USA > Iowa > Cerro Gordo County > Mason City > Reunion of the Second Iowa Cavalry Veteran Association, 1893 > Part 4
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time. May the Lord bless you, old comrades, is the wish of Yours, in F. C. and L., THos. BELL, Co. K.
SUTHERLAND, IA., Oct. 4, 1893.
Dear Comrades- We find at the last moment that we cannot meet with the dear old comrades of the 2nd lowa Cav., and send this line to say our hearts are with you. The ranks are thinning, but the old ties grow stronger year by year. God bless and keep you all for another re- union two years hence. With immeasurable regret, Sincerely yours, MR. & MRS. HUSE WOODS.
PORT JERVIS, N. Y., Oct. 1. '93.
Dear Comrade Burnap: I am compelled to tell you I am physically unable to be where my heart is, with you. *
* So you will . please greet my beloved comrades in my name : tell them my purse, my heart, my home, is always open to them, in friendship or distress. Yours, Corp. E. MEAD, Co. I.
Our Late Commander, GEN. DATUS E. COON.
I The beloved old Commander was accidentally shot by a friend, at san Diego, C'al., at 9 o'clock, Dee. 16, 1893, and died about 2 o'clock the next morning. Your Secretary presents with this report a copy of the best memorial Hkeness of our old Commander he could procure, knowing that all will be glad to secure it.]
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
KALONA, IA., Oct. 2, 1893.
W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade: It is with sorrow that I cannot be with yon; but such is the case. I had the misfortune to lose my wife this spring, and am tryiffg to keep house with six children. I send love to all the old boys, and may "God be with you till we meet again." W. C. KARR, CO. II.
COUNCIL GROVE, KAN., Sept. 13, 1892.
Comrade Burnap-Your kind favor of Sept. 2 at hand. It is useless for me to attempt to tell you how much I should enjoy meeting my hun- dreds of the 2nd lowa Cav. once more, but we, the citizens of Kansas- part of us at least-have partially lost our erops by the dry weather, consequently money is a scarce article with most of us. That is all that keeps me from joining you Oct. 4 and 5. *
* Please send me a roster of the boys in attendance, so I can see their names if not their faces. Wishing you a very enjoyable time, I am ever Yoms in F. C. and L. 11. 11. ROBISON, Co. K
LAURENT, IOWA, Oct. 3. 1893.
W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade: It is with deep regret that i send you a line instead of answering roll-call in person, for well I know that where the grand old Regiment has a meeting there will be felt ties that bind comrades together in a friendship so true and strong and lasting that life furnishes few if any parallels to this indescribable tie. My de- sire is that time may deal gently with all comrades, and that they may be spared to enjoy many more rennions. Fraternally yours, E. PEARSON.
WILTON JOT., IOWA, Oct. 2, 1893.
W. A. Burnap -- Dear Comrade: I am very sorry that I cannot be with the boys, as it is always a red-letter day with me to meet the old comrades who stood shoulder to shoulder in the smoke of many a battle. Give my best regards to all the boys, and let them know I am stil num- bered with those few who are left here awaiting the final call. Your old comrade, JASPER DAWSON, Co. H.
3. COLUMBUS, KANSAS, Oct. 2, 1893. W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade : At this late date I am compelled to give it up. But my heart is with you. May God bless every one of yon. Fraternally, T. J. WILSON, Co. M.
EUREKA, KANS. Sept. 16, 1893.
Dear Comrades-Your kind notice received, and you cannot feel the disappointment I feel, at being obliged to forego the pleasure it would be to me to fall in ranks onee more with the boys as of yore. But that is denied me, as my crops is a total failure, and I am here away from * home, working at my trade to make something to keep things going at home. *
* Tell the boys I want to see them all. I have not seen one of them for some eight years, so you may know I am lonesome. Let me hear from the comrades.
Fraternally yours,
S. A. ROBISON, Leoti, Kans.
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
LEVERTON, Mo., Sept. 9, 1893.
