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"TO CARE FOR HIM WHO HAS BORNE THE BATTLE, AND FOR HIS WIDOW AND ORPHANS."
WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1882.
NEW SERIES . Y-1., N- 45.
ESTABLISHED 1S77.
RAISING THE SIEdE,
STORMING LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN
A BATTLE ABOVE TEE CLOUDS
THE VETERANS OF THREE ARMIES
UNDER "FIGHTING JOE HOOKER."
The Fourth, Twelfth, and Fifteenth Array Corps on
tho War Path They Scnle tho Steep Siopo
Of Lookout ia tho Face of a Storm
of Bullets and Flnnt tho
Stars and Stripes
Upon Its Crest.
.Explanation, o Jfinp :
1 Month of Cliiokaninu- 7 Sunnncrlown.
jra Kivcr. 8 Mnccnwi Point.
2 Railroad Tunnel. 9 Orchard lvtmb.
3 ChntLinoojjn. 10 WiHinms's Island.
4-4 Brown's Ferry. 11 l!o-villo.
5 Wauhatchie 12 Crawford Springs.
6 Craven House,
The departure of Longstreet's corp, in
cluding Buckner's division, from the line of
investment at Chattanooga, reduced the
army of General Bragg on the 2od of No
vember to 32,700, infantry and artillery.
The confederate army consisted of two corps,
commanded' by Generals Hardee and Breek
enridge. Generals Cheatham, Cleburne, Ste
venson, and Walker commanded Hardee's
divisions, and the three divisions in Brcckcn
ridge's corps were under Generals Batea,
Hindman, and Stuart.
The confederate line extended from the
northern extremity of Missionary Ridge on
the east around to the western base of Look
out Mountain.
Major-General Stevenson, with six brigades
at his disposal, was in command of the forces
on Lookout Mountain and in Chattanooga
Valley. By direction of this officer Brigadier-General
John K. Jackson, temporarily
in command of Cheatham's division, assumed
command of the forces on Lookout l)ountain
and Brigadier-General Gist of those in the
Valley of Chattanooga Creek. The troops
on the mountain on tho 24th of November
consisted of three brigades, under command
of Generals Walthall, Moore, and Pettus,
Jackson's own brigade having been on the
previous day ordered to the cxtrcree right of
the line on Missionary Kidge. Tho rough
nature of the ground on the western. slope
of Lookout Mountain was regarded as in
itself a sufficient barrier to the advarice of
any considerable force from that direction.
The Craven House, a summer ihotel
perched upon tho summit of Lookout
Mountain, was considerably in rear of yral
thall'a main line, which was half-way djown
the western side of the mountain, while his
pickets were posted at the foot of the
mountain on tho east bank oi
Lookout
Creek. Moore's brigade was on
tho rflgbt
and considerably in rear of Walthall's, j'lcar
the Craven House. General Jackson slays
in his report: "I expected, from the rugged
nature of the ground and from the fact Jthat
the enemy had to ascend the mountain, jthat
the picket fighting would continue sfome
time before tho main body would be en
gaged." I
The effective total of Walthall's brigade
was 1,469 and of Moore's 1,205. GenoVal
Pettus's brigade, with the exception of t(vo
regiments, was posted in tho vicinity Jof
Summertown, at Powell's and Nickajadk
trails and contiguous passes. A section (of
artillery waa stationed near tho Point, hurt
ported by the Thirty-second Tennessee
infantry. This brigade numbered 980 ef-
fectives, making a total force on tho moun
tain of 3,674, or about 4,000, including
officers. While crossing the river at Brown's
Ferry the pontoon bridge broke before 03ter
haus's division of the Fifteenth Corps had
crossed, leaving it on the west bank of the
river, and tho Eleventh Corps of General
Hooker's command being already at Chatta
nooga a temporary exchange of troops was
effected by which General Howard reported
with the Eleventh Corps to General Sher
man, and Osterhaus's division was plnccd
under the orders of General Hooker. The
command of General Hooker in Lookout
Valley consisted of Osterhaus'a division of
the Fifteenth Corps, General Stanley's di
vision of the Fourth Corps, commanded by
General Charles Craft, ranking brigade com
mander, Geary's division of the Twelfth
Corps, a part of the Second Kentucky cavalry,
a company of tho Fifteenth Illinois cavalry,
and two battalions of artillery. The total
effective strength of the command was 9,081.
