USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Iowa City > Reunion of the Second Iowa Cavalry Veteran Association, 1891 > Part 2
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To them, the boys of 1891, we, the boys of 1861, must yield our flag; we can carry it no longer. And may God give those boys wisdom to plan, strength to endure, and courage to perform, that so long as wind shall blow to font its stars and stripes, that this, our sacred trust to them, shall fail not.
The Glee Club sang "The Battle Cry of Freedom," after which General D. E. Coon was called ont. The dear old officer came out upon the stage, and was accorded a perfect ovation. Since the days Governor Kirkwood spoke upon that stage, we have never heard such tremendous cheering, as a tribute to one man's -- not words -- but presence
General Coon said:
GENERAL COON.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, and Comrades of the Second Toza Caval- 1%.
You have called on me unexpectedly to talk to you But if I had expected to talk, I would certainly make a failure. I desire to say that it gives me the great- est kind of a pleasure to be with you on this occasion. I have, as you know, come a long distance to be with you, -- to use my own expression, I have been six days and nights "in the saddle" to be with you, and so of course I must en- joy the occasion very much to get the worth of my money to get here. [Ap-
plause. |
Now, comrades, what you want me to say is hard to tell. I would like to talk about many things and tell of many instances, but three or five minutes will not suffice. Permit me now to simply say I thank you very kindly indeed for the kind invitation you have given me, and hope that this evening and to-morrow may be one of the most glorious occasions we have ever witnessed | Applause. ]
Colonel Horton was then called out, and spoke as follows: (Coming up after persistent calling.)
1
COL. C. C. HORTON.
Ladies and Gentlemen.
This is altogether out of order. It was understood that none of these old cranks were to talk at this reunion. [ Applause. ]
The exercises were to be given by new blood This is the same old rule that we've followed-
Well, but if I must speak, all right I am glad to be with you, my old com- rades, here in this University city, the "Athens" of lowa. I am glad to meet you here. It was Johnson County that gave us Co H. and a more gallant company from any regiment cannot be found [Applause |
I am glad to meet you here at the home of that grand old man, Samuel J. Kirkwood, [ Cheers| our old War Governor. We have his picture here with us
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to-night, but we wish he was here. I would like to tell him how much we ap- preciate the loyal manner in which he stood by the boys Are my three minutes up? [ Cheers and cries of "Go on."]
"I am in favor of these reunions. I believe they are a grand educator for the youth of our land. They are "universities," They are schools of patriotism in every town where they are held. The great trouble in this age of prosperity, in my mind, is that we are apt to forget what it cost that we might enjoy the grand privileges of a free country and the prosperity that surrounds us. The four hun- dred thousand men that fell in the defense of that flag tell something of that. Every star in that sky of blue was bought at untold cost. The wives and moth- ers of these four hundred thousand men and the tears and cries of the widow and orphan tell more. Who can measure the cost of the widows' and mothers' teirs? You boys who rode with Hatch at Farmington; you boys who were with Elliott and Sheridan when they won their stars; you boys who were with Hatch at Shoudl Creek, and Grant at Vicksburg; you who were with Hooker when he stormed Lookout Mountain and charged up Missionary Ridge; those of you who marched with Sherman; those of you who witnessed the terrible scenes at Gettys- burg under Hancock and Meade, know something of the cost yourselves.
Boys, this country was bought with a price. The price of freedom was a price that emnot be measured
We are toll, however, in some quarters, that this "old soldier" business is played out. "We are getting tired of it, and it is about time we are getting rid ol it; it is getting to be a bore." But I want to tell you that we are in by a large majori- ty, and there will be enough of these old boys here for the next twenty-five years to make it lively for them, [Applause] and when we are gone, those grand or- ganizations, the Sons and Daughters of Veterans and Women's Relief Corps and the like, will carry it on down for the coming generations, and the glory of the old soldier will grow brighter and brighter as the years roll on. We are not go- ing from this grand old country for years You have a good right to stand up and clain your country's respect and honor. [ Applause. |
But I must not take more of your time. I am going to tell you a story and then stop.