Dear Comrade-Yours of 2nd inst. received, and O, how glad I wo'd be to be with you at Mason City, if it were possible : but it seems now I cannot come. I have been kicked by that brace of rebel jackasses, Cleveland and Hoke Smith, and am not able to bear the expense of a trip even to a place so dear to my heart as a 2nd la. Cav. reunion. Hav- ing belonged to the reg't from muster in to master out, and being con- tinuously with it, I love it and its memories as only a soldier can. * * *-
* My pension was suspended on the 8th of August without any rea- son being assigned, and I can only conclude that it was done because I was a union soldier. *
* Hoping that you may have a good reun- ion, I am Fraternally yours, JOB L. HAAS, Co. C.
MONTESANO, WASH., Sept. 28, '93.
Dear Comrade-I received your notice of the reunion of the Second Iowa Cav., and am sorry to say that it is impossible for me to attend. I can hardly give it up as I have been trying to arrange it so that I could conie. * Please give my respects to all of the boys, especially to Co. F. Yours respectfully, J. I. CALDER, of F.
ESSEX. PAGE Co. LA., Oct. 1, '93.
Dear Old Comrade-I cannot be with you this time, but I hope if I am alive the next one to meet with you and shake hands once more. Yours truly, T. S. CRAY.
TIPTON, IA., Oct. 1, 1893.
Dear Comrade-I am sorry that I cannot be with you at Mason City to meet with you all once more. This is the first I have missed. Very hard times. Give my love to the Regiment. JOHN BICFORD.
PAOLA, KAN. Sept. 1893. W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade: It is with feelings of regret that I have to answer 'no' to your kind invitation to be present at next reunion for the fact that I am not able from bad health to get there. Please give well wishes, kind regards of an old comrade. Yours in F., C. and L., F. J. HUSSEY, Co. F.
CHERRY, KANS., Sept. 27, 1893. W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade: I am very sorry to say that it's im- possible for me to be with you and the rest of my comrades at the reun- ion at Mason City. My health is so poor at present that it would not be wise for me to leave home, without running too great a risk for my fu- ture welfare. Iassure you that I regret it, for it would be a great pleas- ure for me to see them and answer roll-call with those who knew no fear and shirked no duty in time of our country's danger. My kindest re- gards to all. Yours in F. C. L. W.M. E. FEHRENBECK, of I.
ATLANTIC, LA., Sept. 29, 1893.
W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade : Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to meet the boys at Mason City-God bless them !- but circumstances financial and otherwise are such that muchas I regret it I cannot be present in person, but will be with the old boys in spirit,
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
and in the hope that kind Providence will bless them with good weath- er, and I know they will have a good time, as they always do. Regards to the boys, one and all; tell them that nothing which I could overcome would keep me away; but I cannot come ; it starts the tears unbidden to think of it. God bless the old 2nd lowa Cavalry-a regiment that had no superiors and few equals. HENRY PRICE, Co. C.
LYNDON, KAN., Sept. 22, '93. Dear Comrades :- Up to this time I had fully expected to meet the old boys once again at roff-call. But I tind I must yield in despair .- There are but two of us; my wife is an invalid and I am a cripple. * * Would like to hear of your having a good time, and how many of Co. HI. are present. Yours in E. C. L., SOL. BOWER, of IL.
HAY SPINGS, NEB., 1893. W. A. Burnap, Sec'y :- How I would love to be with the old 2nd la. Cav But at the last moment Imust bow to the inevitable. You must tell them I am not coming. BENJAMIN DIFFENBACHER, Ist Lieut. and R. Q. M.
DENVER, COLO., Oct. 2. 1893. W. A. Burnap, Sec'y : - I have received your several notices of the reunion, and had hoped up to within a day or two that I could attend. i find, however, that business arrangements will not permit me to do SO. Please express my deep interest in the Association, and my regrets at not being able to be with the boys on the 4th and 5th. I send my love to all. Yours truly, GEO. ADY.
