Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-01

the WOrlQ war. Iuef0 was a SOOQly
number of Sons Of Veterans and the
several other patriotic organizations
| contributed to one Of the longest Me-
mortal Day parade columns in years.
After the parade units had been
massed about the monument, prayer
was offered by Charles F. Tibbetts,
chaplain of Seth Williams Post, G. A.
R., followed by an address by Judge
Robert A. Cony Of II. G. Staples
Camp, Sons Of Union Veterans; and
the ceremony Of decoration Of the
monument by Past Commander Ma
| thaniel w. White Of Seth Williams
| Post, assisted by Sons Of Veterans.
LIE Legion service for those who gave
their lives in the World War was
I conducted by Commander Reuel B.
,Soule Of the James Fitzgerald Post,
| followed by the three volley salute to
| the dead fired by Company F. 103rd
| Infantry. M. N. G., and the sounding
Of taps"
Directly following the exercises at
| the monument the line was reformed
and marched to the Penney Memorial
| United Baptist church. where the ora
| ton Of the day was delivered by Hon.
! L. T. Carleton of Winthrop. Ralph H.
Conant, president Of the common coun-
| Gil of the Augusta city government,
| presided at the church services and
! the music was furnished by the Au-
| gusta Cadet Brand, Frank A. Dennis
| director, which organization had also
| played for the parade.
The invocation was given by Rev.
William r. Wood. D. D., pastor of the
| church, and following the reading of
| orders by John c. Howes, Lincoln s
| Gettysburg Address was recited by
| Boyd Blanchard, a Cony High school
! senior.
/ Grafton of the Day
! Speaking as a veteran of the Civil
War himself, Hon. L. T. Carleton, the
orator Of the day, was listened to with
the closest of attention by the assem-
| bled audience.
! Mr.. Carleton expressed his great
pleasure to be able to be present on
such an occasion as the observance
or Memorial Day, in the beautiful
CITY OF Augusta situated IN both
| sides the -kennebec River, one of ma
lures great highways, from the noun
tains to the sea; the capital of his
native state and the shire town of
the County Of kennebec. He recall
ed the fact that the first night he
ever stayed in Augusta, was in Sep
TENDER, 1861, and that he spent that
night in Jail
His company, 100 strong, came to
Augusta from Phillips in Franklin
county that day, by teams, arriving
late. No provision had been made to
supply them with quarters, and they
were quartered in the old Kennebec
county Jail that stood where now is
the Y. M. c. A. building.
He alluded feelingly to the fact
] h0f 1a,1t
army Of more than three millions of
young men, that volunteered in res
ponse to Lincoln's call, for men to
save the country, now remain, and
that they are all old and most of
them infirn1, their average age being
about ninety years.
| Nevertheless-he said - he was
pleased to be there on that occasion,
that he was more than pleased, that
ne was proud to meet and mingfe
with the battle-scarred warriors of
that great conflict, the Civil War
i and bear some humble part in COM
nemorating the valorous deeds of
those noble heroes, who fell in de-
Tending the best government ever de-
vised by mortal man. and with whom
he shared the terrible hardships and
,sufferings of a soldiers life.
"This is Memorial Day" he con-
| tlnued-"and we are met in ac-
cordance with General Orders and as
has been our custom since 1868, when
Memorial Day was first observed by
orders Of Gen: Logan, the first Grand
Commander of the Grand Army of
the Republic.
Gen. Garfield said, Customs are
pictures, photographs of our National
lie Stand with me in yonder beau
tiful cemetery where Angels voices
alone are heard among the leafy
trees, recounting the vaIorous deeds
of the noble heroes who there sleep
the sleep that knows no awakening
in this world, and witness the beauti-
full and impressive ceremony of
strewing garlands Of flowers upon the
graves of those who died in the SER
vice OF their country, or have died
since that war, and tel me If you can
tell. If any more beautiful custom
has ever arisen in any country, in
any cline, since we are told in sa-
cred scripture that The morning
stars sang together and all the sons
| of God shouted for joy at creations
dawn
my comrades scornful of the beck
oning finger of time which has called
I SO many of our number from the
fast thinning ranks-we meet today,
a few Of us with the zeal Of much
younger men-the handshake is a
little stronger--the smile dwells a
little longer when we old fellows
meet. than among any other body of
men on earth. and as the poet says:
| Every year we are growing older
! Every year we are bending lower
| Every wear tho jo1 y,,,,efa
Strs the heart Of older men.
"'Tis impossible to describe in
| words this something that binds in
| holy bond the men who fought the
battles of the Civil War-yet this
something does exist and viii as long
as the blood runs red in the veins Of
Gods free men.
| THE Civil War was a great war.
In all two and one quarter millions
of men wore the blue uniform before
| it was over. OF this vast number,
| thirty-f1ve thousand, four hundred
and eight died on the field Of battle.
Fifty thousand died of wounds and
from all causes three hundred thous-
and were dead when Lee surrendered,
For this vast army Memorial pay
was instituted.
| Gen. Grant said in his farewell
| address to the soldiers at the end Of
! the war: Soldiers of the United
| States: By your patriotic devotion to
| duty in the hour Of danger and alarm
you have maintained the supremacy
of the Union and constitution. In
obedience to your country's call you
left your homes and f1resides and VOL
unteered in her defence. Your march.
es, seiges, and battles dim the lustre
OF the worlds past military history.
! victory has crowned your efforts,
! and sec1Irad fhe r11ppnea - ~,~,,~ 80