The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1915-10-28
"REMINISCENCES Of
Fifty YEARS AGO

E. Ellison, who attended the recent
encampment of the Grand Army of the
Republic at Washington, speaking OF
his trip, says that he enjoyed it i'm
mensely, especially the visit he paid
to Mt. Vernon, Washington's country
estate few miles below the Nations
capital on the south bank of the Po-
tomac river. He mentioned the
changes he observed here since his Wis
it in 1865, while he was on his way
from Richmond to Washington to take
part in the grand review Of the victor
ious armies of Grant and Sherman,
100000 strong. In '65, the place was
practically deserted save for a few
old trusty negro servants who were
left in charge. The buildings were in
a sad state of repair, and the whole
plantation had deserted and forlorn
appearance. Today the buildings
stand as trim and we'll kept, walks in
repair, lawns even, shrubbery trim
med and everything in as fine shape
as when the "Father of His Country"
resided there. The rooms of this
stately mansion have been restored
and the various pieces of furniture ar
ranged in exactly the same position
as when the Washington family were
living at Mount Vernon. Washing
toms bed, the library, the guest rooms,
the spinning house containing four
spinning wheels, carding benches, and
hand looms, were items of considerable
interest to the visitors. The carriage
house, containing Washington's coach
in splendid state of preservation,
were seen. Numerous bronze tablets
thruout the grounds contain matter of
interest to visitors. One records the
several real estate transfers thru
which the Mount Vernon estate has
passed.
Arlington was another point that in
terested Mr.. Ellison. Here lie thous-
ands of his comrades in arms meath
the sod and the dew" in their last
long sleep.
Mr.. Ellison, at the age of but seven
teen years, enlisted in Company A,
Fourth Minnesota regiment, leaving
at once for the front to join his reg
iment, stationed at Altoona Pass, 30
miles from Atlanta, Ga. Altoona had
fallen before Sherman's advance just
four days prior to Mr.. Ellison's arriv-
al. The 4th Minnesota an Iowa and
ar Illinois regiment were the sole
guardians of a million rations here
which constituted Sherman's only sup
plies at the beginning of his famous
"March to the Sea-" Many are the
tales that these Flashing Yankee
boys" can relate as to their exploits
on this great march-how they used
to make fisherman hairpins" of the
rails as they tore up the railroad
tracks behind the army to prevent
pursuit. AT the close of the war they
marched up thru the Carolinas and
Virginia and took part in the grand
review
This year but thin line of perhaps
$4,000 veterans were left of this Nigh
ty host of grizzled veterans of the
Eastern and Western Divisions to pass
along Pennsylvania avenue on the .fif-
tieth anniversary of their former
glorious pageant.
Each succeeding year thins the
ranks of these valiant patriots to
whom this country owes too great a
debt to be repaid in earthly dross.
Their final recompense must come
from the hands of Almighty God for
the sacrifices they made, and the pri-
vations they endured in their strug-
gle for the preservation Of the Union
of the States. ~