MUSCATINE, IA., 1893. W. A. Burnap :- I received your circular, and am sorry to say I can- not be with you at Mason City. I am proud that I have been a member of that grand old Regiment. I send greeting to all the old comrades. Yours truly, JACOB A. MARTIN, Co. A
MAPLE GROVE, Mo., Sept. 24, 1893. Comrade Burnap :-- Yours of 6th inst. at hand. Am sorry to inform you that'on account of hard times and poor crops it will be impossible for me to attend the reunion. * Tell the boys I would so much like to be with them, but finances are too low. My health is poor for last three years, and am obliged to spend considerable money for medicine to keep me from suffering. I am ever Yours truly.
C. F. ZIEGLER, Co. I.
QUINCEY, ILL. Oct. 7, 1893.
W. A. Burnap-Dear Comrade: I expect that you will think curi- ous that I did not attend the reunion. It was not my fault, as my will was good. I left Quincey Friday, Sept. 29, and landed in Rock Island with the asthma so bad I could searcely breathe. I still kept getting worse, so had to give it up. I can tell you I was awful put ont about it, I was so anxious and sure of being there. Hope had a good time. God bless you all. Yours, JOHN E. WILLIAMSON, Reg'l Bugler.
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
In addition to the foregoing, other valuable and interesting letters were received from the following comrades, which the Secretary much desires to publish, but our limited space renders it impossible to print all of them :
A. J. Twaddell, Co. L, Ash Grove, Mo.,
S. B. Fox, Co. A. Taylor Ridge, Ils.
J. D. Richards, Co. B, Baxter, Iowa,
Henry Bahl, Co. E, Durant, lowa.
Gottleib Ruge, Co. E.
Hugh Bates, Co. C, Red Bluff, Calif.
O. L. Dort, Co. F, S. KauKanna, Wis.
C. F. Ryan, Co. C, New York City, 19 La Fayette Place.
W. II. Yerian, Scotch Grove, lowa.
Curtis Knight, Ames, Iowa.
Y. Daugherty, Co. E. Sterling, Kans.
C. C. Richmire, Beaumont, Neb.
11. B. Shore, Co. D, Osceola, Neb,
A. Newman, Co. I, Soldiers' Home, Dayton, Ohio.
Zadock C. Perkins, Co. D, Orient, Iowa.
James II. Grimes, Co. K, Leon, Iowa. R. G. Burleson, Co. 1, Tisdale, Kansas.
J. G. Johnston, Co. M. Westboro, Mo.
W. H. Royce, Co. HI, Mechanicsville, Iowa.
Jeremiah Jones, Co. B, Anita, lowa.
J. E. Diffenbacher, Co. E, Redlands, Calif.
David G. Wooster, Van Buren, Ark.
J. E. McAllister, Co. K, Lyons, kansas. D. Pearson, Co. I, North Branch Kans. Leslie HI. Pepper, Co. B, Whatcom, Washington.
G. W . Kelsall, Co. L, Maquoketa, lowa. Jacob Lunenberger, Co. HI, Salon, lowa.
HI. E. Rutter, Co. I, Hopkinton, lown.
G. D. Rogers, Co. 1, Pecatonica, Il.
G. B. Darlington, Co. K, Stockton,
The Committee upon Location reported in favor of Des Moines, Ia. for the place of our next Reunion, which report was on motion adopted. After which the Committee on Officers reported the following as
OFFICERS FOR THE ENSUING YEARS : President-THos. BELL, of Co. K, Fairfield, lowa. Vice-Pres't --- J. C. SMITH, Co. 1, Washington, lowa. Sec'y & Treas'r-T. T. ANDERSON, Co. D, Indianola, lowa. Chaplain -J. B. ALBROOK, Co. 1, Mt. Vernon, lowa. ( HI. B. SUDLOW, Co. C, Rock Island, Ils. Executive Com. { J. L. HERBERT, Co. B, LeGrand, la. ( B. A. BEESON. Des Moines. la. Report on motion adopted.
