Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1900 — PARADE OF HEROES. [ARTICLE]

PARADE OF HEROES.

CIVIL WAR VETERANS TREAD CHICAGO’S STREETS. Fifty Thousand Old Soldiers in Line and Fully Half a Million Onlooker® Crowd Along the Line of March-An Imposing t-ijcctacle. Chicago Correspondence: Off witli your hats as they go by, Cheer fur the patriots who wear the „.._blue!_ Crippled ami scarred and eiit bfUreiitli, These were the heroes of '62! “They swung doxvn Michigan boulevard —those j-Leel men of the Grand AhuX—in a martial re*iew mote impressive than any of the century’s military spectacles. Their steps a trifle halting, their eyes-a trifle -dim, but their wfinkle-d cheeks ailame with never-dying patriotism, a great host of the soldiers who choked secession in an awful war marched under battle flags with bloody histories behind commanders who led them into, revels of death and carnage, and between banks of uncounted humanity who looked aud learned a lesson. There were men scarred and maimed, in that parade; there were men bent with age. But they trudged along under the August sun as full of fire and enthusiasm as when they stormed ramparts and charged redoubts a third of a century" ago. Fifty thousand of them marched in the review. The spectacle of gray-haired old fighters trying vainly to straighten the bent shoulders that once were square aud strong, and to keep step to war tunes aud battle hymns, and their feeble efforts to fight fatigue, put pathos into a scene that was already pathetic, and told the story of the army's last retreat before Father Time. Some dropped from the "ranks before the'march was over; others leaited on comrades’ shoulders and gamely tramped to the finish, and still others pushed along, heads up, steps firm, tit for battle with any foeman that ever lived. They al! saluted brave old "Black Jack” on_his_ bronze charger down on the lake fronh Flags dipped And canes were waved at the fiery figure of Atlanta’s hero from every post that marched, and few veterans 'there were who did not shout a greeting to Illinois’ dashing son. Soon after the sunrise gun was tired Tuesday bauds began to 2play and the post commanders began to lead their companies to the rendezvous at Randolph street and Michigan avenue. Around the Illinois Central station aud in the thoroughfares adjacent thereto were thou-' sands and thousands of blue-coated veterans. There was much wheeling and countermarching in response to commands, much cavorting of spirited horses and much brassy blare from scores of bands. Finally a troop of mounted policemen formed a line clear across the street, Col. James 11. Wood, chief marshall, and his aids cantered in behind them and the procession was under way. The white banner of peace and the Stars and Stripes led the column, as, beraldeil ity twelve trumpeters, it marched south through the army arch and into the Court of Honor. First there was the “Pageant of Patriotism," Gen. Daniel E. Sickles of New Y'ork commanding. Escorting him was the famous Lafayette Post of New York, and then came the Old Guard Post of Washington, whose members lost limbs in the. civil war. The guests of honor were next, among them being Gen. Nelson A. Miles, the Duke and Duchess de Arcos and the presidents of the AVoman’s Relief Corps, the Ladies’ of the G. A. R. and the Army Nurses' Association. Thus the column approached the'reviewing stand. There was a. brief stop to allow the noted guests to take their seats. Then the flag of the G. A. R. was hung out, the Stars and Stripes and the banner of peace moved forward again, and the long, tedious march was fairly under way. Col. Joseph 11. Wood, grand marshal of the day, led the column, escorted by the citizens' conimittee, mounted, 100 strong, and then came Wisconsin, lending the veterans of the Grand Army. The bands played "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys Are Marching,” and there was a swelling of hearts in the breasts of the thousands of onlookers as the little handful of survivors of the famous Iron Brigade marched by. led by Gen. Edward S. Bragg. The veterans of the Badger State were followed by those from Pennsylvania, their old battle flags attracting much attention. Ohio made a magnificent showing in the second division, and xvas followed by New York, the Bidwell-Wilke-son Post of Buffalo having the honor of escorting the commander in-chief. Next came posts from Massachusetts, Connecticut. New Jersey, Maine, California, Nevada, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, A’erinont, A'irginin, North Carolina, Maryland. Michigan, Nebraska, lowa ■and Indiana. Indiana had the honor of having more men in line than any other of the visiting States. Following it were the veterans from Colorado and Wyoming. Kansas. Delaware; Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, Kentucky, West A'irginia, South Dakota, Washington, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Idaho, Arizona nnd other States, Illinois, with the battle flags of the State, bringing up the rear of the parade. The veterans inarched twelve abreast. There were no divisions in the parade and it moved ns a compact mass, the States and posts lu-ing distinguished by guidons, and bnwners. Because of its simplicity, the ranks were formed and nmved away with little difficulty. Only 11MJ posts in the United States wore unrepresented in the procession.