Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-10-06
HOME FROM WASHINGTON.
COmrade l.. l.. Caldwell Arrived Sat.
!, urday from Attending Grand
Army Reunion.

from Washington, d. c., where he
attended the reunion of the Grand
Army of the Republic held there last
week. He tells us that there were
over 800 Iowa soldiers in the march
down Pennsylvania avenue, and
about 200 more Iowa soldiers were
there who were unable to partici-
pate in the long march, which con-
sumed about five hours. OF course
Mr.. Caldwell saw President Wilson.
The following from a correspon-
dent gives some details Of the reun-
ion
1t is rather difficult to add to the
descriptive accounts of what had hap
pened in Washington during the
Grand Army reunion; and this great
historical event will be best brought
home to individuals who may be for
tunate enough to obtain at first hand
the impressions of those who wit
messed the march down Pennsylvania
Avenue concentrating the fiftieth
anniversary of the close of the Civil
War. For more than four hours we
watched the passing procession as it
wound its way from the Capitol along
the route until it passed in review
before President Wilson, just as sew
eral thousand of these same men
passed President Johnson's stand fif-
ty years before. And while these 90
600 veterans peacefully marched in
concentrating their valiant deeds
of half century ago, many of us
gave fleeting moment of thought
to the horror taking place at the mo-
ment among soldiers fighting the
greatest battle in all history upon
another continent.
The Grand Army of the Republic
has doubtless marched for the last
time on Pennsylvania Avenue, and
though its survivors are necessarily
old, yet most of them were splen-
didly preserved. They were the
youngest old men ever ssembled in
the National Capital. Not a single
one of the great Generals whose
names were famous in connection
with the Civil War, participated in
the parade. Grant, Sherman, Sheri-
dan, Mcclellan, Bragg-have all
been mustered out. An Ohio veter-
an in the exact uniform and OUTFIT
that he wore fifty years ago, was one
of the attractive features of the par
ade; the single survivor of the Mon
TORS crew marched proudly in the
ranks; stuffed eagle carried by a
Wisconsin veteran recalled the stor-
les of "sOld Abe" tattered old bat
tie flags, reassembled fife and drum
corps, and occasionally a gray uni
form in the midst of the blue, served
to turn back the hands of time. To
complete the picture, imagine thous-
ands of young, energetic soldiers
and marines, officers, of the regular
Army and Navy in resplendent uni
forms, and with plenty of cannon,
guns, wagons, all sorts of paraphen-
ALA; and almost numberless bands
threading their way along the route,
One Of the striking features of the
parade was a flag 120x54 feet in
size, the largest flag in the world
and the most beautiful, spread out
and carried by the Mckinley Post OF
Canton, Ohio-a flag made by the wo-
men OF that city, where lived former
President Mckinley. No human be-
ing could behold this wonderful piece
of work without feeling its inspir-
ing thrill of patriotism.
The nation did it's utmost to hon
or the veterans of the 1915 Encamp-
ment; and it was singularly appro-
pirate that the fiftieth anniversary
of the heroic achievements of these
men should have been celebrated
by their presence in the Capital at
time when their voices, their presence
and their advice was united in ex-
pressing the wisdom of national
peace. Thousands of these men are
the wisdom of national
peace. Thousands of these men are
mustered out each year, and their
names are dropped from the pension
rolls. However many Of the old vet
Grams kicked their heels together
Collectively they appeared
as IAN integral part of our national
and need of standing
guard" was emphasized by the pa
triotic inspiration inspired by these
noble old men who saved the coun-
try from destruction half century
ago.
-O-