The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-30
Fannie Crosby COmmIssiOnssBridgepOn Bring Her SOuvenirfrom Historic. Bai- lie Ground-TWO Score BridgepO1ersi on the Trip-The'SCene Al Geuysburg Today As Ancient Foes Shake Hands in Spirit of Peace

Shouldering canes and umbrellas as they shouldered muskets fifty years ago, nearly forty survivors of the bat tie of Gettysburg marched down Main street to the railroad station at 9:30 this morning on the way to take their special train to attend the Both an- niversary observance of the battle. The Lincoln school drum corps play ing tunes to which the veterans march ed in wartime, headed the little pro- cession and the gray haired men threw out their chests and tried to step. out with the youthful spring and vigor of their soldier days.
 Veterans from Danbury and other places in the western part of Fair field county came to Bridgeport early to take the special train from here. Veterans from all other sections of the state gathered in New Haven. Those in the Bridgeport party were:' Russell Glenn, Adjutant William Bar mum Quartermaster Charles D. Cur tts, William p Burroughs, Edward A. Holste, William R. French, Otis G. Lewis. Atwood A.sLinsley, William A. Johnson, Harlan P Rugg, Francis A. King, John Geatly, Nathan Sloane, Edward Geltsenn, Henry North, Chas. A. Hurlburt, F. c. Booth, William w. Beers, George Hale. Se1ah I. Blake man, Horace E. Thresher, George E. Underwood, John Brown, Patrick Kel-
 
 Krewson, Marcus B. Warner, Theo- dore Rowe. Robert Douglas, Albert F. Fargo, David T. Morgan, c. D. Wal lace, David M. Laclkie, John Beck, Samuel Thorpe, John Neff, Dr. George L. Porter, George D. Phillips, Horace Plumb, Charles Sherwood and Robert Wolfe.
 Past Commander of Elias Howe, Jr. post, Charles E.. Moore, headed the drum corps. and Post Commander Francis M Wilder and Patriotic In structor Thompson the detail of Grand Army men who acted as escort to the veterans who went to Gettysburg. To the tune of ftRal1y Round the Flag Boys" the little band marched up Main street to Golden Hill street and to the railroad station. Along the line of march women waved their handkerchiefs and men removed thelf hats and cheered.
 Besides the escort of their comrades the Gettysburg veterans were accom- panied by an escort of members or Nathaniel Bishop camp, D. s. w. V. and Franklin Bartlett camp, s. of V. At the railroad station at least zOoo persons had gathered to see the vet erans off Some veterans of the fla nous battle had seen each other but few times since they were mustered out at the close of the war.
 They marched on the depot plat form amid Ch66TS 1rOIn the C4OW0 sembled. As they broke ranks to wait for the coming of the special train, Comrade c. B. Moore distrib- uted cigars among the veterans with the compliments of the members or Nathaniel Bishop camp, U. s. w V. BeA5amin F. Root, for many years a clerk in the stamp department at the postoffice presented each veteran who went to Gettysburg a. new Lin coin penny for souvenir. Shaklng hands with each veteran in turn MT. Root said:
 s.Keep this little souvenir to remern- Der this occasion by and you will never be broke"
 The oldest man in the party of Bridgeport veterans was Captain Vii son French of Stratford, 86 years or age but he does not look it. Captain Erench 1se, J' is '0 tall all and broad shouldered with white hair and vandyke beard. He walks erect and looked one of the youngest of the veterans who left here this morning rather than the old est.
 Among the other Grand Army men who were at the depot to see the Gettysburg veterans off was Major l Thomas Boudren.
 Bv Mrs. Laura A. Wray who acted as her messenger, Fanny Crosby, the blind hymn writer, sent a request that the veterans bring back to her from l the. famous battle-ground some souve- 1 mir associated with the field, if only | a pebble The commission to bring | the souvenir was assumed between Ad- | jutant Russell Glenn and John Neff.
 MT. and Mrs. William Snowden pre- sented to several of the veterans bouquets of flowers picked in their Stratford gardens. The flowers were tied with Blue and Gray ribbons. in the crowd at the depot were many prominent Bridgeport citizens and many of the veterans were presented with bouquets or tokens by admiring relatives or friends before the train left
 The veterans who went to Gettysburg did not carry any flag and strangely | enough the flag was not in evidence | at the railroad station. On such oc-