Not long after the war one of our boys happened into a revival meeting I think it must have been a Methodist meeting After discussing the subject of the soul's eternal interest for some time, the minister called on all those who wanted to go to Heaven to stand up. All the people in the house stood up, ex- cept this old veteran. He then called on all who wanted to go to Hell to stand up Not one arose. The minister was surprised that this man should neither Want to go to Heaven or to Hell, and he said: "Here is a man who stands on neutral ground; I cannot understand how it is that a man can neither want to go Heaven nor to Hell There is no neutral ground in this matter I would like you to stand up and explain yourself " The old veteran got up and and told his reasons about as follows: "When the war broke out I had a wife and three ba- bies When the Call for three hundred thousand men was made I called my wife, Betsey, who had stood by me as I had toiled on the little farm, and we talked the matter over, and I said, "Betsey, I must go' And she said, John, how can I let you go?'
But my country needed me, and I said, The govern- ment promised to give me a pension if I am wounded, and if I die they will give it to you.' And then some of those rich men up town said, John, you go, and we will take care of your family ' So I went to the front, and the hardest battle I longht, although I was in for three years, was when I bid my wife and babies good bye. I covered them with a father's and husband's kisses, and left them, not knowing whether I should ever see them again I kept sending them my thirteen dollars each month. But by and by I received a letter From Betsey, in which she said, John, they tell me that the money you send ns is only worth sixty cents on the dollar, and the rich men who said they would take care of us seem to have forgotten us But some other people have helped me out some,
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and I am doing my duty here ' I tell you my heart ached to be with them, but I was finally captured. But when the war was over I started for home. Never did a train run so slow. It seemed as if we would never get home I finally went to the engineer and said, Throw open the throttle and let her go; I haven't seen Betsey for four years.' And he did so. But when we got only six miles from home, we had an accident, and the train was delayed and could go no fur- ther. I couldn't stand it any longer, but left the train and went over fences and hedges and through farms. I thought I would never reach them, and I vowed that I would never again leave them, as long as the Lord would let me stay, and my friends, if it makes no difference to you, this is a good country, and I don't care to go to Hell, or any other country." [ Laughter and Applause ]
"The Last Grand Camping Ground" was sung superbly by the Glee Club, and Colonel Egbert was called for, and responded as follows:
COLONEL EGBERT.
Comrades.
I would not have been called out if it hadn't been for that man Jones! I sup- posed I was exempt from any service on this occasion. It was a part of the pro- gram, when it was made up for this reunion, that some of us who had been call- ed out so often in the past should be left out, and give some of the other boys a chance. I haven't anything to say except that I am glad to meet you. So I beg to be excused.
Ed F. Jones, of Kansas, hearing some reference made to him by Colonel Egbert, came forward to see about it, and explained the matter in this wise:
ED. F. JJONES.
Women of the Relief Corps, Sons of Veterans, and you old "Sons of Guns""' [ Laughter ]
This is a job put up by Colonel Egbert.
A few years ago a woman in Kans is said, "Jones, if it hadn't been for you I never would have been married." Now Colonel Egbert says, "If it hadn't been for Jones I wouldn't have been called out " [ Applause. |
Now if there is a single old soldier here that don't belong to the Grand Army. I want you to go home and join your post before going to bed. These young boys should be taught the lessons of loyalty and love of country, for I tell you we have a class of people in this country who claim they are just as patriotic as we are. But I tell you, instead of patriotism, it is worms that ails them. [ Laugh- ter. ]
There is a peculiar class of men in this country who say they have got reli- gion, when its nothing in the world but dyspepsia! [ Laughter. | When I come to' meeting of this kind it almost petrified me. There is so much to be said. and so little time in which to say it. I am almost in the condition of the fellow out in Colorado, when met by some Smithsonian fellows who went out there to gather specimens from the rich deposits in the mountains there. As they went along they met the old fellow, who> said, "What are you about?" "Oh," said one of the party, "we are hunting for specimens of petrified wood." "Peter- ified wood," said the old man. "Yes," said the other, "petrified wood; wood that has turned to stone." "Oh, that is no go here," said the old man "But come with me over in the gulch across the mountain, and I will show you peter- ified wood. There is a man standing over there with a gun in his hand, all pet-
er-ified. The smoke is still coming out of the gun and it is peter-ified. The man was going to shoot a bird that was flying in the air, and the feathers were peter-ified -bird still flying- bird and all peter-ified " "Hold on
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here," said one of the party, "you are lying to us; that would be against the laws of gravitation. The bird would fall to the ground." But the old man protested and said, "Over in that gulch, even the laws of gravitation, everything over there is peter-ified," [ Prolonged Laughter] and so is everything "peter-ified" in some communities to-day.
