USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Iowa City > Reunion of the Second Iowa Cavalry Veteran Association, 1891 > Part 4
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Where we have seven millions of then who own their homes, and a less num- ber who do not, we can be freed from immedi de fears But obse sation teaches us thit the non-owners increase much more rapidly thin do those who own the homes. What will be the condition when we have, as in forty years we will have, twice sixty-four millions of people within the limits of the United States? There are no more farms; there are no more lands of the government; they have already been secured and appropri ded. It is in the cities this population must live, for experience teiches us that, with the improvements and machinery and inventive genius, that a less and less number of laborers are ne aled upon the firma. [ have seen. this summer, a little miss of fifteen years of age, daintily dressed, sitting upon a spring seat, covered by an umbrella, and driving four horses on a machine, and doing the work which formerly required from fifteen to twenty men. So, in all the departments of agriculture, we have to provide a la- bor market for these growing millions, if this nation is to continue. There is no such a thing as preserving order when the power of the government is lodged in the ballot, and the ballot is in the hands of a discontented people
This is the question that must be met. How are we going to protect the nisses from the encroachment of overgrown wealth? All of us desire to be rich; all of us desire to accumulate. There is no question but that is one of the great incentives that makes the country grow and that has made the Republic what it is. But where one individual in his own hand controls the irre. istable power of two hundred millions of dollars, (and soon there will be those who have doubled that); when one man wields such power as that, what will the lib-
erties of the man who owns nothing be worth? or the rights and interests of that man, when they come in conflict with the man who has the millions? This is a
question that our sons must settle How they will settle it, who can dream? Will it be by eliminating from property some of its elements of evil? Our
fathers did this when they form-d our government. They found these two forms of evil: The right of primogeniture and the right of entail. They said. "We will deprive it of these," and everywhere, throughout the states, we find that property has lost two of its elements of evil.
Undoubtedly a state muy do what it pleases in these directions Every thoughtful min recognizes the fact that property, in its elements of evil, is the creature of municipal legislation. In a state of nature a man knows that what he seizes and continues to possess, when he ceases to possess, when he hys it down, it becomes the property of the next man who picks it up. It is organized society that lengthens the tenure and ownership of possession, that is not im- mediate. Will our boys have the wisdom to see that in certain instances this right of ownership shall coase to exist after possession ceases to be immediate? Will they see that when agencies must be introduced, and some one other than the individual owner is to exercise control, that the state shall have something to say about the selection of that agency? And will they have the wisdom to see that when a man ceases to be able to enjoy, when he has ceased to exist, that the state will have something to say as to the transmission of ownership, and who shall be the next owner?
These are questions that our boys will have to settle. Yet they are questions that thoughtful men ought to settle, and questions that thoughtful men ought to strive to lay before these boys, who, in the ir day. must settle them
There are many questions of this kind that suggest them elves to the thought- fnl man; that makes the future pregnant with portents, to say the least We have seen, in a neighboring state, how good men, many of them old soldiers, many of them men who, if you expressed a doubt about their loyahy; men who, if yon ex- presed a doubt with reference to their love of the institutions of their father;
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would repudiate the insinuation with scorn. We have seen how they attempted in their attempted legislation in a neighboring state, to fairly wreck a common- wealth whose business they were, for the time, entrusted with. It is true a bet- ter thought comes, but there was an uprising of such a character as to destroy fidelity and fealty to old parties and old party ties, in their desire to release them- selves from the pressure and burden of conditions that they were not able to wrestle with, and that they could not solve in any other way than through the violence that was prophysied in the legislation they attempted. I confess that I haven't the wisdom, and I haven't called attention to these matters because I thought it possible for me to give them a solution, but I do it because of all meetings that ever assemble, a meeting like this is one where the public thought should be directed to questions of this character. Yon men have an interest in this Union above all other men. You have the same interest in preserving the life and liberty that all have. But in addition to that, you have this other inter- est, that you have given more than other men; that you have been willing to risk more than other men; that you have been willing to sacrifice more than other men; and therefore your interest is deeper and broader, at least in this senti- mental status that I speak of.