LIEUT .- COL. W. P. HEPBURN.
GEN'L. ED. F. HATCH.
GEN'L. W. L. ELLIOTT.
COL, C. E. HORTON.
CAPT. HENRY EGBERT
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY. REPORT OF MEMORIAL COMMITTEE.
The following report of the Memorial Committee was next receiv- ed and adopted, and ordered placed in the proceedings:
died -, 1891.
April 5, 1892.
May 6, 1892.
Sept. 17, 1892.
in Fall of 1892.
March 24, 1893.
Sept. 20, 1892.
in 1891.
in 1888. Jan. 22, 1892.
Jan. 5, 1892.
Jan. 25, 1891.
Sept. 29, 1892.
August, 1892.
Jan. 1890.
July 28, 1889.
M. CARROLL.
Signed on behalf of Committee,
Comrade David Lutz, of Co. I, recited an interesting original poem,
commemorating the bravery of Comrade "Toad," (Wm. Myers, Co. 'I')
upon 'what battle day" at Booneville, when the "Twin Seconds"-Sec-
ond lowa and Second Mich. Cavalry, won the first 'star' for gallant Phil.
Sheridan, and where Comrade Lutz lost his "good right arm, " and was
assisted to the rear by the plucky Toad.' The poem was well received,
heartily applauded, and would be published did space permit.
the way of reministic talk, at about 12 M. adjourned for After some further "desultory firing" from all over the house, in
THE BANQUET.
At 12 o'clock, M. the "boys" and their wives gathered at Co. A's
and seats were all filled. The repast was sumptuous, elegant, embracing Armory for the closing banquet. Plates had been laid for 250 guests,
all of the substantials, and the choicest viands of the season, each plate
ornamented with a beautiful button-hole boquet, for the hero's breast.
Nathaniel Wilson, Co. M
F. A. Harris, Co. F.,
II. N. Battles, Co. F.,
Win. Rowley, Co. B,
IL. D. MeCombs, Co. M,
Wm. G. Stevenson, Co. M,
A. Reitz, Co. E,
F. M. Griffith, Co. D,
Martin Yenter, Co. M,
C. P. Reed, Co. M,
F. W. Yerian, Co. M,
Joseph Anderson, Co. L,
Capt. S. Gilbert, Co. F.
Jacob Henan, Co. D,
J. W, Elias, Co. M,
Lawrence Miller, Co. G. J. M. Giles, Co. G,
R. M. Downer, Co. K,
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Jan. 9, 1886.
Your Committee would respectfully report that they find letters announcing}the death of the following comrades:
E. D. Yule, Assistant Surgeon,
1
John Snyder, Co. L,
W. W. Miller, Co. G,
SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
The banquet was served by the Ladies of the M. E. Mite Society, the veterans paying for their meals, as is their custom, by resolution of the Association.
After the comrades had enjoyed in full the boutiful repast, Pres't Beeson called the attention of the Regiment to the subject that had been of vital interost to many of the boys-"Transportation"-and call- ed upon your Secretary, who had just marched in at the head of "Tom Howard" Post, of Clear Lake to respond. His reply in effect, as follows: Mr. President and Comrades :
Those of you who were at West Point remember the hole that the rebels got us into that day-a hole where we would all have been buried beneath the prairie sod or starved in Andersonville had not the Ninth Illinois Cavalry on request of your Colonel, without orders, come back and helped us out. This morning you were in a financial hole equally as desperate, on transportation. The best I could do was to find two hun- dred and nine certificates, and I needed two hundred and fifty, or your transportation rebate was lost, and some of you boys would have been compelled to walk home. But, on request of your Secretary, Tom How- ard Post and Corps, of Clear Lake, have come to the resene in force-as gallantly as did the 9th Ills. at West Point-and brought your certifi- cates up to over two hundred and sixty, and let you out of all difficulty. I now propose that Tom Howard Post and Corps be made Honorary Members of our Association for to-day, by a rousing vote and three cheers. "Second the motion," was heard all over the hall. and hardly waiting for the motion to be put, the boys rose in their seats and raised the roof with three old-time hurrahs.
