The National tribune., 1907-09-19

how to obey orders. What If, 1t rained
What If 1t had rainedl mimic balls AMI
canister? The order was to march, and
they would have marched and obeyed
orders even as In days of yore they ad-
vanced to the very mouthsI of blazing,
belching cannon, when thee command
was "Forward-Charge." Ed
In every section ofIfhat column os
bedraggled, rain-soaked r veterans
marching to the notes Of patriotic
music. were pathetic pictures pre-
sented. Here n venerables' comrade,
lame and limping, being assisted along
by more sturdy comsade slwhO ha6
placed mis- right arm affectionately
about the weaker brother There u
survivor of 81, bowed with the weight
of four score years, trudGing slowly
along, assisting locOmotiol with the aid
of staff and vainly trying to keep
step with Tramp. Tramp, Tramp, the
Boys are Marching"
Singing ns They Marched.
Suddenly there is bnrhc along the
line the sound of song as 4 New York
are wet but happy, and they are sing
ing as they march the words of the
popular song, so well adapted to the
occasion:
wait till the sun shines, Nellie,
And the clouds go drifting by.
We will be happy, Nellie
You and l."
The foregoing sunshine song seemed TO
vie in popularity with the old wartime
melodies. and many of the bands play
ed it as they swung past the reviewing
stand. Another popular song that was
played by the bands AMI sung 10y the
marching vets along the line of march
was John Browns Body j, was ex-
planned that the reason for this was
that in the heart of the Adirondacks.
at North Elba, near Saratoga Springs.
with the tall mountains as sentinels
keeping eternal vigil, John Browns
body lies a-mouldering in the grave"
There were tears as well as cheers
that greeted the marching veterans as
they passed along in the piti:ess fall
of rain. The scene was one that woul1
move heart Of flint. ana the impulse
to bare the head was general as the
fighting men OF Grant and Sherman,
Sheridan and Pap Thomas and other
great commanders passed along in
grim review before the assembled
thousands.
The Formation.
At the point of formation of the pa
rade the picture presented to Ma
tional Tribune representative Vas
an inspiring one. On the wide lawns,
with their rolling ground and back
ground of trees-an ideal spot for an
army formation-it seemed that one
OF the great tragedies of the civil war
was to be enacted: that the regiments
in blue were preparing to form line of
battle before the beginning of hostili-
ties. This scene is said to have caused
many of the veteran soldiers to go
backward in memory to the days of
fire and smoke at that trying period
just before the battle.
As the departments were hurrying
to the place of formation the report
of three guns sounded. announcing that
1t was / O'Clock. and the parade was
but an hour away. AT 1: 80 two can
non shots announced that Commander
in-Chief r. T.. Brown was on his way
to the park, escorted by Lafayette Post,
140. of New York. r.. -a
AS single cannon shot -loomeh II
o'clock for the parade to start. il
also seemed to be signal to Jupiter
Pluvius to unloosen his, foodgates. for
the cold rain descended in, torrents
upon the heads of the devoted veter-
ans. The formation of the line was in
terfered with and many of the old SOL
diers, unable to stand the double strain
of exertion and the elements, dropped
out of line and sought shelter Thus,
the line, tho long and, imposing WAS
not nearly as long as it would have
been under more favorable circum-
stances
Many of the marchers carried Inn
brellas and some had provided them
selves with rain coats, but the greatest
number wore only their G. A. r. un-
iforms. which afforded but scant pro-
lection from the storm.
AS result of the rain, too, the for
nation as announced in the printed
programs could not be strictly carried
out.
AS the reverberations of the signal
gun were rolling over the New York
hills the procession began to move.
The veterans seemed to forget their age
and infirmities for the nonce. and for
the moment the vigor of the youthful
manhood of more than 40 years ago
returned to them. and they ste Jped out
briskly to the sound of drum and fife
and blaring horn.
The Commander-in-Chicf ut the Head
First came Commander-in-Chief
Robert Bruce Brown, mounted on a.
spirited steed. With him. also mounted.
We're members of his staff and National
officers, in all As men. Then came Gov
Hughes, of New York, and his staff
in carriages.
Immediately behind this cavaIcade
marched the Department Of Illinois,
headed by its Commander and his staff.
mounted. line of wartime drum
mers and ffers played The Girl Il
Lett EeilIHu MIC, ana Otter war fllnc.;, |
at the head of the Illnoisans, and a !
stalwart color-bearer carried the Union
Jack. Post No. /. of Rockford, was
headed by three venerable drun1mers,
beating airs they used to beat down in
Old Virginia more than two score years
ago. The color guard of Post No. /,
was composed of line of veterans,
carrying wartime muskets with which
the Union forces blazed their way from
Bull Run to Appomattox and down
from Atlanta to the sea. A young w1-
man in picturesque sarb marched with
Rockford Post as its mascot and sopn-
Sor.
Wisconsin came next with aoou- 30Ol
veterans, most Of them Carrying UNI
breilas ana then came long gap in
the marching column.
Then. W in its baHd playing a lively
air, came thr great Depaitn:el:t If
Pennsylvania. headed BY its Old Guard.
wearing bearslSin shakos and grena-
der uniforms Of white coats and blue
trousers. This Department also car
ried about 40 massed battle flag; that
had been torn by SHOT and shell in per |
haps every battle of the war of the
rebellion. These sacred relics were
guarded by detail Of philadelphia
veterans carrying old army muskets.
ana preceded by wartime tairua,a,,rs
nj.