The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1911-09-07
CONSPICUOUS IN THE IMPOSING
PARADE OF OLD UNION SOL
DIERS.
Douglass Monument
scene of Exercises Held in Memory
OF Anti-Slavery Leader, and Pro-
gram is Rendered at Church.
(New York Age.)

Rochester, N. Y, Aug. 29-The an
nual encampment of the Grand Army
of the Republic always draws thous-
ands upon thousands Of visitors to
to review year by year the fragment
of the once great army which respon-
1t is estimated that fully five hun-
dred Negroes including the colored
veterans, their families and friends
were In attendance.
Each year as this remarkable host
dW1ndles In numbers the enthusiasm
correspondingly rises, and to many
who witnessed that last memorable
45th annual parade 1t was a spectacle
the like Of which will never be wit
messed again, for all that remains of
that grand army is rapidly passing
away and soon nothing but the mem
orles Of the last few parades, the
memories Of the brave deeds and
heroic soldiers will be read only in
the history Of our Republic. No his
tory Of any Grand Army meeting
could be replete without the history
Of the Negro soldier and his part in
that grand host
The Trooping of Color.
The program from start to finish
was filled with interest. The Begin
ming of the ceremonies was the troop
ing of colors" Two hundred stand
ard-bearers, carrying the battered old
flags, marched into the great convetf
tion hall and went through the cere-
mony, first dipping the colors in hon
OF of their commander-in-chief, then
in honor Of the veterans of the c.. A.
r. Thu tbiUrs were then stacked at
the rear of the stage. Gov. John A.
Dix thep gave the address Of well
come, speaking In highest terms of the
G. A. r.
The most interesting ceremonies,
pertaining to the race was held at the
monument Of Frederick Douglass,
near the New York Central Station.
Miss Celesta Washington, of New
Orleans placed upon thet monument a
wreath, the gift of colored veterans
of Mississippi and Louisiana. His
toric A. M. E. Zion Church, Favor
street, kept open house and was the
headquarters for the colored veterans
and ladies of the G.. A. r. This
church was organized in 1927. Here
in 1849 the North Star" was edited
by Frederick Douglass. There in 1850
John Brown made one of his famous
speeches, Here was one Of the sta
tons Of the underground" railroad,
and here Harriet Tubman, the great
liberator, conducted many slaves OH
the road to freedom.
Souvenirs Of Frederick Douglass Sold
The pastor, Rev. J. w. Brown, is a
type Of one of the wide-awake, pro-
gressive ministers, keeping in touch
with the spirit of the times and the
needs of his people. Much in evidence
were G. A. r. badges, Douglass monu-
ment souvenirs, post cards and photos
Of Frederick Douglass. The Douglass
monument souvenirs gave q complete
history Of the great memorial to the
late Frederick Douglass and interest
ing Incidents In his life.
The greatest feature of the encamp-
mcnt was the grand parade. 1t Is
estimated that fully $4,000 veterans
were in line. There were 80 Negro
boys" in line, and nearly every de-
partment carried a few. They came
by twos and threes and fours, until
the Department of the Potomac swung
past with twenty-one men in line, led
by the son Of Frederick Douglass,
Maj Charles Douglass, who looked the
picture of his illustrious father, with
pure white hair, his shoulders erect,
walking every inch a soldier, amids
enthusiastic cheers and applause
Thirty-Four Negro Veterans March.
The next great number Of Negro SOL
diers were the Departments of Louis
lana and Mississippi with thirty-four
men in line, headed by that grand old
man, Col. james Lewis, and Comrade
James IL. Wolff. Each carried q long
sugar cane stalk, tipped with branch
Of cotton in full bloom. Tattered and
torn flags, bent forms and tottering
steps tell better than words the story
Of '61-'65; and on they went past the
reviewing stand occupied by President
Taft.
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