Our boys are of the same mettle as ourselves, and, as has been wisely said here to-night, "If the time ever comes, under conditions such as surrounded us, they would be as prompt to go into the ranks, or into the saddle, as the men who are before me;" and when their struggle comes, if it does, it will be a different one from that you and I knew. When we went into the army we left none but friends behind; it was an inter-state war; it was between states. If their time of trial ever comes, from questions such as I have suggested, it will be at home that the war will be waged. It will be neighbor against neighbor; it will be the man who rents the tenement against the man who owns the tenement. When we talked of battle fields. we talked of battle fields under our own limits. When we talked of sprinkling the leaves with blood, it was the leaves of trees not indige- nous to our soil. There is a difference, I take it, in the mettle required for men to go into such a war as we did, knowing that at home the dear ones were safe; knowing that they were surrounded by friends; knowing that patriotism envel- oped them, and going into a war where one might live hisde ir ones in the morn- ing and not be sure but that the incendiary fre, kindled in the home, might light up the skies in the evening. It seems to me there is a difference, a wonderful difference, and that such a war as that is to be deplored. It is just such ques- tions as these that have destroyed the great governments of the past The great question that wrecked Rome was not that of governing a people not homogene- ous. It was in furnishing care, labor, and food for the people of the great cities And so you may look at every people that ever took rank as a nation. The cause has ever been because the great, growing stream of population was vaster than the capacities of society to furnish labor for the masses. How will we do it, when we have twice the population we have to-day? flow is it possible when the demand is doubled and tripled, and the field not correspondingly enlarged? The state of Kansas, with a population not unlike our own, with four hundred thousand laborers, cin, with her machinery, perform each day the labor of one hundred millions of men working with their hands, and she doubles that capacity every seven years It is not an increase simply of men demanding labor, but we have to meet this other question almost a curse, in view of the necessi- ties for the solution of the major premise, - that we do increase the capacity of our people in this rapid and rapidly increasing rush. Fortunately for us and for e ciety -and th it may be a source of safety- the wants of man expand with his imagination
There are no limitations upon human wants, save human finey. The thing we cannot conceive of is the thing of to-morrow's need. Yesterday's luxury is to-day's necessity, and it may be that, in these expanding wants of society, there may be a hope that this labor field will be created.
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I am very glad to have met you comrades. I am very glad to note the interest there is in these meetings. Two of our comrades have come to us from the dis- tant state of New York One of them has come to us from California Another has come from Colorado, and all of the adjoining states have made valuable con- tributions to swell the number and membership I am glad this love in old Second Iowa still lives in the heart of our comrades, whether they are in New York, or upon the shores of the Racine, or so far above as among the mountains, as our friend from Colorado. It seems to'me that the strength of this feeling I have tried to portray is the p: met of the knowledge of men. They know the Second lowa Cavalry; they know its men, and they know how to value its friendship. I hope we may have a great many of these reunions, my comrades. One of our comrades said that he grew three years younger at each biennial meeting. That is a little like the problem of the frog getting out of the well, that jumped out two feet and fell back three, and I don't know exactly how to solve it, with my observation and experience. But I think from the very bottom of my soul that it is true, and sometimes when I think how young I feel, I think perhaps that it must be true But at all events, whether there is any such last- ing value as that that comes from drinking from the fountains of youth, there is a reward of fellowship in these meetings, and there is that other reward, I hope, that one of the comrades has spoken of, that from these meetings may radiate some of that stalwart patriotism that every where diffuses itself among the comrades. We have got to have in this government, or in any, where the power is lodged in the hands of the people, a broader patriotism, and deeper than that that simply lowves the country as an acreage We have got to love its institutions; we have got to love its liberty; we must love its equality, and we must see to it thu esity citizen has all of this equality. It 'is a wretched mockery to say to a man that bere, under our benign institutions, he is placed upon a plane of life with equal chances in its races with the rich reward at the goal, and success shall open for him as for all others, as we say in theory, and then take from him the chances, and perhaps those of millions of other men by which they secure that equality in this race of life We want a broader patriotism than simply to love plains and the mountains and the rivers and the lakes and the landscapes of the lands. We must rise out of that standard, as it includes the love of all the in titutions of our fathers, liberty, equality, the right of every man to secure everything good in the race of life that lies within his possibilities. I thank you.