Now boys, I want you to go home and join a Grand Army post and help us to teach this rising generation what the flag cost Yes, and a thousand times more. teach them, so that when they arrive at manhood, they can point to the flag of their country and say, "This is our flag, handed down to us by our fathers, and it is the emblem of liberty."
We have, down in our section of country, a peculiar state of affairs I think it was one of the old Egyptians who said, when dying, "Erect no monument over my grave, for when the people go through the cemetery they will say, Where is this man's monument,' and in that," he said, "I shall be remembered more than if I had the costliest monument in the world " I often think in Kansas we are running loose When we go to Chicago in 1892 and see the stately building of lowa and the stately building of Missouri and of the other states, and the people say, "Where stands the monument which the people of Kansas have erected in this great place," our people will say, "Here; look here, and see our "sockless statesman.' our J Simpson, " and at the same time we will say, "Look there," and you will look, and what else? Why, that is enough-enough for Kansas. [ Laughter ] I thank you.
This closed the camp-fire, and now began the regular public reception by everybody singing "Marching Through Georgia."
Invocation by Rev J. B Albrook, Chaplain of the Association:
J. B. ALBROOK.
PRAYER.
O Lord, Thou who art the disposer of events, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, the God of Hosts, we come into Thy presence to-night, realizing that Thy care and guardianship has been over us all our days. We are here to-night be- cause of Thy loving kindness and tender compassion for us; for at our very best we have been unprofitable servants. We thank Thee, O Lord, for this wonder- ful country of ours, the garden of all the earth; the place where the tree of liber- ty has grown larger than in any other country on the earth; the place and coun- try that has produced the grandest ideas, the greatest meu, and the best things for humanity. We thank Thee, O Lord, that liberty in this country has grown to perfect manhood. We rejoice to-night, not only for this country, but that Thou hast preserved it intact. And, as Thou hast declared in Thy Word, "We are laborers together with God," so Thou hast given us Thine assistance, and helped us work out this great problem, and to produce this glorious result.
And now, as we have come together for a little hand-shaking and to renew the ties and associations of other days, we pray Thy presence with us, and we pray that every one of these boys, so true and grand to his country, and who has so nobly helped to uphold the flag and carry it to victory, may likewise be true to the flag of Heaven; and, as they have been true to their commanders, so may they be true to the Great Captain of their salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the years are passing over our heads, and the scenes and surroundings that we to-day enjoy must be left behind us. And we pray Thee, O Lord, that every one of us may have such a preparation that when Thou shalt call us away from this life that Thou wilt call us to our reward immortal.
And now, our Father, we would remember our country. While it has gone through many vicissitudes, we realize that there are many problems yet to be solved; problems which may not be solved for many days to come. We know.
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O Lord, that there are men among us who would be willing to subordinate our land to their own selfish counsels. But may our country go forward and become more and more glorious than she has yet become. May she be a beacon light, proclaiming liberty, freedom, and emancipation of head, hand, and heart to all the world, so that all mankind everywhere shall enjoy these great boons which have been conferred upon us.
And at last, when we are gathered around Thy throne above, and contemplate all these mercies of the Lord, we will cast our crowns at Thy feet and praise Thee evermore for these blessings and opportunities, for all of them have work- ed together for onr good. And we will prise Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, forevermore, Amen.