The troops represented tho three great
Annies of the Potomac, Cumberland, and
Tennessee. The veterans of Autictnm, South
Mountain, Chancellorsville, Seven Oaks, and
Gettj-sburg were to move forward in line
with the men of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg,
Stone River, and Chickaniauga.
TIIE NOP.TnEAST AND NORTHWEST IN BAT
TLE AT.RAY.
Although the force on the mountain was
not quite one-half that of tho assailants,
there wore passes that could be guarded by
a hadfnl of men against a brigade. There
were steep acclivities that must be mounted
on the hands and knees; there were deep
ravines and tangled abatis, all to be passed
in tho faco of a storm of musketry. Each
regimental commander felt that the responsi
bility of maintaining the reputation of the
armj" to which he belonged rested upon him
self, and the same spirit of generous rivalry
animated the men. A dense fog enveloped
the mountain when at six o'clook on tho
morning of tho 24th of November General
Geary's division of the Twelfth Corps and
General W. C. Whitakcr's brigade of tho
Fourth Corps mo rohed up tho road on tho
west bank of Lookout Creek with orders to
crocs it at or near 'Wauhatchie, then march
down the er.st bank and sweep the enemy's
skirmishers from it. Colonel William Grose,
in coramnnd of the other brigr.de of Craft's
division, was ordered to advauce, seize tho
bridge just below the railroad and repair it
in timo for Oslerhaus to cross with his
division after marching up from Brown's
Ferry. Battery K, First Ohio artillery, was
ordered to take position on Bald Hill, and
Battery K, Firr-t New York artillery, on an
adjacent hill, where an enfilading fire could
be directed upon the main line of "Walthall's
brigade. The Second Kcntncky cavalry was
dispatched southward to observe the move
ments of the confederates in the direction of
Trenton. The Illinois cavalry was retained
to perform orderly duty. Walthall's picket
were stationed along Lookout Creek, with
the reserves in the valley at the entrance to
the trails leading up the mountain. Thero
were no roads. For a distance of twenty
Tniles up the valley the only "access1' "the
summit of the mountain was by narrow
foOtpnths, admitting of the passage of but
one man at a time, each of which waa
guarded by a heavy force of sharpshooters
securely posted behind rocks and trees.
TO TIE VIS1TOP. AT LOOKOUT,
the advance of an army up its western slope ia
anever-endingsourceof wonder. That a line
of battle could have leen maintained, appears
incredible. General Hooker says in his re
port : ' Viewed from whatever point, Look
out Mountain, with its high, palisaded crest,
and its stcop, rugged, rocky, and deeply-furrowed
slope?, presented an imposing barrier
to our advance, and when to these natural
obstacles were added almost insurmount
able, well plumed, and well constructed de
fenses, held by Americans, the afcsault became
an enterprise worthy of the ambition and re
nown of the troops to whom it was entrust
ed. On the northern slope, midway between
the summit and tho Tennessee River, a pla
teau or belt of arable land encircles the crest.
Thus a continuous line of earthworks had
been thrown up, while redoubts, redans, and
pits appeared lower down the mountain to
repel an assault from tho direction of the
river. On each flank were rifle pita, epart
ments for batteries, walls of stone, and abatis
to resist attacks from either the Chattanooga
Valley on the cast, or tho Lookout Valley on
the west." The base of the mountain was
guarded by works constructed by Long
street's troops during its occupancy of the
mountain.
