from
the railroad train that brought them
20 Washington, marched into the hall
clad in the fighting service uniform of 1
the American soldiers Of '9S. They
took position in front Of the speakers
platform, and We're greeted by Com
mander Entrikin, OF the G. A r. Hal
said he was glad to be presented to the
young men of Virginia against whose
fathers he had fought in the civil war.
1t gave him geat pleasure, he added,
to be with those boys now clad in the
Union blue and marshaled under the
folds of "Old Glory"
Commander Alexander Sands and
Capt. Geo. N. Skipwith, of the Rich
mond Camp. responded, and feelinglvi
told of their devotion to the great
Union and the Flag against which their
fathers had fought.
Another pleasant feature of Encamp-l
ment week was the excursion down the |
historic Potomac on the steamer Queen
Anne. On board were Grand Army
veterans and their ladies'; Spanish War
soldiers and their wives, mothers |
daughters, sisters and sweethearts, and
the ladies of the National Auxiliary to |
the United Spanish War Veterans, and |
the local AuxiIiaries. There was a gen. !
eral commingling of the clans, and a |
social four hours We're spent on the |
broad bosom of the river which is so |
fraught with civil war episodes and
experiences in the days that tried |
mems souls"
The Banquet.
Other features of the week We're nil |
grimages to Arlington, where sleep so |
many soldiers of the civil war and tho