Adjourned to ten o'clock to-morrow.
SECOND DAY. 10:00 A. M.
The "boys' assembled at 10 a mi Several letter ; from abient comrades were read.
The event of the day then occurred, the regiment presenting their old com- mander, General Datos E Com with a gold-headed care costing 530. The cane is a beautiful article, and the magnificent gold head his engraved upon it, "Presented to General Data. E. Com by his boys of the Second łowa Cavalry. Oct 7, 1301."
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Colonel W. P. Hepburn made the presentation speech, a most eloquent effort, in harmony with his able addresses of the past, and his words were received with the greatest enthusiasm and wildest applause by the "old boys" who have never lost that deep and ardent love for the gray-haired commander to whom the splendid offering was made. The Colonel stated that the cane was presented as an evidence of the love of the Second Iowa Cavalry for General Coon, and as a testimonial of its love for the man who had been "tried in the balance and not found wanting " The gold head is typical of the purity of General Coon's char- acter, and the large staff of the whole-heartedness of the regiment's love for the hero it honored
Almost overcome, General Coon responded in a speech that moved almost to tears the boys who served under him years ago He delved into history and told of the organization of his company, his visit to Governor Kirkwood for a com- mission for such organization. Numerous interesting, humorous, and pathetic incidents in connection with his start in life as a soldier, were given. He ex- pressed bis surprise over the presentation, and yet the deep and lasting pleasure such a present will give him. His love for the comrades, a peculiar yet power- ful fraternal feeling, was earnestly expressed, and he th inked, ever so fervently, Colonel Hepburn and the boys of the Second for what they had been to him and had done for him, in the associations of the past.
,
The occasion was one to touch the hearts of all, and will be held by every. Second lowan as the most touching event of the reunion.
"Shall we Meet Beyond the River?" was sung by Comrade Rigby, Comrade Gillispie, of the Deaf and Dumb Institute at Omaha, Neb., accompanying with the sign language.
Mrs. Webster, a comrade's wife, presented the Association a bouquet brought from Painesville, Ohio, a tribute which Secretary Carroll styled "A most beau- tiful sentiment of the heart " She received a vote of thanks.
The Memorial Committee were instructed to report at next reunion.
On motion of Comrade Hepburn, all comrades shall report any deaths that they may have knowledge of to W. A Burnap, Scrattry, Mason City, Iowa, and by him to be reported to the Memorial Committee
The "Vacant Chair" was sung, after which the column was formed and marched to^ the Congregational church, led by the University Band and lowa City Post No. 8, G. A R There the comrades and their wives and sons and daughters sat down to such a banquet as only Iowa City ladies can prepare.
After the banquet the comrades re-assembled at the Opera House for the after- dinner speeches "Trimp, Tramp" was sung. President Wagner being called away, Comrade J N W Rumple was called to the chair, and said:
COLONEL RUMPLE.
Comrades.
I have one of the most pleasant, as well as, to me, one of the proudest, duties to perform that it has ever been my lot to take a part in. We have with us to- day one who is known not only state wide but is known throughout the nation;
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one whose name will continue to shine, and will only shine the brighter when time shall be no more, and when the scroll of time shall be unrolled no name shall appear brighter than that of the grand old man, the father of our regiment, and of the fowa soldiers, the old War Governor, ex-Governor Kirkwood I have the pleasure of presenting to you Governor Kirkwood.
GOVERNOR KIRKWOOD.