General Geary, after disposing 200 of his
grand guards, under command of Lieutenant
Colonel Powell, Sixty-sixth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, along the western br.nk of Lookout
Creek from Wauhatchie Junction to tho left
of the Kelly's Ferry road, moved with his
division, 141 officers and 2,218 men, at day
break on the 21th, to Wauhatchie, where
General W. C. Whitaker reported to him
with his brigade, consisting of six regiments,
numbering 110 officers and 1,355 men, in
creasing the assaulting column to 3,824, offi
cers and men. The movements of Hooker's
troops in the valley on the previons day and
the arrival of Craft's two brigades, had not
escaped the ob&ervalion of General Jack
son, by whose direction Walthall had
doubled his pickets in the valley. After
crossing the railroad at Wauhatchie, Geary's
route led along the Creek. A belt of timber
screened it from view from the plateau,
where Walthall ' main line was posted, and
near an old mill about two and a half milea
from tho mouth of Lookout Creek the com
mand was massed in readiness for crossing
the creek.
Geary say3 : "Drifting clouds enveloped the
mountain top, and heavy mista and fogs ob
jured the slope from lengthened vision, and
so continued until we reached the anmmit,
lifting only momentarily at intervals during
the assault.
SO IMPENETRABLE WAS THIS GLOOM
arvmnd tho enemy's locality that the niove-
raifcnt was so furored as to become a complete
surprise to him. One section of Knapp'a
Pennsylvania battery accompanied the col
urcln to the point of massing, but was re
tuntoed and posted on a hill half way lwtween
the ftld mill and Bald Hill." Lookout Creek
beinf t00 deep to ford, Geary sot a parry to
worii to bridjre it, and sent a detachment
of thSp Sixty-sixth Ohio to make a demon
stration on the path leading up the moun
tain fiiom Davis's mills, thereby diverting tfye
attention of tho confederates from the real
movement.
Before crossing the creek, General Geary
assembled his brigade and regimental com
manders, and for the first time enlightened
them upon tho gigantic task assigned them.
They were instructed to communicate it to
their company officers and men. Before
them, looming upward through tho mist of
the early morning, Lookout Mountain reared
ita mighty crest, bathing it in the clouds.
Every path was beset with danger. The
forco which guarded the summit was an un
known quantity. It waa only known that
they were veterans of many a hotly-contested
field where advantages of position
were equal, and that they wonld fight like
demons was known to none better than to
the men who were about to attack them in
their stronghold. Tho Sixty-Bixth Ohio
captured a picket of 42 men. At half-past
eight o'clock the bridge was completed, and
Geary's Second brigade, Col. Cobham com
manding, took tho advance, moving rapidly
up the slope by the right flank in a direct line
from the point of crossing. Col. Ireland fol
lowed with the Third brigade, joining his
right to Cobham's left. General Whitaker
eame next with his brigade, and Colonel
Candy brought up the rear.
General Geary's line of battle, as formed at
tho river and admirably maintained, was
Cobham on the right, Ireland in the centre,
Candy on the left, and Whitaker in support.
The route now led down the valley east of
the creek to a point opposite tho bridge
which Grose had been ordered to capture.
The left of the line rested on the creek and
tho right waa guided by the rugged preci
pice of tho summit of the mountain. Cob
ham, Ireland, and Whitaker found their
route to be anything but pleasant. Climb
ing over jutting promontories sloping down
ward to tho valley,
PLUNGING INTO DARK RAVINES
a hundred feet in depth, scaling precipices
with muskets slung to tho shoulder, Iroth
hands and feet engaged in tho desporato
gymnastics, the line moved like the border of
a shadow cast by a passing cloud, sweeping
every confederate soldier from ita path.
Meanwhile Grose's brigade advanced reso
Intsly, with brisk skirmishing, d;ove tlic
pickets from the bridge, and at onco pro
ceeded to repair it. General Walthall's
scouts brought him swift information of tho
movements of Geary's command, and the
sharp rattle of musketry announced an at
tack upon his pickets at tho bridge. He
says: "Meanwhile the firing from tho bat
teries posted on the hills in Lookout Valley,
not more than three-fourths of a mile from
my main line which before had been irreg
ular, becamo constant and heavy, and soon
the enemy advanced on the left, their
liics running across tho mountain side.
Such resistanco as I could offer to a forco
consisting, as Gen. Thomas says in an official
dispatch, of Geary's division and two bri
gades of another corps, was made with my
Bmall command, nearly one-third of which
was covering a picket line more than a mile
in extent."
