The Washington herald., 1911-04-11

Clark, Col. G. c. Kniffin. E. w. Wood
and Col John A. Joyce.
Visit the President.
Promptly at 2:3O o'clock the buglel
footed several ta-rahs, the officers waved
their swords. and the long line Of parade
came to halt on the east side of the
White House. The veterans, in hacks
and carriages. clambered out and formed
in line to shake hands with the Presi-
dent.
Mr.. Taft was glad to see them. He
said so in a nice little speech. He shook
hands cordially with each Of the SCARED
band and congratulated them not only
ances on the field of battle and on their
EFFORTS toward good citizenship since the
war.
The President was impressed with the
age of the survivors. He told them il
their appearance justified their age, they
must have been received at the Execu-
tive Mansion in the days when Abraham
Lincoln lived there. The old soldiers. it
might be said, are proud of their gray
and time-worn aspect, although there
are still vigorous lads among their
ranks
The small band looked happy when
they left the East Room, where Mr.. Taft
had received them. Their faces were
wreathed in smiles, and they talked
about their President in a way that
would have made him happy could he
have heard them
He treated US like brothers." they
said in unison.
Take In March,
Clambering back in the vehicles. the
veterans started down to the District
Building to see the city fathers" The
band played some more martial music
and the boys of the National Guard
picked themselves from the roadside.
where they were enjoying a little period
of grass sitting" shouldered their sure
enough guns, and fell in line. The big
field pieces followed. The crowd cheered.
Down the street went the procession
Stopping in front of the District Build
ing, the veterans left their Conveyances
and disappeared in the building. Com
missioner Rudolph and Maj. Judson re-
ceived them in the assembly hall, on the
fifth floor. Trimmed though the ranks
may be, there were enough to fill the
hall.
Capt. J. Tyler Powell. one of the two
surviving captains who commanded the
thirty-eight companies of volunteers in
1861, and marshal of the parade, addressed
the Commissioners in the name of his
comrades.
After complimenting the Commissioners
on the work they had done to beautify
the city, Capt. Powell said ne could re-
member the time when the streets were
filled with mud holes, the curb stones
III, 81
was not THE City Beautiful" He re-
ferred to Gov. Shepherd as the man who
had reha bilitated the Capital, and told
of the great municipal work accomplished
by him.
Powell Wants Statue.
Capt. Powell saved a mild bomb until
his closing remarks.
Mr.. Commissioners" he said. there
are in this city statues to generals and
civilians. Every State has
erected like statues to its honored ones.
The soldiers have not been forgotten.
But the District of Columbia has en-
tirely ignored the volunteers of 81.
These dead heroes graves are unmark-
ed by monuments, and, as voicing the
sentiments of my compatriots. l ask If
some action cannot be taken to erect in
Washington a suitable memorial to the
soldier dead OF our organization"
Capt. Powelrs plea met with hearty
applause on the part of those present.
answer the question which means. they
said. so much to the veterans.
Commissioner Rudolph said in part:
April 10. 1T5. a group of seventy
'embattled farmers opposed themselves
in arms against oppression, and fired
the shot heard round the world as an
overt protest against the policy of the
mother country toward its American
colonies.
District Has Heroes.
NO less heroic was the conduct OF the
volunteers from the District of Columbia,
who. on the 10th of April, 1861. and i'm
nediately thereafter. offered their as
sistsnce to the government of the United
States and were sworn into the military
service as the first defenders of their
in its hour of need.
1T is hard to realize the embarrass-
nents to which the defenders were
or the resolution required on
heir part to hazard the loss Of prop
erty. business. friendships. and life in
cause whose outcome was then so
orecarious. To their honor be it said
hat they did not hesitate, but, like the
athers of old. offered on the altar of
luty their lives and fortunes and their
sacred honor, and they deserve the most
Effective recognition that their country
an bestow."
After the ceremonies at the District
Building, the parade marched down Penn
ylvania avenue to the City Hall, where |
I disbanded. The veterans hurried to