Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1897 — HONOR TO BLACK JACK [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HONOR TO BLACK JACK

MAGNIFICENT LOGAN STATUE UNVEILED. IN CHICAGO. Grand Demonstration in Honor of America't Greatest Volunteer Sol' dier—Ceremonies Marked by a Great Parade of Veterans. I.ogan in Bronze. Chicago correspondence: Illinois has paid tribute to the last of the great triumvirate she gave to the nation when the nation's life was at stake. A shaft at Springfield marks the grave of Lincoln, the martyred President. A magnificent monument at Galena tells that from that city went forth Grant, the silent tanner, who became the great military chieftain. Now’, in enduring bronze, the figure of Logan, the greatest of American volunteer soldiers, stands on the lake front in Chicago. With a great demonstration which, like the recent Grant com•memoratloa in New York, was oue not of sorrow and mourning, but of glory and joy, the monument to Logan was unveiled Thursday. This was the anniversary of the battle of Atlanta, fought in 1804, at which Logan reached the summit of his military fame. The ceremony was accomplished in the presence of a multitude notable in its factors, and with a magnificence of detail Quite unprecedented. On the platform at the foot of the statue was grouped a company that no event of less importance could have called together. The widow of the dead general, army officers who served with him through the war, Governors of States, members of President McKinley’s cabinet and United States Senators sat in the shadow of St. Gauden’s heroic statue and took part in the exercises. In the throng that listened to Mr. Peck’s orution were many of the leading citizens of the nation and in those greater multitudes along the line of march were thousands of Chicago residents together with other thousands from every quarter of the country. The city has rarely been so profusely decorated. It was not alone from public buildings that bunting had been flung to the breeze, but business houses and private residences in every section of the city shared in the general display. Presi- ! dent McKinley could not attend in person; his duties in Washington during the closing hours of Congress rendered such a step impracticable. It was well on to 2 o’clock when a boyish figure aiose out of a forest of serried row on row of people. The sun was tangled in his hair and on his face, almost girlish iu its youthful beauty, there rested such an expression as might be expected upon the countenance of a lad of 5

years entrusted with a great responsibility. One moment he stood there outlined against the placid background of lake and sky, and then made a sudden gesture with his right arm. Up the silken cord that hid the rugged features of the warrior statesman from thousands of expectant ones there went a thrill and a quiver, a cloth fell to the base of the monument and there was no longer any reason for the immense throng to refrain from feasting its eyes on the surpassing beauties of the apotheosis in bronze of all that was martial, all that was heroic In the inspiring presence of the Black Eagle. The uncovering of the statue was the signal for a chorus of thirteen guns to growl forth approbative thunder, and, as the windows round about rattled in their casements a castanet accompaniment, smaller pieces of ordnance took up the

warlike strain and grizzled veterans, burned by unsparing suns almost to the color of the bronze counterfeit of their knee resistless leader, recalled his valor attitude before Atlanta on another JtgT day, years ago. when, wkft tears lie saw his men down'by Asperate Southrons like ripeoad wheat before the reapers, and, a tiMtarf Uaxa at death’s portals, a huniftrod thsw eluded on hia black charger the WMriu of the fates. Or they may *•*« *<MB Madaded of that other day at fcwMr iMnwt, when, his horse shot beMm, bs carved bls way through a

seemingly impenetrable wall of bone and sinew to a decisive victory, but at a fearful cost to his own boys, not less brave than their fierce antagonists. Be these things as they may, tears stood in the eyes of some whose lids had for years remained unwetted, and on the faces of others a faraway expression, glorifying and illuminating them, rested. The parade was reviewed by Mrs. Logan, Captain John A. Logan and wife, John A. Logan 111., whose tiny band loosed the drapery and unveiled the figure in bronze: by Major and Mrs. William F. Tucker, the latter a daughter of the hero of Atlanta; by members of President Mc-

Kinley’s cabinet, and other distinguished guests of the city. Besides these the reviewers Included: Gov, Tanner of Illinois, Gov. Holcomb of Nebraska, Gov. Drake of lowa, Gov. James A. Mount of Indiana, Gov. Atkinson of West Virginia, Gov. Scofield of Wisconsin, Secretary of War R. A. Alger and Mrs. Alger, exSenator D. M. Sabin of Minnesota, Archbishop John Ireland of St. Paul, Lord Breadalbane of England, Gov. Barnes of Oklahoma. The two brothers of Gen. Logan Thomas M. Logan of Murphysboro, 111, John A. Logan's birthplace, and James A . Logan of Olney, 111., occupied places of honor. There were besides hundreds of men and women who had known the general in life and who had come to pay their tribute of honor to his momery. And the city itself, having announced its intention to make of this a holiday, also reviewed the parade from every foot of standing room along the miles of the line of march.

