The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-13
Exhibit Of EnsIsns to be Seen Dur
ing G. A. R. National Eneamp-
ment, viii Prove Novel
Feature.
REVIVE OLD MEMORIES
In Nations History Some Chapter
Has Been Written by These
Banners, Uniforms or
Arms.


WASHINGTON, Aug. 13.-The
Grand Army encampment Will hold
many honors for the civil war veterans
but apart from the grand review 70
be held here September 27-Octooer
2. an historic echo of that other re.
view Of fifty years ago-it Is douptiui
II any plan win exceed IN emotlonal
value a visit to the national museums
exhibit of flags, weapons, uniforms ana
other relics Of the great war.
For every veteran who marcnes
along historic Pennsylvania avenue,
link in the ctain which connects his
twilight years with the immortal army
of his youth. there will be some pre-
dominating memory OF war days 70
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, viii flash out its glimpse OF a
long ago soldier boy who was daring
enough to follow wherever flag led
the way. From Sumpter to Appomat-
tox the museum sketches the war by
means of many records. the most I'M
usual OF which, is a bullet-riddled
stump, which tells the story OF Spot
sylvania court house.
Chunk Bridges Half Century.
To the old soldier who had his
share in that battle. the stump means
something more than so much dead
wood He sees it 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 recapture 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 II it
had gone through more than enough
ito earn the "gold-fringed eDaulets OF
1.-THE general of the army" which blaze
in gorgeous heap nearby. The Grant
| collection is large enough to fill four
great cases, and so varied in charac-
! ter as to represent almost every quar-
ter of the globe. The smallest exhibit
| is jade cup, the size and color of a
wild ducks egg, and not much thicker
| than its she'll. 1t was a gift from the
regent Of China at the time of Cen
eral Grants visit to the orient. The
! largest specimen is magnificent
buffet. composed of cloud-tinted onyx.
! veined with dozen colors, and
! mounted in dull. carved brass. The
citizens of Pueblo. Mexico. took this
method of expressing their apprec:a-
| ton of their warrior guest"
Though the equestrian statue OF
Grant will not be completed in time
for the encampment. bronze Sher-
man on bronze steed will figure in
the coming review. The museum also
recalls the valiant Sherman with his
service sword used at Shiloh and a
breast-pin made OF buttons from the
uniform worn by him on his march to
the sea.
Each Flag Chapter.
There are war flags that carry a
thrill in each frayed stripe and tar
nished star. From the garrison STAN
dard. lowered at Fort Moultrfe in
1860, when Major Anderson and his
command evacuated that post to oc-
cupy Fort Sumter to the flag raised
at Richmond in 1865, each powder
marked, bullet torn emblem repre-
sents a chapter of national history
written in indelible red. white and
blue.
(. And there is another flag. It is
such a long flag that it's length
stretches the coures of several cases.
It's four stripes are each yard wide
and its nine stars are larger than any
! star-fish that ever came out of the sea.
From end to end it is incased in a
honeycomb mesh Of Irvine. a precau-
ton taken to preserve its glory for
the coming ages, for this is the gar
rison flag that SO proudly waved over
Fort McHenry during the bomb
ment 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 a rela-
tive of Col. George Armistead. COM
mander of the fort, who with his men
won victory for the standard IN fthe
dawn's 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 junk today. Car