New Britain herald., 1922-09-22
i. AR. ID OPEN SETH l
 ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
Over 15,000 Veterans of Civil War Attend National Convention

Des Moines. Iowa Sept. 22.--small- l CT than ever. but still the event of the
 year to thousands of the passing gen
 eraton who watched the war of the
 rebellion come and go, the fifty
 sixth annual encampment Of the
 Grand Army of the Republic will
 open in Des Moines Sunday, septem- | ber 24. Only 15,000 veterans of the | Grand Army are expected to be able
 to attend this years encampment.
 Nine auxiliary conventions and six
 teen separate reunions are expected to
 bring a total of approximately 75 900
 patriots to Iowa's capital city during l the week of the encampment. | Approximately two thousand col
 ored veterans are expected here to
 hold their first reunion at this years
 gathering. Shiloh. Vicksburg and
 Gettysburg survivors will gather from
 all parts of the country to march in
 the 5sth annual parade and to at-
 tend this years camp fire ceremonies.
 The encampment program opens Sunday with patriotic services in all
 Des Moines churches. Civil war vet
 erans will occupy many of the pull
 pits and G. A. R. drum corps will fur 1 nsh the music.
 | On Monday the encampment opens semi officially. Tuesday is to be Re- ception and Reunion Day with a gar | den party in the afternoon for all vis- | iting women and the Commander in | chiefs reception on the state house grounds in the evening concluding with great patriotic fireworks dem | onstration and musical program by | 25,000 Des Moines school children at | night.
 The parade and camp fire will take place Wednesday, veterans of the Grand Army. led by eight bands and | 25 drum corps. passing in review be- | fore Commander inch Lewis s. Pitcher. Hanford McNider, com mander of the American Legion, will be the principal speaker at the camp fire ceremons Wednesday night.
 Thursday and Friday will be occu- pied with business sessions, election and installation of officers
 The annual tree planting cere- monies of the Womans Relief Corps will be held Monday. September 25: memorials of the Daughters of Vet erans Monday; and the initiation of a class of several hundred sons of vet erans by team composed entirely of post commanders and led by present Commander Clifford D. Ireland com {, gressman from Illinois. on Tuesday.
 National conventions have been | scheduled for the Union Ex- Prison CTS of War, the National Association l of Civil War musicians, the Nation !, al Association of Naval Veterans, the Ladies of the G. A. R., w, R. C.. Sons of Veterans. Sons of Veterans Auxil- iary and Daughters of Veterans
 Separate reunions will be held by the Iron Brigade, Burbridge's Bri- gade. Survivors of Vicksburg Survi- vors of Shiloh. x-Volunteer Officers of the Civil War. colored veterans and eleven different regiments
 The average of veterans who will attend the encampment this year is said to be eighty years.
 Fifteen thousand autom obles have been pledged by Des Moines residents to convey the veterans about the cAAv. Reception and baggage committees will meet all trains. Several hundnd boy scouts will be available to the veterans to run errands Park benches will be placed on down town streets.
 Des Moines hospitals have prof fered the loan of their equipment should it be necessary. and DEs Moines physicians are donating their services. One doctor and two boy scouts will be stationed in each block. along the line of march of the parade to act in case of acci- dent or exhaustion
 Not an accident to san Old Sol dier' is the motto which will be worn by every automobile and street car during the encampment.