I didn't expect to be called upon to say anything to-day I came here to shake hands with my "children." Captain Rumple says I am the father of your regiment; but not at all
There is nothing that can give more pleasure than that I have enjoyed to-day in meeting so many of Iowa's old soldiers. Every man in Iowa feels proud of them. Every man that loves his conntry loves them. I feel embarrassed Al- though, in times past, I have been used to public speaking to some extent, I feel embarrassed in trying to address you
Your exertions, together with the help of the other states, saved our Union, and saved our country. That I had something to do with it, though in a differ- ent line from that followed by you is really a comfort to me to-day There are some things that happened during that time in which I yet take some pride per- sonally. While I was governor of your state, the first three years of the war, there was not a draft in Iowa, but calls made upon the state were answered by volunteers. We had a draft in the fall of 1864, after I had left the office of governor, but that should not have been made, because the number was raised at the time the draft was made We were, as Iowa always is, ahead. That is one thing I feel some pride in
Another thing I want to mention, then I will relieve you. During the first three years of the war we sent to the front none but three-year men, except our First Iowa regiment That was called for three months, or one hundred days. We hadn't much to give at that time, except men, to aid the government. We were poor, and when calls came for men from this state, as from other states, for six-months men, and nine-months men, and one-year men during the war, I said no, that Iowa could not afford it
There is a large percentage of loss in taking the boys from the farms, from the stores, and everywhere, in getting what is called "seasoned" in camp, and when a man has served six or nine months he is a far better soldier and can render far better service than one new in the service, and I said, "We'll give you three year men as rapidly as they are called for," and we did; and excepting the First regi- ment we had no men for less than three years, except towards the close of the war, when there were some regiments of one hundred day men, sent out to take the place of the veteran soldiers who were pushed to the front to bring the war tova close,
In those days I made many, many mistakes, as you all well know, and as many of you have made. But I think with you that we did the best we knew and the best we could, and that is all we can do.
But now good-bye, and God bless you.
GEORGE ADY.
"FIRST RAID OF THE WAR."
It is very difficult for anyone, even the general in command, to speak or write. of actual occurrences during the war without making frequent use of the per- sonal pronoun, because to be truthful and accurate, one must relate what came under his personal observation and that in which he was either a director or a
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participant. What was going on at other places is so largely report and hearsay hat, no matter what one's source of information, it is liable to be erroneous and o have been seen differently by others This does not refer to results which are dways established facts. 1 thus apologize in advance for so often speaking of nyself
Webster defines the word "raid" as "a hostile or predatory incursion; espe- cially an inroad or incursion of mounted men; a sudden and rapid invasion by a cavalry force.
"Maranding emnef ! his sole delight The moonlight raid, the morning fight.
-"Scott.
"A Scotch word, which within a few years his come to be much used in the United States
I do not know when I first heard the word or what impression it first made on me, but I do know that when I became one of the marauding chief's retainers and had participated in a few raids, I did not need an unabridged dictionary to tell me anything about it. Webster wasn't a circumstance to us of the Second Iowa Cavalry on the definition of a raid.
When, in 1861, over 1, 200 of us were congregated into the twelve companies that constituted the Second Iowa Cavalry, it took a long time for the government to get all the saddles, bridles, sabers, carbines, revolvers, picket-ropes and pins, , saddle-bags, canteens, haversacks, spurs, halters, links, curry-combs, brushes, siddle blankets, screw-drivers, cartridge-boxes, cap-pouches, extra tubes, extra main-springs for revolvers and carbines, and about a thousand other things, necessary to equip us for the field, all of which had to be accounted for until they could be lost in an engagement. But in the meantime we had much to learn before we were transformed from a mob to a regiment. We learned all about "Left! Left ! Left!" same as infantry We could stand with legs spread apart and left hand holding imaginary bridle reins, and go through with all kinds of exercises with wooden swords - "Right -- cut !" "Left -- cut !" "Right -thrust !" "Right-wait for the word; you don't know whether it is to be a cut or a thrust." We had to le in the bugle calls, whether we had an ear for music or not.
"Come out to the stable, all yon that are able, And feed your horses some hay and some corn; For if you don't do it. the colonel will know it. And give you the del, as sure as you're born,"
soon became familiar, and a good many others, especially "pills call," which many a poor homesick lad, away from his mother the first time, had to obey many a time during the toughening process of the first eight or ten months.
