New Britain herald., 1915-07-03
GRAND ARMY TOPASS
''GRAND REVIEW
Fiftieth Anniversary Of Surrender
VIII Recall Old Scenes

Washington, D. c. July 3.Fifty
years ago the victorious Union armies,
fresh from the battlefields Of the civil
war and the surrender at Appomatox,
marched down Pennsylvania avenue
in Washington.
It was a grand review Of the war
SCARED legions Of Grant and Sherman.
Of Meade and Sheridan, and the other
famous commanders whose boys in
blue, had preserved the Union. Presi-
dent johnson and General Grant were
in the reviewing stand as the veterans
svrunk proudly past to- the exulting
music OF their bands, while the battle
flags that had flown on hundred
bloody fields waved over the tri-
umphant host.
This thrilling pageant. of national
interest will be reproduced as far as
possible during the forty-I1inth annual
encampment Of the Grand Army Of
the Republic, which will be held in
arlington, September s7-October 8,
next, according to the announcement
made here today.
Fiftieth Anniversary.
1t will be the fiftieth anniversary OF
the Grand Review. Thousands Of the
same veterans who marched in that
review a half century ago uniformed
in the Union blue will again keep step
to martial music down Pennsylvania
avenue, and pass in parade before
President Wilson and members of his
cabinet. It will be the last time the
veterans will march In washington,
and the last time that hundreds OF
them will ever again attend an en-
campment as the aged men are fast
passing away.
The Grand Army, wnIcn survived
four years Of campaigns and never
surrendered, will soon .haye to lower
its standards, defeated by time, the
only enemy able to vanquish the
veterans. Because Of the increasing
death rate and the feebleness of the
survivors Of the great war it is prob
able that the Grand Army will never
again hold d great encaTnpment after
the Washington event. As this gather
ing is the last In which many of them
will participate, and az the anniver-
sary OF the grand revew is of such
historic significance to them and the
country, they will make great efforts
to be in Washington In September.
The encampment will therefore be the
largest and most successful ever held
by the organization.
Washington Prepares.
!. Washington Is making elaborate
preparations to receive the veterans,
s.r9H ifnf WI 1n an % a
during the week that the, famous sol /
dIers are within her gates.
Government officials and the people
Of the capital are a unit in extending
invitations, through the press OF the
country, to the nation to visit Wash
ington during G. A. r. week. Plans
are being perfected to make the en-
campment and the grand review an
event of national Importance.
An elaborate program of entertain
ment for the veterans and citizens who
visit the capital at that time is being
prepared. The war department and
the navy department are cooperating
IN the program.
The former has arranged for exhibit
ton drills Of y. S. troops, cavalry, ar
tillery, and infantry, at Fort Myer,
which is suburb of Washington.
Some Of the best soldiers in the army
are stationed at Fort Myer particu-
larly the cavalry, which numbers
among the enlisted men many OF the
greatest riders In the world. Crack
batteries Of light artillery are also
stationed at Fort Myer. Aeroplane ex-
Eibitions are to be given by the signal
corps.
Gunboats Present.
The navy department will have
fleet OF torpedo boat destroyers, SUBJ
marines, gunboats, and cruiser de-
tached from the Atlantic fleet and
sent up the Potomac river to Washing
ton, where the ships Will remain dur
ing the encanpn1ent. A big feature
will be camp fires. at which will be
held reunions OF the various corps of
Union armies.
Just below Washington, on the Po-l
tomac, Is located Indian Head proving
ground, where big guns for the navy
or fortihcations are tested before be-
ing placed on battleships or in our
coast defenses. The veterans and
visitors will have an opportunity to
see the operations at Indian Head, as