The second toast was " The Ladies, " responded to as follows, by MAJOR GUSTAVE SCHNITGER. Mr. President, Ladies and Comrades :
I have been chosen by the committee on arrangements to address you for a few minutes, on any subject I felt inclined to select. I there- fore selected as my subject "The Ladies, " and will address you on "Wo- man Suffrage."
In the year 1876 I was appointed from Davenport, Iowa, as United States Marshal for the Territory of Wyoming. The Territory was not much known at that time, except as the only territory or state in the union where Woman Suffrage was adopted. I at that time was not in favor of suffrage to woman, but my first experience at one of the elec- tions in that territory convinced me that I was entirely mistaken re- garding the benefits resulting from suffrage to woman. I made it a point to visit all the polling places in the city of Cheyenne, where I was then stationed, and I found to my astonishment at all the voting places the voting was conducted in a very orderly manner ; there was no loud talking, no swearing and no drunkenness to be heard or seen about these places, even the ticket peddlers were so polite that they took off their hats to the ladies who came to vote, and allowed them to selvet such tick- ets as they desired. This in itself was a great improvement over the voting done at the precinets of Davenport. lowa, where I had recently left, and had been an eye witness to many disturbances on election days. I at onee thought more favorably of woman suffrage. I had often been told and was brought up to believe that the right of suffrage given to woman would result in turning the State governm't over to the Church,
.
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
and personal liberty would receive a death blow by allowing woman to vote. Now sir, on investigation, I found this to be the contrary, and that the citizens of Cheyenne and the Territory had the advantage of more liberal laws to govern them than is found in many cities and states of the union. None of the schools were conducted under sectarian in- fluences, and the Bible was forbidden by law to be read in the public schools. I have lived in that territory, now a state, for the past fifteen years, and am still convinced that the suffrage given to woman in Wy- oming, has been and is a great benefit. I find that it gives a purity to the ballot that could not otherwise be gained; it demands that a candi- date for office must have a good moral character, and must be straight and upright in all respects. The women voters look upon these quali- ties in a candidate more than they do to partizanship. More particu- larly so is this in city elections.
I also find the statement made and generally believed throughout the east that women would be inclined to run for offices for which they are not mentally or physically qualified, or for offices which their sex in social laws would not permit. This wide spread statement is not thero- fore true, as we find women have no desire to make themselves couspic- uous before the public in public affairs. But I will say that women will run for County Superintendent of Schools, and I think to-day that most all those positions in the counties of our State are filled by women. the result being that Wyoming has less illiterate people according to the population than is found in any state of the union.
We have given suffrage to the Negro; are our women less intelli- gent? Are they less to be trusted? I think not. In Wyoming the wo- men run ranches and carry on mercantile business with much better success than a great many of the Lords of Creation. Is not that a rea- son why they should vote?
Three years ago, when Wyoming was admitted to the union as a State, the first legislature that convened adopted the Australian ballot making Wyoming the first state in the union to adopt this improved system of election laws. This scores another point for Wyoming in the march of progress, where she is always found in the vanguard of civil- ization. Itell you that the time is not far distant when the citizens of the State of Iowa will have to vote on the question of Woman Suffrage. Our neighboring state, Colorado will vote on it this fall, and the indica- tion are that the citizens of that state will cast their ballots in favor of it.
In conclusion I will say to you, and my earnest desire is, that when- ever this subject of woman suffrage comes to a vote in lowa, that you all may be found in the front in a gallant charge voting in favor of it; and judging from my first experience I can safely say you will never regret it.