You all know about the long time of training and that we reached the front in the winter of 1861-02, considered one of the best drilled and disciplined regi- ments in the volunteer service How, after participating in the New Madrid, Island No. ro, and Fort Pillow campaigns, we were transferred on steamboats up the Tennessee river, arriving neir Pittsburg Landing about two weeks after the battle. From the re to Corinth we skirmished and fought over almost every mile of the way, mide ourselves fimou ; in the great saber charge of May 9th at Farmington, Miss , a village four miles eist of Corinth, and by this time had to some extent lost the hannting fear that had so long clung to us, that the war would end before we got into a good hard fight. On the 26th of May, 1862, Comp iny G was on picket in front of Corinth, but I was too sick to be on duty. On that day Philip Smith and David Ferguson rode over into the enemy's lines, and the captain was haunted all night with the fear that, as two men had gone into the enemy's lines, the whole d ---- d company would be there before morn- ing. On the morning of the 27th the company was relieved and came to camp.
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That night about dark orders were sent around to each company to prepare three days' cooked rations, with plenty of salt, sugar, and coffee, and be ready to march at two o'clock. My horse had died the day after the Farmington charge, and I had not yet received a new one. I had also been on the sick list for sev- eral days, but I could not st ind the excitement and had to go. The boy of 18 was different in judgment from the veteran of 45, so I borrowed a horse from a comrade and took my place in the ranks We started out at twelve o'clock. instead of two, as at first ordered. The horse I rode was a pacer, and from that day to the present time | hive never ridden another horse with that gait if I could possibly avoid it. The roughest trotter that was ever saddled is preferable to the finest picer for a long and tiresome ride. The shifting motion from side to side becomes intolerably painful after you become so fatigued that you can scarcely sit in the saddle, and trotting can be endured much better.
Colonel Elliott was in command of the expedition, Lieutenant-Colonel Hatch in command of our regiment, and Colonel Philip H Sheridan in command of the Second Michigan Cavalry, these two regiments being the only ones sent out. Sheridan had only been promoted and placed in command of his regiment that day, and we had never seen him before. We afterward saw a good deal of him, and heard more. We traveled from midnight until eleven o'clock a. m. without stopping. We then halted until five p m., then marched until midnight and again halted until daylight of the 29th, when we marched again until eleven a m. and then halted until fong p. m . We had passed through the town of Iuka and were now on one of the streams which form the Tombigbee river, not far from the Alabama line. I do not know whether on our journey we crossed into that state, as we followed country roads most of the time, avoiding traveled high- ways and towns as much as possible.
When we resumed our march, at four p m , we did not halt again, more than a few moments at a time, until about three a. m next morning, the goth By this time we were, as you may readily imagine, in ignorance of where we were, and so tired and sleepy that we didn't care. Of course we knew the general direction, but nothing as to what place we were coming to. By we, I mean the rank and file; the commanding officers, of course, knew, and had guides thoroughly acquainted with the country. I think no one so thoroughly understands what it is to be sleepy as the cavalryman. This was our third night, mostly spent in the saddle, with but little sleep during the time, day or uight.
The rider nods until his head is in danger of loss; he lies down in the road at every short stop and goes sound asleep in five seconds, but a whisper at the head of the company will mount him again He loses his hat and gets mad; lights his pipe for a smoke; chews hardtack or tobacco -does anything to keep awake And all the time, as he rides along, he sees incessantly by the side of the road innumerable nice, quiet fence corners, bunches of weeds or grass, underbrush or trees, where one could slip off his horse and sleep, oh, so sweetly and quietly, if only he did not have to keep on with the moving column At last every thought and feeling is gone but the desire for sleep. It swallows up hunger, weariness, love of life, almost There were many times when, if the chances were even for being killed or escaping if we laid down to sleep, we would have taken the one chance, if only allowed to do so. Words can give but a werk idea of the intense desire for sleep on night marches.
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