Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-08-28
HOST TO
UNION VETERANS
Forty Seventh Annual En.
scampment Of GA. R. to- be-
]. !. Held IN CHATTANOOGA

"A. a. Held 10 Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tenn, Aug. 27.-When
the Grand Army of the Republic
meets here on September, Is for its
forty-seventh national encampment,
- will be the first time in history
that such an encampnent is held in
the real south. 1t is true, n ma
tional encampment was held in Louis
vile, but that city was really too far
north and too far removed from the
actual seat of the war to be consid-
cred al part Of the real solth. 1t is
different with Chattanooga, the imme-
date vicinity Of which was the scene
Of some of the bloodiest battles OF
the Civil war, including Chickamau-
ga, Lookout Mountain, Orchard Knob
and Missionary Ridge.
Undoubtedly, there was a time
when the selection of Chattanooga as
the place Of the gathering would have
been fatal to the success of a Grand
Army encampment. During the first
fifteen or more years after the close
of the war there vas still enough of
the intense popular. feeling against
the north left among the inipoverish-
ed people of the south to make the
selection of a real southern city as
the place for holding a Grand Army
eLcampment a matter Of doubtful
judgment. There would probably
have been no hostile demonstrations
on the part of the southerners-south.
ern hospitality would not have per.
mitted that-butS there would have
been embarrassment on both sides
and Unavoidable friction. But time
has worked marvellous changes. The
| old time antagonism has been wiped
out; great national problems, com,
mon national dangers have brought
the north and the south closer togeth-
er; a clearer recognition of the mutu-
ality Of their interests cemented the
! fractures and c%onradeship in the
! camps and upon the battleields of
the Spanish-American war: strengths,
ened the bondsa0f3friendship and 10y.
atty between the north and the south
more than anything else could have
done. y T.
1t was no longer a matter of doubt.
full taste and judgment when it was
decided to hold the forty-seventh an.
nual encampment Of the Grand Army
of the Republic In this city, but a rec.
ognitiOn of, the fact that the chasm
once separating the north from the
south is now closed forever Instead
of being embarrassed by the choice
OF their city the people of Chatta
nooga are delighted with the prospect
| of being the hosts of their former
foes for a period Of five days, begin
ming September Is. Ever since the
announcement Of the choice was
made the citizens Of Chattanooga
have outdone themselves in preparing
with true southern hospitality for
their visitors.
Since the war the membership OF
the Grand Army has dwindled CON
siderably and in late years the at
tendance at the national encamp-
ments showed Unmarked decline. But
there lis every reason to believe that
the selection Of Chattanooga as the:
4 plaGegfor the elcampnent will have.
discriminating effect upon the attend
ance and that the number Of members
and visitors at the coming gathering
will greatly surpass that of many
previous national encampnents.
Correspondents received by Gen,
Alfred Beers Of Bridgeport, Conn.,,
commander.in.clief of the Grand Ar.
my Of the Republic, indicated extraor-
binary interest lin Grand Army cir
cles throughout. the country in the
coming encampment. The interest
manifested is particularly great
among the thousands OF veterans who
have taken part in the numerous bat
ties in the vicinity of Chattanooga.
Many Of them have never had an op.
%portunity> to revisit the historical bat
tletields and they are highly pleased
at the prospect Of returning as Wis.
itors to the scenes Sc vivid in their
memories of the bloody war.
The, preparations for the encamp,
ment are progressing rapidly and
with enthusiasm. New features of en-.
terrain :nent, calculated to please the
visitors. are constantly added to a
program already overflowing with in
teresting and pleasing features. There
will be visits to the famous battle
fields around the city; fireworks and
nightly signatures on Lookout Noun.
tain and the other heights in the VIC
Unity, regimental and state reunions
rt various points Of interest in the
surroundings Of Chattanooga, easily
reached by street cars or automo
biles; there will be hydro-aeroplane
exhibitions on the Tennessee river
steamboat excursions and a sham bat.
tile at Chickamauga park.
Various auxiliary organizations OF
the G. A. R. will also hold their ma.
tional. gatherings during the encaynp-
ment week and the city will be crowd.
ed with visitors during that week.
There need be no fear, however, that
the city will be unable to take care
Of their visitors. There are many
Eha9GesGWfaEE go +15GSl