Evening star., 1936-09-20

Planning Commission and the Ma
tional Capital Parks are seeking to
have another permanent memento Of
the Civil War here in the Fort Drive
project. This will be q motor high
way and parkway connecting the old
forts ringing the City of Washington.
Another Civil War shrine the vet
Grams will find here is the Lincoln
Museum in old Ford's Theater, where
Lincoln received the fatal shot, and
the old house in which he died, Just
across Tenth street. This Is now
under the jurisdiction of the National
Park Service, the Federal Govern
ment having acquired the famous
Oldroyd collection some years ago.
The parade to be held in the latter
part Of September will be reminiscent
Of the grand review. The indomitable
Lincoln continued construction of the
dome Of the Capitol all through the
Civil War, as another lasting remem-
brance Of those days, but soon after
his assassination the veterans of the
Army Of the Potomac and Of the Army
of Sherman marched along Pennsyl-
vania avenue in the grand review,
which occupied two days. Military
and civilian dignitaries watched the
marching thousands from a stand in
front of the White House. Other
stands accommodated members of
Congress and State of11cials. Specta-
tors showered the boys in blue with
flowers. President Johnson and Gen.
Grant stood side by side reviewing
the veterans as the army Of 100000
passed by.
During the Civil War the guns OF
the Confederacy sounded near in
Washington. At one time Govern
ment employees were summoned to
arms. Here, too, was vast hospital
during the conflict and wounded and
dying men were . common sight
Gen. Scott had led Q monster parade
on July 4, 1861, through the streets
of Washington and then they marched
of to participate in the battle Of Bull
Run. Grant came here on March %,
1864, to take command Of all the
Union armies. And soon victory
came.
THE grand review was held on May
= % and "A, 1855. Gen. Meade led
the troops of the Army Of the Potomac
and the second day Gen. Sherman
was in the vanguard Of the Army OF
the Tennessee. An imposing memo
rial to that army and that general
Is found Just south Of the Treasury
Department in Sherman Square.
Antietam, Bull Run, Gettysburg
"the high-water mark Of the Civil
WARFARE all Washington's neigh
bors. History has forged an unbreak-
able link between the Grand Army OF
the Republic and the City Of WASH
ington. In the swirl Of the Civil War
It knew those soldiers well and II
again cheered them in the grand re-
view.
Washington has previously been
host to the Grand Army Of the Re-
public on four occasions-namely, In
the years 1870, 1892, 1902 and the
last time in 1915.
When history rang down the cur
tain upon the Civil War the Union
Army numbered more than q million
men. Once a power omnipotent on
battlefield and in council chambers
of the Nation, the Grand Army OF
the Republic has been frittered away
by time until today there Is but q
handful of the serried ranks Of war
riors.
The books record that the first year
Of the Civil War Q86D witnessed 16e
conflicts. In 1862 there were SCI en-
gagements. There were 626 in 1855
and in 1864 there were ITO exchanges
Of arms, while there were 135 battles
during the days of 1855 in which the
Civil War ragged. The survivors oi
these engagements will be seen upor
the streets of Washington this week
soldiers to the last.
The years viii fade and memories