East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-08-10

or the tamlllaf OBJECTS OF the
Days of strife - Bullet Rildled
Stump from Spotsylvania Most
Unusual Of the Relics.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 1.-THE
Grand Army encampment will hold
many honors for the civil war veter-
ans but apart from the grand review
tc be held hee September 2I-Oetober
>, an historic echo of that other re-
view of fifty years ago-it is doubt
ful If any plan will exceed in emo.
tional value a visit to the national
museums exhibit of flags, weapons
uniforms and other relics of the great
war.
For every veteran who marches
along historic Pennsylvania avenue a
link in the chain which connects his
twilight years with the immortal ar
my OF his youth, there will be some
predominating memory of war days
to keep step with him to the call OF
fife and drum.
And over in the national museum
the big moment of his life may again
vision itself in memory. that, spark
like, will flash out its glimpse of a
long ago soldier boy who was daring
enough to follow wherever a flag led
the way, From Sumter to Appomat-
tox the museum sketches the war by
means of many records, the most un-
usual Of which is a bullet -riddled
stump, which tells the story of Spots
ylvania court house.
To the old soldier who had his
share in that battle, the stump means
something more than so much dead
wood He sees it a giant oak, spread
ing its centuries of leafy shade over
those confederate intrenchments.
But he can see it, right now, that
poor old tree, cut down by enemy
musket balls during an attempt to re-
capture the works. The battered
chunk has bridged the gulf of half
century.
Ulysses S. Grant will live in their
memories until the last pulse beat of
the last boy in blue, and the belong
ings of the commanding general of
the army will be of special interest
to every soldier who fought under
him in the civil war.
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.
grimed uniform which looks as il it
had gone through more than enough
to earn the "gold-fringed epaulets OF
the general of the army" which blaze
in gorgeous heap nearby. The
Grant collection is large enough toI
fill four great cases, and so varied I'M
character as to represent almost ev-
cry quarter of the globe. The small
est exhibit is jade cup, the size and
color of a wild ducks egg. and not
much thicker than its shell. It was
Il gift from the regent of China at
the time of General Grants visit to
the orient. The largest specimen IS
a magnificent buffet, composed Of
cloud-tinted onyx, veined with a doz-
en- colors, and mounted in dull, cary
ed brass. The citizens of Pueblo,
Mexico, took this method Of express.
ing their appreciation of their war
rior guest"
Though the equestrian statue OF
Grant will not be completed in time
for the encampment, a bronze Sher-
man on a bronze steed will figure in
the coming review. The museum al
so recalls the valiant Sherman with
his service sword used at Shiloh, and
a breastpin made of buttons from the
uniform worn by him on his march to
the sea.
There are war flags that carry a
thrill in each frayed stripe and tar
nished star. From the garrison, low
cred at Fort Moultrie in 1860, when
Major Anderson and his command
evacuated that post to occupy Fort
Sumter. to the flag raised at Rich
mond in 1865, each powder marked,
oullettorn emblem represents a chap.
ter of national history written in in
delible red white and blue.
And there is another flag! 1t Is
such long flag that It's length
stretches the course of several cases.
Its four stripes are each a yard wide
and its nine stars are large than any
staflsh that ever came out OF the
sea. From end to end it is incased
in a honeycomb mesh of twine.
precautlon taken to preserve its glory
for the coming ages. for this is the
garrison flag that so proudly waved
over Fort McHenry during the bonn
bardment of the British In 1914, and
which inspired Francis Scott Key to
write the "star Spangled Banner"
The flag was placed in the museum
by relative of Col. George Armis-
tead. commander of the fort, who