Next came the toast, "West Point, " responded to by COMRADE JOHN LU TAYLOR. 1987731 Mr. President, Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen:
My long trip of over two thousand miles across the mountains from Salt Lake City has not particularly qualified me for addressing you on an occasion of this kind; however, I shall endeavor to relate to you brief- ly some of the incidents which took place on that eventful occasion of our trip to West Point, Miss. When I stop to think of it for a moment hurriedly it occurs to me how fitting it is that. / should be called upon on this occasion to respond to the toast "West Point." It is fitting, my friends, because of the fact that a gentleman well known in this beau-
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
tiful city, and who is still highly respected by you, and loved by those of us who served with him during those trying days of the great war of the rebellion, the brave, gallant and tender-hearted General Coon, who once lived here. It was my fortune on the 22nd day of February, 1864, to be at the side of Comrade Serg't Johnson, of Co. M, when he was shot and killed near the slough as we came out of the timber, approaching the big open field. I had left the side of Serg't Johnson but a moment when I came across Major Coon, commanding the regiment at the time. His orderly, Thompson, had been killed, but a moment before. We of the 2nd had been holding the rear all of the fore part of the day, tight- ing on the retreat. We had become by this time very much exhausted and were being driven back by an overwhelming force. Major Coon had repeatedly called on Col. Hepburn, commanding brigade, for help, but for some reason Col. Hepburn was not permitted to send us assistance, but instead ordered us to " fall back," which we could not do without fighting, as our only alternative was to fight or run. As I approached Major Coon in the field he had just received for the third or fourth time the stereotyped order to "fall back." He turned to the messenger and said "Tell Col. Hepburn that he must send me reinforcements to pro- tect the flanks, or clear the road so that we may run! we have either got to fight or run!"' The Major was feeling very bad, and so was I, as I be- lieved then that the most of my own Company were either killed or cap- tured. The tears coursed down his cheeks, and I was so full I could not speak. I finally blurted out, .But-bnt-Major, we won't run, will we?' "No, my boy, we won't run; if they want us they must take us fighting!' Some twenty years after that I had the pleasure of meeting Gen. Coon in Washington City, and related this circumstance to him, and he re- membered it clearly, as the tears again filled his eyes. Friends, of Ma- son City, this will give but an idea of the character of the man as a sol- dier, you sent from your midst to the great war of the rebellion. I will now pass along briefly to a point little later in the day. We had finally been relieved of our position in the rear by another regiment, but were almost immediately placed back there where we had been nearly all of the day-the regiment that had relieved us having been driven back with such force that they were unable to recover until we had again checked the exultant enemy. Captain Horton was in command of his rifie battallion, and on the skirmish line fighting dismounted, every foot of the ground being stubbornly contested by Horton and his rifles; but we were being pushed back. The country was rough and hilly and timbered somewhat, quite brushy in places, making it very hard for Horton and his dismounted men to form line and hold their position .- Now and then a rifleman would become exhausted and give up, but the brave and gallant Charley would halt, run back in the face of the ene- my and pick up his fallen and exhausted comrades and help them along back into line, and beg of them not to give up, but hold out just a little longer and all would be well. Finally Brunton, one of Horton's Lieu- tenants, was shot through both legs, when we had almost reached the top of the hill. As I happened to be abont the only mounted man near at the time, I offered my horse to Brunton, but he could not ride. He was "hot," "red hot" and oh, how he did-pray; but not such prayers as you find in prayer-books. We got him into an ambulance and out of the enemy's hands, when he surely would have been lost had it not been for the stubborn resistance of Horton and the intrepid riflemen. My kind friends, these are but samples of the character and characteristics of the men whom you are now honoring and providing for in your bean- tiful homes. Are they worthy of your honor? The halo and kindly ex- pressions I see upon your faces tell me that you believe they are. My
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SIXTH REUNION SECOND IOWA CAVALRY.
friends, I could go on for hours and relate to you incidents of this kind, but I am admonished that my time is up, and I shall therefore close by thanking you for your earnest attention, and the interest you have shown in my rambling remarks on "West Point."
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