The dispositions of the confederate forces
were partially visible to the assaulting
party, and were communicated to General
Hooker, who directed General Osterhaus,
who had now arrived on the scene, to
send Wood's brigade of his division about
800 yards above the bridge and prepare
a crossing. Grose was ordered to divide
his brigade, leaving a sufficient force at
thebridgs to protect the crossing, aud join
"Wood with the remainder. Meanwhile a
section of howitzers was placed to enfilade
tho positions that Walthall had taken and a
section of 20-pounder Parrots to enfilade the
route by which Walthall a skirmishera had
descended the mountain. The battery on
Bald Hill enfiladed the railroad and high
way leading to Chattanooga. Thus, within
easy range, the artillery covered every ave
nue by which support could be thrown to the
troops in the valley or by which they could
retire upon their support.
GEN. OSTERIIAUS'S OPPORTUNITY CAME
when the sweep of Geary and Whitaker,
driving the confederate pickets before them,
came near enough to cut off retreat up the
mountain. Gen. Osterhaus ssys: "At eleven
o'clock a. m. we heard Gen. Geary's fire, and
our guns opened immediately with great
effect. Their practice was so perfect that
with tho assistance of my line of skirmishers,
which I ordered to advance to the bank of"
tho creek, the rebels were soon compelled to
yield their lino behind the railroad and
their entrenchments on the opposite bank of
the creek. They made for a less exposed
position higher up the mountain, but tho in
fantry column of General Wood crossed the
creek and pressed the enemy vigorously,
while with the remaining portion of the
Second brigade I ncended the inonntnin in
a direct line in order to reach the right of
Gen. Wood's brigade and press the retreat
ing enemy towards him. In executing this
manoeuvre I captured so large a number of
prisoners that I found it prudent to detail
the Ninth Iowa to bring them to tho rear."
While this was going on Geary's line was
reformed fncing the mountain. Candy's
brigade was ordered forward at a "half
wheel" and, for a convergence on the objec
tive point, swept up the mountain at an ob
lique angle to tho main line,
TIEADINO FOR POINT LOOKOUT.
The new formation threw Whitaker's bri
gade, although technically in support, on tho
right and at timea in advance of the main
line. General Whitaker, in his graphic re
port, says of the alignment of his troops:
" My brigade was formed, the Eighth Ken
tucky, on the right at the bso of the rough
projecting crags forming tho summit of
Lookout, tho Thirty-fifth Indiana nett; then
the Ninety-ninth Ohio, with tho Fortieth
Ohio on my extreme left. Tho Ninety-sixth
Illinois and Fifty-first Ohio were placed one
hundred yards in rear of my right flank.
The lines of tho en tiro storming party,
though intended to be double, were, from
the extent of the ground to bo assailed, par
tially in echelon and my front had to be
protected by skirmishers. Owing to the
formation of the mountain, my brigade, occu
pying tho position nearest the apex of the
cono, had a shorter route in going around
the mountain than those nearest tho base
and ex necessitate in advancing would and
did overtake and pass the front lines.
" Thus formed, thebrigade advanced rapidly
and in good order over the steep, rocky,
ravine-seamed, torrent-torn sides of the
mountain for near threo miles. It was ex
ceedingly laborious traveling. The enemy
waa here found sheltered Joy rocks, trees, and
timber cut to abatis, while tho summit of
the mountain was covered with sharp-shooters
concealed by the overhanging cliff3."
General Walthall's skirmishers being fa
miliar with the covered passages to the rear,
fell back, stubbornly contesting every avail
able position. Every rock and tree concealed
a sharp-shooter. At one time in the ascent
the fire from these concealed riflemen grew
so continuous as to cause a halt in Geary's
front line. There was a piece of ground in
their front that became a dead-line. Refer
ring to this point Walthall says: "The front
of the enemy wavered and was broken at one
point, but after falling back a short distance
it noon reformed, and, despite my rapid and
well-directed fire, moved steadily and irre
sistably forward."
