The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-05-30
Spasmodic Downpours Could
Not Dampen Old Spirit of
Fire Among Veterans.
PASS IN REVIEW BEFORE
STAR ON COUNTERMARCH
Military Pageant Grandest Wit
messed in Newark, and Police
Arrangements Faultless.


at Gettysburg; they lay eight days in
the water-soaked trenches about Vicks-
burg; they fought two days in a blind
ing snowstorm at Fredericksburg; they
lcampaigned for weeks in the orneriest
weather old Jupiter Pluyius ever
turned loose about the Wilderness-that
is, the pathetically few that are left
of them did-and how about that march
with Sherman to the sea when there
was nothing but weather? SO why
should little May shower interfere
with the one glory that is left to them?
1t did not. The Grand Army of the
Republic, grander in its pitifully de-
creasing numbers, marched today with
the spirit which led them to save the
Union. but while the spirit was active
the flesh was weak, the step fettered
by age. Many an old veteran paraded
up and down Broad street today, his
back crooked and his steps stumbling
over the rough paving blocks, but his
head was up, the old fire was in his
eye-and he would be now among the
first to answer the nations call to
arms.
How many were in line? A news
paper always thinks it must tell how
many marched in a parade. But, the
numbers in this parade-the numbers
you could see--were of almost minor
Importance. One post went by with
only eleven members. Ten years ago
that post paraded 112 strong. Five
years ago there were only forty one in
line-today eleven. Next year =?
Spirit of 'G1 There.
But the spirit of the Grand Army of
the Republc--let us not profane it by
calling it the G. A. R.-was there,
as though Lincoln had issued his first
call for 100000 strong.
Rain was minor matter to these
remaining veterans, these old fellows
who in few years will not make a pa
rade long enough to reach from Market
to Bank street.
But when they are all gone and you
do not need more fingers than you
have to count the years. the parade
will go on every year. There will be
great military bodies in the line, just
as there were today: there will be
wagons loaded with flowers for their
graves just as they took wagonloads
of blossoms today for the graves of
the comrades who have gone before
them; children trained in the manual
of arms will march as children, and |
when they grow up they will con-
tinue to march-only it will not be the
Grand Army of the Republic. 1t will
be something like the society of the
Grand Army Of the Republic, or the
spirit of the Grand Army of the Re-
public The name will not make much |
difference It will be to commemorate |
what the Grand Army did and to inn |
mortalize that army.
To mention each post might be to |
slight another. They were all there, |
and those who were too old or feeble |
to walk had carriages. The rain, which |
at times came down in sheets and at
other times drizzled. did not deter
them.
Best Ever, Despite Rain.
The veterans, with their consort of
militia, police-those police are a fine
lot of nen-and other marching bodies, |
formed what was conceded to be the |
finest, the largest and the best Memorial
Day parade ever held in Newark. After
the police regiment, which made dis |
tinct impression, and the National |
Guard. trim and dandy, in khaki, had |
passed, the first of the Civil War vet |
erans came. The rain soaked their bent
backs and dripped from their broad |
brirnmed, gold banded hats. But proud
ly they marched, many man who daily |
carries a cane to support his declining
years, today disdaining such help.
"Well, well, there's what's left Of
Sheridan Post No, no." man in the
crowd said Notice every one of them
has white hair. l can recall not so
many years ago when their hair was
dark and they were big, stalwart men.
Age is the thing that gets them when
the bullets fail.
Times MutabIe Hand.
It was the same all down the line.
The inevitable change was noticed. |
lrhere'n not be another showing of the
Grand Army of the Republic like this.
Then marched down Broad street to
Lincoln Park, and they then turned |
around and came back-rain, rain,
rain, all the time.
When in front of THE EVENING
STAR office the police regiment,
headed by Chief Corbett. lined up at
the curb. and. with their batons at
-Exesent arms" they reviewed the bal
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