Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-19
Ready for Their 44th G.
4. R. Encampment.
Big Crowd Has Already As
sembled al Atlantic City.


Atlantic City, N. j.. Sept. 1s.-The ho-
with old soldiers and their families
who are here to attend the 44tn annu-
al encampment of the Grand Army OF
the Republic. Every train today
brought additions to the crowd which
arrived last week. Five thousand vet
Grams gathered in the Savoy theater
this morning and listened to patriotic
sermon delivered by Rev. Robert A.
Flood chaplain of the department OF
Pennsylvania Chief
Samuel Van SAINT, members of his
staff, and Mayor Franklin P. Stoy were
on the platform.
The Philadelphia brigade survivors
reached here today and reviewed the
Gettysburg Post of Boston, which ar
rived on a later train. The Philadel-
phians then escorted the New Eng
landers to their hotel
Commander Van SAINT and Hilary A.
Herbert Of Alabama, formerly secre-
tary Of the navy and an officer in the
Confederate army, were the principal
speakers at a large gathering of vet
Grams on the Steeplechase pier this
afternoon. After a short address by
the chief, Gen. Norbert
eulogized the members of the Grand
Army and the commander. He re-
scribed how the wearers of the blue
and the wearers of the gray were being
welded together for the cause of the
Union.
COMMUNICATIVE Chief Van SAINT and Gen.
Daniel f. Sickels both said they would
work for the proposition advanced by ex-
Secretary Herbert to bring veterans of
the North and South together. He will
bring it up before the G. A. r. veterans
later in the week. 1t is believed this dem
onstration of friendly feeling will end the
feeling against the action of placing the
statue of General Robert E. Lee in Stat
uary hall.
A remarkable scene occurred with the
entrance of Gen. Sickles in the Audito-
rum. AS he swung down the aisle with
a pinned up trouser leg. giving mute evil
dence of his heroism, the veterans arose
as one man and four of his command lift
ed him, chair and all. and placed him on
the platform while the commander-in-
chiefs band played Dixie" and the
the folds of a huge silk flag with Com
mander Van SAINT, Gen. Herbert stepped
up and. laying one hand on the shoulder
OF the grlzzled veteran and the other on
the flag, said:
Had | been told when I was in Ante
tam that in the years to come I would
stand side by side with Federal soldiers
and grasp the Stars and Stripes with
them would have been insulted. But
love the old flag now
Commander Van SAINT paid deep trib-
ute to the Southern veterans. saying that
he was glad to meet them on friendly
terms and that he had no desire to meet
them again in war. He declared he was
proud of the fact that no American army
ever surrendered to anything but another
American army and repeated that there
was no longer North and South. but
that they were all one great American
people.
A slight hutter of applause greeted men,
tion of Col. Roosevelt during the G. A. r.
Leaders, address. Thereafter he refrain
ed from abiding to the former President.
The name of President Taft was not men
toned
Members of the Gettysburg Post at
tended in a body. Among those who
occupied seats on the platform were Eli
Torrance, past commander-in chief:
Col Freedom of Kentucky. Col. Will
liam l.. Clark of Chambersburg, Pa:
former Governor w. l.. Sims of Mis-
sissippi: Col. W. L. Brown of Lynch
burg. Va: Gen. n. G. Puzzini of
Richmond and Col. p. Q. Shelton o.
Boston.
The pulpits of almost every church in
the city were occupied by visiting min
listers who are members of the Grand
Army.