Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-29
Nature Smiles on Veterans.

Nature Smiles on Veterans.
The veterans and their escorts, for
the entire route of the parade, passed
through crowd bordered lane and
marched in tune to continuous cheers
and waving of thousands of American
flags.
Nature smiled most kindly on the
remnant army celebrating its jubilee
even while it was conscious that the
day is near when they'll never meet
again. There was just sufhcient tlngle
and crispness in the air to llven the
marchers. TIE sun cast its glorylng
rays on the blood-red and white
streams and cleaning stars of their
loved flags reverently carried
At sudden relaxation of the tense
zeal, which put into their tread as they
marched past the White House the last
measure of their ebbing strength,
number of old soldiers collapsed imme-
diately after being reviewed by the
President.
pated by those in charge of the parade,
and ambulances and StretcherS were
stationed near the State. War and Navy
building, which carried all such victims
of over-exertion to the G A. r. field
hospital in the rear of the White House.
in charge of DR.. Louis ]. Battle, who
was assisted by thirty Washington
physicians There they were given
first laid treatments and an opportunity
to rest up.
through disablements, were forced to
refrain from making the entire march
from the Peace Monument to the White
House, had taken seats at the entrance
to the court of honor. and as their de-
partments came along fell into line,
that they might have the glory of
marching with their post past the
President.
Thrilling, Yet Pathetic.
Pathetic as it was to see these old
Boys in Blue" summing UP all their
strength to parade past President Will
son just as many Of them did past
President Johnson, fifty years ago. at
exactly the same place, it was a thrill
ing picture of patriotic fervor.
There side by side were men like
Past Commander-in-chief J. Warren
Keifer, former speaker Of the House.
who though eighty years old is still
of MANNED or war-wrecked frames
all ambitious to march in celebration
of a semi of peace even as
they did in '65. when peace had been
won by fighting for it.
In the parade were the only two
surviving organizers of the Grand
Army-Col. John NJ. Snyder and Maj.
Robert Mann Wood-both of the de-
partment of Illinois. Eight past com
manders-in-chief rode with the national
officers. They included: Gen. Ell Tor
rance of Minneapolis, Mimi; Gen. A. G.
weissert. Milwaukee. Wis; John e. Gil
man. Boston. Mass; Leo Rassieur, st.
Louis, Mo-; James Tanner, District of
Columbia; job A. King. Baltimore, Md;
Alfred B. Beers, Bridgeport. Conn. and
Washington Gardner. Albion. Mich.
There were remnants Of all the ,3I old
tory by their daring and achievements.
There were scouts grown g, almost no de de-
young manhood. singly faced capture
and death that their commanding ofh-
GERS might have valuable information
regarding the movements of the adver-
saries. There were old men who. as
drummer boys, entered the service as
mere children and supplied the martial
soldiers and sent them swinging along.
even as the more blatant bands today
livened the dragging steps. There were
medal-of-honor men. wearing the deco
rations accorded them by Congress for