Twenty Thousand Soldiers. In the column which swept away from Twelfth street and Michigan avenue at 3 o’clock were more than twenty thousand soldiers under arms, the whole commanded by Gen. John R. Brooke. The regular service, the National Guard and various uniformed semi-mllitary organizations were generously represented. And no body of marchers has ever presented in Chicago a more inspiring sight. In dress, in arms, in bearing and in the masterful methods of control they were one of the most interesting features of the entire event. First in the parade line was a remnant of the 1 hirty-first Illinois Volunteers, Gen. Logan’s old regiment, and at its head Gen. Pearson, the regiment’s last, colonel,.unfurled the tattered folds of the regimental flag. Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic marched through Michigan avenue by thousands and tens of thousands. As they passed the noble figure erected by a grateful State, they walked with bared beads. With these veterans who wore the blue marched the veterans who wore the gray and whose ranks were thinned on that awful day nt Atlanta more than thirty years ago. Then soldiers swung past in rhythmical march, the regulars of the United States army and the National Guard of Illinois, more than 20.000 in all, an army in themselves. Uniformed detachments of those civic societies which teach patriotism while they teach fraternity closed the line. AU these passed in review before the distinguished I

guests, conspicuous upiong them being the white-haired widow of the man who has gone, the weight of her weeds lightened by this demonstration. It would be impossible to exaggerate the interest and enthusiasm which from first to last marked the proceedings. The bugle call of “assembly” with which the forma] exercises were opened struck a keynote that expressed the military temper of the day; and not an incident in speech or song or action proved a discord. Thousands of heads beht low while Rev. Dr. Arthur Edwards prayed. When he 'had finished the band played martial music that stiried the old soldiers present to the depths of their souls. The selection was “Battle Scenes of the Wnr,” in which the patter of musketry, the screaming of shells, the cooing of bullets and the grumbling of cannon all were imitated. Judge Henry W. Blodgett, president of the board of monument commissioners, presented the statue to the State of Illinois in well-chosen phrases, and the unveiling followed. Gov. Tanner accepted the statue on behalf of the people of the State in a brief address, and George R. Peck delivered an oration which quite outran his already splendid reputation. Years hence, when the clustering curls of the youngest John A. Logan shall have become whitened by the rime of many winters, be, no longer least in age of the namesakes of the cyclonic general, will gather ether John A. Logans about him and tell them of that wonderful July day in Chicago when by a movement of his tiny hand he bared the greatest triumph of the greatest sculptor to the eager gaze of a patriotic multitude. In warlike bronze the man of battle, annotated with fire and smoke, and the shadow of impending death, has been annotated with libations of praise and given to unborn generations, who are bidden to cherish and honor the name of John A. Logon. With military and civic pomp the people of the nation united to do honor to the hero of Atlanta. The son of Illinois, who seized the fallen standard and rode through the hail of bullets, rallying the broken troops and turning defeat to victory has been praised by statesmen and honored by the presence of a fourth of the nation’s standing army.

A Heroic Figure. The statue, which is the tribute of the State, cost $50,000. The contract for it was made with Augustus St. Gaudens ten years ago and he was told to take hia time and make the statue his masterpiece. He selected as the scene to be depicted that moment during the battle of Atlanta, when Logan took command the Army of the Tennessee. Readers of history know that this engagement, on the banks of Peach - Tree -.•reek. was out of the bloodiest of the war. Brave Gen. McPherson was in command when the battle opened. Within an hour he had fallen. The Union lines had been split, the flank had been turned and Hood's eager legions were rolling up the Army of the Tennessee like a scroll. Then a wild figure burst on the vision of the disheartened men in blue. “Black Jack” Logan dashed along the lines. Waving a ragged battle flag snatched from the band of a color bearer, with head uncovered, his long black hair streaming in the wind, with eagle-like features illumined by the fire of resolve, and driving spurs into his horse, he looked the very personification of victorious war. At his word the lines were reformed. Hood was beaten back. Seven thousand men fell on either side, but the victory was with the Union. That is the scene

depicted by the sculptor for this monument —the supreme moment when Logan beaded the Army of the Tennessee and reining back his horse, gave the order which saved the battle. The statue is of heroic size and mounted on a base rising 24 feet above the level of Michigan avenue. The sensational "stolen image” case of the Onset Bay (Mass.) Theosophical camp ground finally reached the district court. As an outcome Clarence B. Crane, a newspaper man who has figured in the affair, was found guilty of stealing the image of Buddha from the cottage of Mr, Foulke and fined SSO. Maj. I’erley, the well-known Canadian rifleman, died of bronchitis at BUley, Eng,

MRS. JOHN A. LOGAN.

JOHN A. LOGAN III.