Evening star., 1954-08-24
Legion S Parade Will Be Big,
But Union Armies Did Better


sylvania avenue.
Along the entire route Of
march, carriages were drawn up
close in the side streets. Men
and boys perched on, the wheels
and looked over the heads of
the throngs.
At 8:45 am, bugles signaled
the Army of the Potomac to fall
in line. At 9 am. a lone can
non doomed over the city and
the parade was on.
Men cheered, women wept
and threw bouquets at their
heroes. Public school children,
dismissed for the day and
grouped with their teachers near
the Capitol. tossed garlands at
the soldiers and sang Battle
Hymn of the Republic" and
when Johnny Comes Marching
Home"
Clusters Horse Bolts.
AS the lead elements rounded
the Treasury and swung west
again toward the White House,
the stallion on which Maj. Gen.
George A. Custer, commanding
the Sd Cavalry Division, was
mounted, bolted. With a huge
wreath on one arm, his scabbard
hanging empty and his long hair
flowing in the wind, the general
swept by the Presidential stand.
Custer finally managed to rein
in the frightened horse and
turned back to meet his troops
to the tumultuous applause of
the spectators. ~
That part Of the parade took
all day. The artillery of each
corps followed the infantry.
Each brigade of infantry was
accompanied by six ambulances,
ranged three abreast. The day
was one of the hottesteon record.
AS the units passed west of
Seventeenth street, they pro-
ceeded by different routes to
their various stations.
The Cavalry rode at a fast trot
to Washington Circle and then
turned north to its camps. The
Provost Marshal Generals Bri-
gade, the Engineer Brigade and
the 5th Corps went through
Georgetown on Bridge street
and crossed the river, swollen
with recent rains, over the Aque-
duct Bridge to Fort Albany.
The 9th and I'd Corps took K
street west of Washington Circle,
crossed the pontoon bridge at
the foot of High street in George
town, went past Arlington House
and out Columbia pike to its
camps.
The next day was, people said,
even better. The Army of the
Tennessee and the Army of
Georgia grouped themselves in
two vast wings south Of the Po-
tomac, with two days cooked
rations in their haversacks.
At daylight, they moved across
the Long Bridge to the east of
the Capitol, the Army of the
Tennessee forming OH North
Capitol street, Maryland. avenue
and A street NE, and the Army
of Georgia following. to take up
position on the streets south Of
the Capitol.
The Star on that day said
"If the review yesterday was
grand, this was superb"
On the first day, both Presi-
dent Johnson and Gen. Grant
had reached the reviewing stand
after the first units had passed.
On this day. the President ar
rived is minutes early and found
Grant already there
The public school children did
not show up, except for two small
groups. A spokesman said the
others seemed to have got COM
pletely hoarse and worn out by
their all-day exercises yester-
day."
BY IL am. the sun had so
heated the breathless air that
flowers around the necks of the
soldiers and in the cannon
mouths were wilted, and per-
spiration streamed down every
face.
At every break in the line Of
march throngs surged from
Lafayette Park across to the re-
viewing stand. asking for q
speech from Gen. Grant or Gen.
Sherman. Several times a squad
ron of cavalry had todrive down
and sweep the crowds aside to
let the next unit through.
Detectives in the crowds ar
rested 33 pickpockets in two
days, most of them. they said,
from New York, Baltimore and
Philadelphia. The thieves were
held in custody until after the
review and then sent north on
the evening train.
BY nightfall it was over. The /
troops marched out of town to
their camps north Of the Po-
tomac. to await their mastering |
out of service.
It marked the end Of q ter
rible war and the longest mill |
tary parade in American history. |