TOILING tTP TIIE "WAY
with a leaden storm beating against it, liko
hail stones upon an umbrella, the narrow
paulis at times choked up with tho forms of
their fallen comrades, the men pressed for
ward. Huge boulders, loosened from their
resting places of centuries, dashed down
upon them, but as if insensible to danger
the gallant representatives of two armiea
pushed on with tho light of battle on their
facce. If Geary's men should falter, Whit
akcr's men were thero to note the fact, and
snatch tho laurels of victory. Further to
tho left, under the noso of the mountain,
Osterhaus and Grose were toiling up the dif
ficult assent, the men of each command
watchful of tho other and both determined
noi to be outdone.
.t noon Walthall's mainline was reached.
WMtakcr's men had, by hard climbing and
desperate hand-to-hand fighting, forced its
w&y' around on tho right and were exactly in
thtv right place.
pon fed rate camp covered the whole
pi ,eai beneath the precipitous crest of Look
oUTbonsands of eyes were turned towards it
frj n Chattanooga and Lookout Valley. Cov
er X from immediate fire by the retreating
si? rmishers, Geary's division pressed forward
tc the charge. Great labor had been ex
prrided upon these foiticaiious at this point.
G; ary says : " Formidable in natural defense
ail seemingly impregnable with rocks, stone
aiid earth breast-works, surrounded with
tangled slashings, these were tho advanced
wUrk3 of a continuous net-work of fortiflca
ti'Jiis, ragged, natural and artificial irregular
polygons, behind which was Walthall's
brigade of Mfcsissippians in battle array."
iHaatily deploying their men, the three
brigade commanders gave the simultaneous
oi'der to charge, and never was tho order,
which carries with it
DEATH TO TIIE BRAVE
ol both friend and foe, rnoro gallantly obey
ed. The men of the army of the Cumber
loud had dubbed their newly arrived corn
rules from tho army of tho Potomac " Car
pat Knights, " from a habit prevalent in that
army of blacking their shoes, but the gener
ous fellows in Whitaker's brigade no sooner
witnessed the steady valor of that charge than
a cheer went up from the crags on the right
that echoed through the gorges and fell upon
the cars of Grose's men, who answered the
familiar cry with a rousing hurrah. Ireland's
brigade, with Cobham's One Hundred and
Eloveuth Pennsylvania, closed with the
enemy ; the Twenty-ninth Pennsylvania on
t:e left was hurled upon the flank. Nothing
could withstand tho fury of the charge. Its
impetus carried them over the works among
Walthall's men, who offered a steady resist
ance, and for a brief space there was desper
ate fighting. Hand-to-hand, over rocks and
into narrow gorges, musketa were clubbed
and boulders were hurled, but the inevitable
logic of pluck aud numbers prevailed. Fif
t en minutes sufficed to capture nearly
one-half of the brigade. Many, in at
tempting to escape, ran into Whit
aker's lines and were captured. There
is no doubt that Jackson blundered at
this point. Both Waltha'-I and Moore refer
in anything but complimentary terms to his
alrcenco from the front. An aid-de-camp
dispatched by Walthall found him two miles
in the rear, where Jackson says he had
established his headquarters at tho junction
of the Craven House and Surnmerville roads,
tt be in easy reach of his three brigade com
manders and General Stevenson, who was
in the valley. From that distance, when
called upon by Walthall for reinforcements,
he sent an ordor to Moore to advance and
take position on Walthall's left. Walthall
refers aa follows to the assault on his main
l:ue: " 1 endeavored in falling back to turn
the works and irregularities of the ground
to the best account for the protection of the
men and retiring from one position to
another to yield the ground as slowly as
possible, with tho hope that support (for
which I had sent to General Moore) might
reach me. Many officers and men were
captured becauHO they held their positions
so long as to rendor escape impossible, the
ground in their rear being rocky, rugged,
and "covered with fallen timber. My com
mand being greatly sheltered were enabled
to inflict upon the enemy aa he advanced a
loss far greater thau it sustained. By 12
o'clock m. I was driven to the ridge, which
was down the northern elope of the moun
tain, and here with three companies of sharp
shooters from the Twenty-fourth Mississippi,
which had previously been posted there and
afterwards strengthened by another from
the same regiment, I made an cfibrt to
retard tho progress of the enemy until the
remainder of my command, including the
pickets on the right, could pasn across the
northern slope of the mountain. The slope
was commanded by tho casemated batteries
on Moccasin Point, from which my com
mand was considerably sheltered from the
time tho slope was reached till they had
passed across it. This passage was effected
in part by means of a rifle-pit designed for
the double purpose of a covered way and
defense against attack from the north across
that portion of the slope west of the Craven
House. The sharp-shooters on the ridge
meanwhile retiring, the enemy advanced as
fiir as they were able, being themselves sub
jected to a heavy fire from the batteries.