C. M. Reno, mayor of lowa City, then delivered the following address of wel- come.
MAYOR RENO'S ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
The day is fast drawing to a close and the Mayor is wondering whether it is prohibition or the Mckinley bill that has made the past year so free from arrests for intoxication. Or that
"The men who used to get tight And go home with a load every night Had ceased to play tag With a noeinenal jaz And are spending a season at Dwight "
When in comes a man, evidently greatly excited, and in style very suggestive of the "Villian-still-pursued-her" order says " Mr. Mayor, I am a man of a great deal of influence in my ward, and I keep my chickens in the cellar, and the wa- ter main burst and drowned all my chickens. Now, sir, what are you going to do about it?" "You say, sir, that you are a man of great influence in your ward?" "I do, sir." "You say that you keep your chickens in your cellar?" "That I do, sir." "And you also say that the water main burst and drowned your chick- ens." "I did, sir." "Well, I am very sorry for you, my dear sir, but let me ad- vise you to hereafter keep ducks; and in either case keep your cellar door locked during the reunion of the Second Iowa Cavalry.'
That reminds me that a delegation of the Second requested me to deliver an address of welcome, and one of them said, "Give us a good speech "
I told them that I might do like the statesman who, on being nominated for alderman, thanked his friends for the nomination, and, if elected, which he hoped to the Good Being he would be, he would serve them with partiality. As for speech-making, he was not much, but for honesty, sobriety, and unimpartial- ity, he was the Old Nick himself With the acknowledgement.that I always did like the excitement of an election (and notwithstanding that but a short time be- fore I had been voted out of the "Hickory Sprouts" for the reason that I could not measure four feet) you will not be surprised to hear that in the building now occupied by the Iowa Lumber Company, and then on the corner of Clinton and Market streets, a small boy took in all that pissed during the election of the offi- cers of Co. H, of the Second Iowa Cavalry, a regiment the members of which, whether on the march or in battle, made a record second to none. A record they and their friends can point to with just pride and that in the future, when the last bngle call is unanswered, will be to their children a heritage worthy their emulation. Yes, I was present when the members of Co IL elected their offi- cers. Was personally acquainted with many of the regiment and naturally al- ways took a deep interest in their future gillant and honorable career and Las- sure you, gentlemen, (and I but voice the sentiment of each and every citizen, that you have a warm place in our hearts.
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We knew you prior to your entering the service. We know of your self-sacri- ficing efforts that we might this day enjoy the blessings of peace, and we remem- ber that when the last shot was fired, the trusty sword returned to its scabbard, and the dear old flag once more waved over a reunited people, you returned to our midst, and in the different peaceful vocations of life, by strict attention to duty and honorable dealings, won, and will always retain, the love and respect ot your neighbors
And now, gentlemen of the gallant Second Iowa Cavalry, it is with genuine pleasure that I personally, and in the name of each and every citizen, bid you a cordial welcome to our city, the home of that grand old m'in of fowa whose name is dear to every soldier, Hon Samuel J Kirkwood
J. K. WAGNER. PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION.
RESPONSE.
