Evening star., 1942-06-14


Shington.
Wood, James Tanner, John B. LArner
and DR.. Hamilton E. Leach.
An event Of more than passing interest
in which the Grand Army performed
the principal part was the erection and
unveiling Of the Stephenson Memorial
on the triangle at Seventh street and
Louisiana avenue, the exercises Of which
took place July 3, 1909, when President
William Howard Taft paid a glowing
tribute to Benjamin Franklin Stephen
son, M. d. founder Of the Grand Army
of the Republic. and to whose memory
the memorial was erected by that or
ganiZation.
Last Survivors.
AS stated, there were but two members
of the Grand Army Of the Potomac at
the time it surrendered its charter and
these were its commander, John M.
Kline, ST., and Past Commander Will
liam F. Dorsey, both Of whom are still
with us, though no longer active.
Mr.. Kline is Pennsylvania by birth
and is in his 95th year, having been born
in Milroy, Mifiin County, Pa, July %,
lS47 He was only Is years of age when
he enlisted in the Union Army as .
private in Company A, 4eth Regiment.
Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and
was not the famous drummer boy Of
Shiloh" as recently stated in the press.
His service was a very active one. and
he participated in many battles in which
his regiment was engaged. However. his
field service was terminated on June /.
1864, when he was taken prisoner. This
was at the battle of Cold Harbor. Va.
when he was member of q reconnoiter-
ing party commanded by a lieutenant
and composed of about 80 men who VOL
mteered for the duty. The result was
the entire party was either killed or
captured
Mr.. Kline was first taken to Libby
Prison, Richmond, Va. and subsequently
to Andersonville, Ga, and to other
Southern prisons, and remained in the
hands of the enemy until the close of
the war.
On September %, 1885, he joined the
Regular Army and served in the Indian
campaigns He was discharged three
years later with the rank OF first SER
geant In 1871 he was married to Cath
d. >S
in 1917. He has three sons living-Edwin
NJ. Kline. immigrant inspector, Depart
ment Of Labor; John M. Kline. jr., actor,
and James N. Kline, assistant cashier.
United States Treasury Department.
William F. Dorsey, the other member
Of the Grand Army who outlived the
Department Of the Potomac, was born in
Rising Sun, Ind, March 8. lS4s, and at
the age of Is. enlisted in Colorado
volunteer contingent and served to the
close Of the war Prior to this, however.
he tried to enlist at Nebraska City, but
was rejected on account OF his age. but
his determination to enter the Army led
him to secure the position Of driver Of .
six-oX team, in a caravan Of "A teams.
for that period But here he was more
successful. and was accepted as re-
cruit. After the war he enlisted In
the I'd U. S. Calvary and served for .
while under Gen. George A. Custer. who
was killed in the Indian Massacre Of
June Is, 1876. In connection with his
frontier service. he did considerable scout
duty which brought him in contact with
Buffalo Bill" and other noted scouts
of the plains.
Coming to Washington he entered the
Government Printing ONCE as printer
in 1889, and was retired from there In
1920.
He is evidently doing very well for
man of his age, as he WAS said to
be enjoying a good cigar when the
writer called his home few days ago.
He is the oldest member of Columbia
Typographical Union 10l
There are two other Civil War veterans
residing in Washington and in nearby
Maryland. One is Albert NJ Lathrop,
who will be 101 years old if he survives
until the 18th day Of next month. He
was born at Stone Hill, near Norwich,
Conn, and enlisted in that State, and
served principally in the Virginia and
Maryland campaigns and at Gettysburg.
After the war he moved to Nebraska.
where he engaged in farming and joined
the Grand Army at Hastings. in that
State. He took up his residence in
Washington IS years ago. His wife
has passed on, but he is survived by
Chelsea I. Lathrop, son. and by two
daughters, Mrs. Susan E. Myer and
Miss Edith A. Lathrop. He resides
at 1921 Euclid st. NV
Mr.. Stephen P. Cowgirl of Glendale,
Md, is, so far as the writer knows.
the only other Union veteran of the
Civil War who is still living and residing
in or near Washington.
Recently temporary war building
was erected on the site of the old Grand
Army Hall, which stood for many years
on the south side of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets. The hall was in the Cornweu
Building and was occupied by Grand
Army bodies from 1887, until the sum-
mer of 1880, when the entire square
was cleared by the Government, Al
part of its plans for beautifying this
part of Pennsylvania avenue. Today
this square is covered by the United
States Information Center Building.
which only goes to prove that even the
Government may change its mind If 1T
cares to.