After passing the Craven Houc, between
half-past twelve aud one o'clock, I dispatched
a staff officer to the brigadier-general com
manding to advise him of my movements.
Most of my picket line at the foot of the
mountain had been cut off. The
point solected was about four hundred yards
from the Craven House, and here my line
extended from the road up to the cliff. I
checked the enemy's advance, which was
heaviest on my left, aud was soon informed
that reinforcements would be sent me. In
the course of half an hour Brigadier-General
Pettus came up with his command in fine
order, and moved promptly upon the line
I occupied, engaging the enemy at once,
enabling mc to withdraw my command and
replenish ammunition. This done, I moved
my command under cover immediately in
his rear for support, and soon after moved
to his left, when the whole line became
hotly engaged." In the meantime orders
came from Stevenson to hold the position as
long as possible, that reinforcements were
on their way; and from Jackson, if forced to
retire, to fall back up the mountain. "Gen.
Pettus's command and my own held the
position all the afternoon, during most of
which timo
IT WAS SO HAZY AND MISTY
that objects could not be well distinguished,
except at a short distance, until long after
nightfall, when, having been relieved by Col.
Holtzclaw's brigade, I withdrew my com
mand down the mountain. At no time dur
ing this prolonged struggle, the object of
which wjis to prevent the occupation by the
enemy of th import? ut point nnir the
Craven House, and afterwards of the only
road down the mountain, did I have the
benefit of my division commander's personal
presence."
Walthall docs not refer to the operations
of Moore's brigade, and it is but fair to allow
that officer to speak for himself. His brigade
was composed of the Thirty-seventh, For
tieth, and Forty-Second Alabama. Referring
to the length of the picket line along Lookout
Creek, he says : "Our line being very long,
requiring a detail of 700 from our compara
tively small force, I advised shortening it by
moving up the mountain." His advice was
overruled, however, and " the greater por
tion of tho picket force of this brigade, 225,
were captured." On learning that a move
ment w.'is in progress at the foot of the
mountain, General Moore reported the fact
to General Jackson, who ordered Mcore to
the trenches on the right of Walthall. Find
ing that the latter was not in the trenches
ho sent back again to Jackson, who gave in
general terms his intention to fight near the
Craven House. Moore finally determined to
move without orders to Walthall's support,
but, he says, "to my utter astonishment, he
fore we reached the trenches, a distance of
300 or 400 yards, the enemy had driven
Walthall's brigade south of tho Craven
House, and had oven occupied a portion of
the trenches of my brigade, from which wo
very soon drove them on our arrival. We
were thus compelled to enter the entrench
ments under fire in front, and a very
HEAVY FIRE FROM TnE MOCCASIN POINT
BATTERIES
within short range. As Walthall's brigade,
when driven back, did not occupy the line
on our left, or at least the portion near the
Craven House which wo could see, the enemy
got possession of that and also the command
ing ground near the house, from which they
completely enfiladed my lefr, which was af
terwards retired a little undercover of rising
grouud.
" Wo held this position from this timo until
between three and four o'clock, the enemy
repeatedly charging, but were repulsed, two
of their color-bearers being shot down by our
men in tho trenches while attempting to
plant their colors on the embankment. I
have never before seen them fight with such
daring and desperation. Though they got
possession of the Craven Houso at an early
hour, yet they did not attempt to turn tho
left flank until between threo and four
o'clock p. m. We had now been engaged
three hours, and our ammunition was nearly
exhausted. I had not seen Brigadier-General
Jackson during tho engagement I sent a
staff officer to inform him of our condition,
but ho could not be found. If we had been
properly supported on our left, I believe we
could have held tho trenches even with
empty guns ; but that support was not given
us. The enemy gradually pressing around
my left with an increasing force, I reluctant
ly gave the orders to fall back. We retired
about 300 yards without any great confusion,
where we found Pettus's brigade in line of
battle, the prolongation of which line we
had selected for a second position. Had
General Jackson been on the ground and
given proper orders for the disposition of his
command, I feel aasured the result would
have been very different. The second line
wo held until about two o'clock next morn-
Coniinued on 6th page.
mm ENCAMPMENT
THE 0PMEJG PAGEAHT.