Mr. Mavor, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Mayor Reno has succeeded admirably in voicing the sentiment of the people of this city, as has been manifested to us from the first moment of our arrival, by a continuous, generous and liberal hospitality, particularly gratifying to us as coming from a people having in their midst one of the most famous -- and deser- vedly so-institutions of learning in the state and country, and as being the home of one of the most distinguished citizens of our republic. Yet we are not sur- prised at this manifestation of your regard for our comfort and the interest you have in our proceedings, for your reputation as a hospitable, loy d and patriotic people became the theme of favorable comment after former occasions of like character, when our comrades, representing other branches of the hte service, have gathered here to renew the friendships formed in the old time; to keep alive the memories of those trying times, and, above all, to feel the warm pressure of the hand and look again into the faces of those whom, in camp or in field; upon the march or in battle, they learned to love and admire as brave, intelligent and worthy companions and soldiers; receiving at your hands a right royal welcome, and we pledge ourselves to sustain your fame in this regard, not in the least dimin- ished by this, your latest, effort. Heretofore our reunions hive been held in places that have furnished a majority of the members of certain companies of the regiment. This, our fifth reunion, is no exception to what seemingly has become a custom with us, for the company denominated "H" in the regimental formation was raised in Johnson county and surrounding country, quite a num- ber of them being actu d residents of Iowa City, and when we remember this fact, and that the people of this city-and county were no exception to the impulses of loyalty and patriotism; that your fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers of- fered their services in defense of the Union as promptly and freely as those from any other portion of this commonwealth, and that your mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters kept anxions vigil at the shrine of Hope and Expectancy, in com- pany with all the loyal women of this nation, we feel that no more appropriate place could have been selected for this meeting
Upon occasions of this kind the mind naturally reverts to past scenes and in- cidents, and especially to those closely connected with, and leading up to, the subject matter under consideration. So, as I stand here to-night, I find it im- possible to banish entirely from my thoughts, had [ the disposition to do so. the volume of recollections that seem determined to pass in mental review, to men- tion a tithe of which at this time would be a tax upon your patience and an in- fringement upon the rightful opportunity of my comrades, but I can assure you that after the lapse of those years, full of the remembrance of trials, dangers and hardships endured; as the sun of our existence is sinking lower; and the shadows fall far ont, indicating the approach of the eventide of life for us; the past, preg-
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nant with results that have permeated for good the civilization of the world, ney- er seeks audience with us in vain; its visitations are welcomed in advance of business interests, and are sought for in the quiet of home life; at home or abroad, by day or by night; rejuvenating as the Elixir of Life, come the inspirit- ing memories of the past, with its lights and shadows, amidst which once more can be seen the faces and forms of our old comrades, many of whom are long since gone to their eternal rest, and in memory of whom rests a tinge of sadness on this otherwise a joyous meeting.
Fellow citizens and comrades, we are now removed over 26 years from the scenes and incidents of a civil war, the cost of which, I sometimes think, is not fully appreciated by those who are enjoying the benefits derived from the enor- mous sacrifice of life and treasure I will not charge it to absolute ingratitude, but rather to thoughtlessness induced by being too thoroughly absorbed in the business or pleasurable pursuits of the day, which, under the circumstances, is inexcusable; for no one can avoid seeing our comrades who have been disabled in battle, or the manifest evidences of diseases contracted in the service, and, having seen them, should they fail to be moved by any generous or sympathetic impulse, they would justly be charged with ingratitude. But there need be no fear entertained in regard to the feeling held by the masses for the soldiers of the late war. They made a place for themselves in history, and the loyal people of our land have made a place for them in their hearts, and from the numberless school houses all over this bind are coming, fully equipped for the active duties of life, a vast body of loyal and patriotic spirits, who eagerly grasp the standard as it is falling from the hands of the aged bearer, and planting it upon the advanc- ed battlement of the free, built and lent by a Diviner power, there to float in tri- umph until the end of time. The present is an auspicious period in our coun- try's history; amid the closing scenes of the nineteenth century, our ears contin- ually greeted with the ceaseless hum of industry; our minds captivated by the advancement in scientific research, and enraptured by the progress of art; sur- rounded by every indication of prosperity and happiness; at peace with all the world; united in fact as well as in name, a condition of affairs beyond the dream of possibility 30 years ago, save that one could have been endowed with prophet- ic vision. In short, we, in common with all the people of this broad land, are enjoying the fruitage of the successful issue of the struggle in which, we feel a pride in saying, we took a part, and, so far as came to us, bore the heat and bur- den of the day
We are in this splendid presence to-night with thankful hearts; thankful that we have been permitted to meet our comrades of the old regiment once more and be the recipients of your favor, a hospitality so genuine as to be unmistakable, and for which I desire, as the representative of my comrades upon this occasion, to return to you, Mr. Mayor, and through you to the citizens of Iowa City, our sincerest thanks.
Song, "We are Coming Home Again," by the the Glee Club.
Miss Grace Carroll recited the following touching lyric of Grant's death in a most impressive manner.
MISS ' CARROLL. "CORPORAL BIL.L "
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