Show Last Review of Northern Armies Annies a 1 r i the tho designation of oC o the THOUGH T thirtieth day of ot Mayas May as Memo Memo- MemorIal Memorial Memorial rial day Is officially attributed attributed to tho the general order Issued In by Commander In n Chief John AIo gan ALo gan of oC the Grand Army of ot the Republic Re Re- Republic Republic public there was a n historical event that occurred In Washington ll lle e years rears previously which foreshadowed foreshadowed ow owed d the the custom follow followed ever ver sInce Logans Logan's proclamation of oC set set- setting setting Un ting aside a day for tho strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating decoratIng decorating ing the graves of oC comrades who died In defense of or their country The South had already chosen May 30 r for tor this purpose observes n a n writ writ- writ i I er In the Kansas hansas City Times sev several sev several eral of or the Southern states havIng set aside this day for honoring their dead But Hut the tho grand spectacle or orthe of the last review of or tine the Northern armies at Washington which took place May 23 and 2 1 may be ber r regarded as the first movement to pay honor to the tine living soldiers and to preserve the tine memories of oC theIr missing comrades who had died In defense of or the Union It was one or of the most solemn and moving celebrations that Washington orthe or orthe orthe the nation had ever witnessed Thousands of or eyes were dimmed with tears as ns tine the procession of oC o vet vet- veterans veterans veterans erans passed the reviewing stands and hundreds of ot thousands through through- throughout throughout throughout out the land shed their tears by va- va vacant va vacant cant clint firesides as they read the ac- ac accounts accounts ac accounts counts of at that last grand review In the pa pages es of ot Harpers Harper's Weekly ot of that date and In tine the reminiscences reminiscences of or Ben Den lerley ierley tine the veteran Journalist and other oLber con con- contemporary contemporary contemporary temporary chronicles graphic ac- ac accounts ac accounts counts by eyewitnesses are given Iven or of orthe the thrilling spectacle The Tho revIew was staged at one of oC tho the darkest moments of or the nations nation's history A month before Lincoln had bad been as- as assassinated as assassinated At the tho very time the parade of or the veterans veterans was waa taking place preparations were being made for tor the trial of ot Mrs liar Har- Harold old old and Payne charged In tine the Booth conspiracy and at nt that time confined In the old penitentiary near Dear the arsenal Their trials be be- be r tl t Grant Grants Grant's Address Addres to the th Army Wu Was Wasa V a Vaa a Memorable One Ono fore Core a military commission were I I concluded June ong on 3 SO one month and anda a few days after aCter the review rc of oC the army Throughout tho the nation Dation there was n Q tense feeling which hleb was ro- ro re reflected In the tho silence of or the vast crowds crowd that Watched x the parade with a variety of or emotions In their many hearts many of ot them mourners for tor lost sorts on the battlefields battlefield many proud of UJ the t It e that had Two hundred thousand veteran troops trained on a hundred battle battle- battlefields battlefields fields battle fields and commanded by the le lead lead- lead leading d- d fog ing ng generals of oC tine the service were there to be reviewed re by Grant the lieutenant general who commanded d 6 l 1 t 4 tt r u L z Eating Their Breakfast Around the tho Bivouac Fires them diem all nn by Johnson tine the PresIdent of oC the tho United States by his hs cabinet But the Ule scene C cannot bo be fitly de- de depicted d de depicted In the tho cold words of ot more than seventy years after Let us recall the glowing words of oC eye witnesses eye wItnesses and others The Time night before the grand re- re review re review view of tine the army of oC the was wet nod dreary enough but as day dawned tho the clouds disappeared and the scene In Maryland avenue between the Long bridge and the Capitol and the tine large plain east of oC that building was warlike and In- In Interesting In Interesting Brigades marched at route steps bivouac fires around which groups were eating theIr breakfast orderly serg sergeants ts Insist insist- Insisting ing log In very naughty but ImpressIve language e on tho the use uso of oC sandpaper on muskets already bright must musi musicians clans rehearsing some new march little boys bracing cp tip drums half as high bight hf h as themselves es ImportAnt adjutants riding to and fro to hurry up the tho formation of or their respective regIments elegantly attired aids I do de camp galloping like mad and en- en en endeavoring to avoid mud puddles batteries thundering along A few words from Crow one man reduced con confusion fusion to order When General Meade gave ava the tile order Forward ornard the apparent snarl ot of o humanity and horses began to be unraveled In a single unbroken line n and d the con con- column col column moved from the Capitol toward stands Penn lenn Pennsylvania the reviewing along niong sylvania avenue Few of at those that marched In that great parade of veterans veteran and first day of ot war memories are alive to- to today today to today day To most of ot us the names or of those captains and colonels and commanders so glowingly glo men men- mentioned mentioned by that bat old chronicler me mean n but little Other tiny days other oilier wars and aDd other heroes Of t war wars But It was a II national thrill thrill-an thrill nn epochal thrill that last review of ot the armies s of or the Union For Jor five years year the tho nation had haa been divided mil lions lions had been under arms hun Hun- Hundreds hundreds of ot thousands slain and as many more disabled for life me For Forthe Forthe the first timo the armies armies s marched In peaceful review glorying in the end mindful of ot their battles and and or of those who fell foIl In them A month afterward th the general order dis- dis disbanding dis disbanding banding the Ule armies was given Iven by Lieutenant General Grant On June 1 1565 the movement of or dis dis- dis disbandment began and from then on until the autumn of oC that year officers and men were mustered out of ot service and returned to peaceful pursuits Grants Grant's address to the tine army Will was wasa wa waa a memorable one Napoleonic In lu its eloquence and fervor lIe He said Soldiers of o tha th Army of o the United Stat States By your patriotic devotion to your country in tho the hour o of danger dancer and alarm your magnificent fighting bravery and endurance you have bay maintained the supremacy of the Un Un- Un UnIon Ion Ion and the Constitution overthrown aU 11 armed opposition to the tho enforcement of othe the laws and of the tho proclamation for for- forever for forever ever abolishing tia the Lavery very the cause and pretext of oC the rebellion rebellion- rebellion and rebellion and nd opened the way for the rl rightful authorities to te restore order and Inaugurate peace on ona ona ona a permanent and enduring basis basla on very every very foot of American soil sod Your marches sieges and battles In distance duration dura on resolution and of results dim lh the luster of o the tho worlds world's world put past military achievements end nd nd will be the patriot patriots patriot's precedent Dt In defense of liberty and right In to all time timeto tim timeto to come como In obedience obedience to your coun- coun country's coun country's try try's calI call you left your homes and families and volunteered volunteer In her de- de de defense Victory has haa crowned your four valor va- va valor va valor lor and secured the purposes purpose of your patriotic hearts and with the gratitude tuda tude of your countrymen and th the high est bith-est rot et honors a great and free nation un can accord accord you will soon noon be permitted to return to your homes home and families con con- conscious con conscious of having discharged the th hl high h hest gist est duties of American citizens To achieve the these glorious triumphs tens ten of thousands of your gallant comrades have hay fallen and sealed th the tha priceless legacy leracy with their blood Tb The gives crave ot of these a grateful nation nallon bedew bedews with tears teen honors bODon their memory and end willever will willever willever ever cherish and nd support their trick n eD n |