A VERY IMPOSING SPECTACLE
BALTIMORE WELCOMES THE VETER
ANS WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM.
Description of tho Parade Tho Scene at Camp
Agnus Tenting at Xijyht 3Iusic and Fire
irorks An Excursion Down the Chesa
peake List of Delegates The
Contest for Commander-in-Chief.
The 21st of June, 1SS2, will long bo a red
letter day in the annals of the Grand Army,
for on that day the citizens of Baltimore by
their enthusiastic reception of the Boys in
Blue blotted out forever the memory of the
19th of April, 1861. Nature smiled upon the
day and blessed it. Not a cloud obscured tho
sky and a cool breeze from the North tem
peredthe heat of the sun, as if in courtesy
to the marching veter ins. The Monumental
City, wreathed in bunting and splendid with
banners and inscriptions of welcome, wore an
air of triumph as if her own sons were re
turning from some victorious campaign, and
from the multitude that filled her streets
and poured in deusc tides along every thor
oughfare went up, again and again, such
tumultuous cheers "and a tiger "as are only
to be heard when the hearts of a people are
profoundly moved. It was a scene worthy
the pencil of a Dore, but no canvas could have
reproduced the patriotic spirit that inspired
the occasion.
All the night previous Posts had been ar
riving from every portion of the country and
when morning broke they were still coming,
so that tho scenes which preceded the grand
parade with which the National Encamp
ment opened were of the most animated
description. " We have captured three rebs,"
shouted an enthusiastic comrade at one
of the hotels on Wednesday evening, and
how the crowd did cheer when they discov
ered that some of the Ohio bo3's were simply
extending the courtesies of their headquar
ters to the members of the Warren Light
Infantry of Front Royal, Virginia I Every
where it was the same, privato citizens
vicing with each other in efforts to mako
their guests welcome, and the members of
the Grand Army carrying off their hosts to.
Department headquarters to return their
hospitality. General Merrill was fairly
overwhelmed with visitors and General
Rosecrans, although suffering from a slight
accident, was unable to escape the attention
of the boys. But although there was " a
sound of revelry by night," it was far re
moved from disorder and " it is the finest
body of men that ever visited Baltimore"
was tho tribute that fell from the lips of
every citizen.
The great featnre of the day was, of course,
the parade, and it was in expectation of wit
nessing the most brilliant military pageant
that had graced their streets since tho war
that the citizcus of Baltimore gathered early
in the morning along the advertised line of
march, until it became almost impossible to
clear a passage for the precession it&elf It
had been wisely determined to form the lino
in tho eastern section of the city so as to
admit of the Philadelphia, New York and
Eastern Posts, some of whom did not arrive
until quite late in tho morning, taking posi
tion immediately upon leaving the cars, and
as a consequence, there was very little of the
delay and confusion usually incident to such
occasions. It was ten o'clock when the head
of the column moved westward along Balti
more street, the main thoroughfare of the
city, and began to uncoil its brilliant length
of gorgeous uniforms, glittering rifles, and
gleaming banners before the cheering multi
tude. The liue, which was under the com
mand of General Kouity n B. Ayres, U. S. A.,
was in two divisions. The first, which em
braced all the local and visiting militia, was
commanded by General Jas. R. Herbert, a gal
lant officer in tho confederate army during tho
late war, aud the second, mado up entirely
of uniformed Posts of the Grand Army, with
armed Posts, guards, and firing companies,
was commanded by Commander-in-Chief
General George S. Merrill. In another placo
will bo found the full order of march, with
the strength of the several commands, and to
tho detailed account we refer our readers for
information on these points. It is the gen
eral features of the pageant that now con-
fie&3Ksa
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