Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-06-02
Graves Of ne clvn War Soldiers.
DECORATION OF THESE A PART OF MEMO
RIAL DAY OBSERVANCE IN PARIS.

| DGCOhATlON OF THESE PAhT OF MEMO
RIAL DAY OBSERVANCE IN PARIS.
A day which from the gloomy clouds
OF early morning developed into the sun
shine of bright afternoon aided In the
observance Of Memorial Day on Satur-
day, and the usual features of the oc
casion were carried out with q good
spirit.
Graves in outlying cemeteries were
decorated by details from VIM. z. Kim.
ball Post, G. A. R., and the graves In
Riverside Cemetery were decorated at
10 O'Clock in the forenoon, with the
usual parade.
The procession was marshsled by
Franklin Maxim, and was headed by a
drum corps composed OF Rev. E. A.
Davis and Robert Whittle, snare drums,
David s. Knapp bass drum, and Rae
Newton piccolo. Twenty-four veterans
came next, on foot, while three others
followed later in an automobile. There
was good delegation Of the Ladies of
the G. A. r. in line, and large number
of school children with number of the
teachers.
At the cemetery prayer was offered by
Rev. c. /. Spear, and the graves were
decorated by the comrades. During the
decoration Co. D, N. G. 8. NJ, arrived
at the cemetery from Norway, and es-
corted the procession on its return,
which was made by way of Moore
Park and the soldiers monument.
1t was stated by Mr.. Maxim at the
afternoon meeting that there are now in
the town of Paris the graves of 116 SOL
diers OF the civil war to be decorated,
as we'll as number of those Of other
wars.
A dinner was served at Grand Army
Hall at noon by the Ladies of the G. A.
A. r. to the veterans and others.
At the afternoon exercises in New Hall
Franklin Maxim presided. A number
of selections were given by Shaw's
Orchestra. Prayer was offered by Rev.
E. A. Davis, and as response Richard
Stiles of Norway played "Tenting on the
Old Campground" on the cornet. "The
Star Spangled Banner" was sung by
Misses Gladys Hatch and Leona Herrick,
and LincOln's Gettysburg address was
read by Miss Eva E. Walker.
As the speaker of the afternoon, Rev.
z. A. Davis of the South Paris Baptist
church was presented. Mr.. Davis took
the place of veteran who had been en-
gagged to give the address, but who re-
Gently cancelled the engagement on &C.
count of the condition of his health.
Mr.. Davis address was somewhat out
of the usual line for such affairs, being
devoted largely to review of the history
OF the military operations of the Rebel
lion, and his topic was, 1.-THE History OF
the Grand Army of the Republic in the
Field of Conflict" While 1t is difficult
10 condepse such an address without
destroying its unity, the following is
given as portion of it:
On this day when our flag waves
throughout our land in memory OF the
sacrifice of those who fought for the
preservation of our national Union, We
assemble to honor our heroic dead and
to inculca,e the principles for which
they suffered.
We are to review the history of the
Grand Army in the field of war. A few
of the causes which led to the rebellion
are: That clause of the constitution
which was intended to protect slave
labor, and was 80 construed; the Lincoln |
Douglas contest in Illinois, in which Mr.. |
Lincoln took the ground that the nation
could not exist half slave and half free;
the nomination of Lincoln; the seizure
of United States forts, arsenals and funds
by the Confederacy; the assault on Fort
Sumter April II, 1851, and its fall on the
14th.
The fall of Sumter has been called by
the historian Holland "the resurrection
of patriotism" The outburst of patri-
otto feeling through the North, and the
presidents call for $4,000 men marked
the beginning of the Grand Army of the
Republic in the field of war.
Soon congress appropriated five hun
dred million dollars, and granted the
president levy of half million of
men, while in the South levy was made
en- DaasSe
The first crash came at Bull Run, July
21, 1861, when the Union army under
Mcdowell was defeated by the Con-
federate army under Beauregard, the re-
suit sending an ecstacy of JOY through
out the South, but thrill Of alarm
through the North.
Brig. Gen. Grant began an aggressive
movement In the West Feb. Let, which
resulted in the capture Of Forts Henry
and Donelson by the 10th of that month.
Turning our eyes toward the eastern
extremity of the field of war, we dis
cover the southern navy making havoc
with the United States men Of war in
Hampton Roads and spreading alarm
through the North. But on March 9th,
1862, the Monitor defeated the Merri-
mac. driving her from Hampton Roads
in crippled condition.
Looking again westward, April 9th
and 7th brought the battle Of Pittsburg
Landing or Shiloh on the Tennessee
River. This was severe fight between
Gen. Grant and Gen. Albert Sidney
Johnston, in which ON the second day
10000 men were engaged. Gen. John
ston was killed. The Union forces
gained a slight victory at great cost of
life.
We may now think of the war as a
colossal figure stretching in gigantic
battle array from the Mississippi to
Fortress Monroe. Puffs of the smoke of
battle are seen all over the land.
The Peninsula oampain east of Rich
mond was being waged in good earnest
by our army under Gen. Mcclellan, as
the battles of Williamsburg, Fair Oaks,
Gaines's Mill, and Malvern Hill testify,
with a loss on both sides during the
campaign, according to the historian
SwintoD, of $4,000 men.
With the purpose of raising an insur-
reotion on northern soil, Lee crossed the
Potomac, but was soon met by the COM
bined Union forces and defeated at the
battle of Antietam, Sept. 10 and II,
1852, when the Army of the Potomac
lost II, 900 men, and the antagonist suf-
fered likewise, and with his shattered
columns retreated across the river into
Virginia.
Abraham Lincoln followed the re-
treating army Of the Confederacy with
his Enamel patton Proclamation, break
ing the shackles from more than three
millions of slaves.
At this juncture Burnside was put in
command of the Army Of the Potomac;
and then followed the campaign on the
Rappahannock and the battle of Freder-
icksburg Dec. Is, 1852, with its total
loss on both sides of 1900.
Hooker superseded Burnside in COM
mand, and then came the ChancellOrs-
Vile campaign, with the battle of Chan
cellorsville, May "a, 1868, In which
nearly 100000 men were engaged in
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