Washington, D.C.- "The Grand Review" and our "Silver Engage-a-Versary"- Sunday, May 17, 2015

     150 years ago, Scott's great-great-grandfather, Cpl. John Langhans marched with the 154th New York in the Grand Review, the great Union victory celebration of the war.  Over the course of two days, something like 150,000 soldiers marched in review in front of then President Johnson and Generals Grant and Sherman.  The celebration marked the end of the war, and also ended the official mourning period for President Lincoln.  John Langhans wrote home about how the girls of the city were giving flowers to the soldiers.  "It was a great time," he wrote, "I wish you could have seen us that day."  

     25 years ago, our little group was staying at the Homestead Inn in Gettysburg.   Randy drive us in and we parked by the Lincoln Memorial.  The parade formed up at the Grant Memorial in front of the Capitol.  Scott was told to bring the 154th colors, then told they couldn't be used, and several times he went back and forth the entire length of the Mall.   Julie and the other girls were dressed period, but were spectators.  We had arranged for flowers for Julie to hand out to the soldiers, the way the women did that were mentioned in John Langhans's letter.  After the parade, Capt. Fraboni brought the company to rest in the shade of trees on the south side of Constitution Ave., by the Washington Monument.  When Julie caught up with us, he called her in front of the company and Scott got down on one knee to propose to her there.  Julie knew that a ring had been bought, but she was expecting to wait for it, maybe until Christmas, so it was a surprise to her.  Scott had hoped that Linda's friend was going to get the moment on video, but she missed it.  We spent the rest of the day touring (and smooching) at the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington before going back to Gettysburg.

      This year, we got up really early and had breakfast at Dunkin Doughnuts.  Anna thought her parents were kinda weird for going into Dunkin Doughnuts in their Civil War clothes, but it didn't stop her from taking pictures of them with her phone.   This time, we were assembling in "Parking Lot 8" at RFK Stadium.  The was a lot going on this weekend (as there always seems to be in Washington) including a graduation ceremony in front of the Washington Monument, and a run of some kind that had closed some of the streets near RFK and caused some problems with re-enactors getting to the right spot.  Julie stayed with Scott as they got checked in, and got his wristband, and then took the girls back into Washington.

      Scott got his weapon inspected by the DC police, then started looking for the unit that he was going to fall in with for the parade.  None of the usual Buffalo/NY groups were coming this weekend, so he had contacted some guys from Co. K, 1st PA Reserves, and was invited to march with them.  He found a captain and said he was looking for Capt. McNierney.  Quite by coincidence, the very first man he asked was him, which was surprising because Scott had no idea what he looked like.  Waiting in the parking lot and standing waiting for busses was hot, tiring and very trying for Scott's feet.  One rumor he heard was that there were supposed to be ten busses but we only got four.  Whatever the truth was, we did eventually get to the shade trees on the Mall near the Capitol and were able to get a bit of a rest before the parade started.

      Meanwhile, Julie took Anna and Emma to the Smithsonian Museum of American History.  Anna wanted to see the First Ladies' dresses there.  She especially like Michelle Obama's first inaugural dress.  Emma enjoyed taking pictures in the "Price of Freedom" exhibit showing artifacts from America's wars in order to show Dad later.  They also had lunch there.  By the time the parade passed up Pennsylvania Avenue, they had found a somewhat shady spot to watch and take pictures from.  

     Scott's company was assigned to "Sherman's" half of the parade.   They started on 3rd Street, near the Capitol, and down Pennsylvania Ave. to Freedom Plaza at 13th Street.   The most inspirational moment was when we were still on the Mall, marching towards the Capitol.   It is almost unrecognizable since it is covered with scaffolding while the Rotunda's dome is undergoing some much needed repairs.  That seems appropriate today, since the Capitol was also under scaffolding and still being completed during the original Grand Review.  The statue of Freedom is visible above it all.   Once the parade was on Pennsylvania Ave., we had lost the shade of the trees on the Mall that had refreshed us, and we were feeling the heat from the pavement.  By the time Scott had marched all the way down the parade route, he was certainly starting to feel the heat, and his arm was having spasms from holding the rifle.  When he asked the captain for permission to fall out at Freedom Plaza at the end of the route, an officer and NCO from the company came to make sure he was OK.  Still, it was an honor to be there again, and he was glad not to have missed it.

      Now, it was time for the family to reunite.   By coincidence, Julie lost the stone in her engagement ring about two months ago.  Scott had been working quietly to get it replaced (with a nicer, larger one) and was waiting until today to give it to her.  Anna and Emma were both in on the secret, but hadn't let anything out.   So now it was time to re-enact that moment from our own family's history.

     In spite of the heat and his hurting feet, Scott pushed on to the corner of 15th and Constitution, the spot we had agreed upon before the parade, and across the street from where we were engaged.  He found a bench and waited.  A lot of time passed, but he didn't want to miss the others by going and looking for them in the wrong place.  He figured they were coming slowly because of Julie's sore feet or maybe Emma had become overheated.  He figured he was waiting there for about an hour and a half, but at least he was resting and cooling down.

      Meanwhile, the girls had gone to Freedom Plaza at the parade's end, but since Scott wasn't there they went to our meeting spot at the corner of 15th and Constitution.  In fact, they arrived on the corner and had also found a seat, but in a place from which they could not see Scott.  After maybe 40 minutes, they got the car from the garage under the Ronald Reagan building, and then saw Scott on his bench facing the Washington Monument.  Even though they were parked illegally for a few moments, Anna got Julie out of the car.  Scott greeted her and got down on one knee.  "Will you marry me again," he asked as he gave her the ring again with its new stone.  "I will. I will!" she said as she smiled and kissed him.  We had to do it pretty quickly.  Anna (and one Asian man) took a few quick pictures.  Emma was still in the car.  Once again, we didn't get video of the moment, but we were happy and have a lot to remember.

      It was starting to rain so we threw Scott's stuff in the car and drove.   We left Washington about 2:45, and started looking for a place for Scott to get a proper lunch.  We are driving all the way home tonight instead of staying the rest of the evening.  The girls actually didn't want to miss school on Monday, especially Anna who has finals coming up soon.  It's hard to argue with that, so we started the long drive back.  It's been quite an engage-a-versary!