Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-30

will flash out it's glimpse Of a long
ago soldier boy who was daring enough
to follow wherever flag led the
way. From Sumter to Appomattox the
museum sketches the war by means of
many records, the most unusual of which
is a bullet-riddled stump which tells
the story of Spotsylvania courthouse.
To the old soldier who had his share
in that battle, the stump means some
thing more than so much dead wood
in a case. He sees it a giant oak.
spreading it's centuries of leafy shade
over those Confederate intrenchments.
1t was hot fight with valor for an
enemy, but. of course. they won. The
I'd Corps, Army of the Potomac. al
ways fought to win. But he can see it,
right now, that poor old tree. cut down
by enemy musket balls during an at
tempt to recapture the works. The
battered chunk has bridged the gulf
of a half centuries Of year.
1t is doctrine that Ulysses S. Grant
will live, personally, until the last
pulse beat of the last boy in blue. and
for that very best of reasons the be-
longings OF the commanding general
of the army will be of special interest
to every soldier who fought under
him in the civil war.
Grant Collection Large.
Shoulder straps, buttons. hat orna-
ments and epaulets, grouped in the
order in which they were earned. serve
as so many stepping stones to the
heights of military glory to which the
hero attained and there is a war-grim-
ed uniform which looks as if it had
gone through more than enough to
earn the "gold-fringed epaulets Of the
general of the army which blaze in
INV
collection is large enough to fill four
great cases. and so varied in character
as to represent almost every quarter of
the globe. The smallest exhibit is n
jade cup, the size and color of a wild
ducks egg, and not much thicker than
of China at the time of Gen. Grants
visit to the orient. The largest speci-
men is a ponderously magnificent buff
fet, composed of cloud-tinted onyx,
veined with dozen colors, and mount
ed in dull, carved brass. The citizens
of Pueblo. Mex, took this method of
expressing their appreciation of their
warrior guest" Which shows how nice
Mexico can be when she tries.
Though the equestrian statue of Grant
will not be completed in time for the
encampment, a bronze Sherman on a
bronze steed will figure in the coming
review. The museum also recalls the
valiant Tecumseh, with his service
made of buttons from the uniform worn
by him on his march to the sea.
Many War Flags There.
There are war flags that carry thrill
in each frayed stripe and furnished
star From the garrison standard,
lowered at Fort Moultrie in 1860, when
Maj. Anderson and his command evacu-
ated that post to occupy Fort Sum-
ter, to the flag raised at Richmond in
1865, each powder marked, bullet-torn
emblem represents chapter of nation
al history written in indelible red,
white and blue.
And there is another flag! 1t is such
a long flag that it's length stretches the
course of several cases. It's four stripes
are each a yard wide and it's nine stars
are larger than any starfish that ever
came out of the sea. From end to end
it is incased in a honeycomb mesh of
it's glory from the coming morrows for
this is the garrison flag that SO proud
ly waved over Fort McHenry during
the bombardment by the British in 1914.
and which inspired Francis Scott Key
to write 1.-The Star Spangled Banner"
The flag was placed in the museum by
a relative of Col George Armistead,
commander of the fort, who. with his
men. won victory for the standard in
the dawns early light.
The Grand Army veteran will live
forever in song and story. but the
weapon with which he fought his way
to immortality is SO much junk today.
Carbine, musket and rifle have given
way to machine guns, and the clash of
sabers, man to man. has been replaced
by the purr of long-distance shells. OF
the firearms that fill countless racks
and cases in the old museum the vet
eran will find duplicates lock. stock
and barrel, of every weapon he carried
in the civil war. though each has re-
tired from active service to serve as
exhibits in the nations armories Of
fame.
But the flag is still in style. And 1t 10
the flag that counts.