USA > Illinois > Complete history of the 46th regiment, Illinois volunteer infantry, a full and authentic account of the participation of the regiment in the battles, sieges, skirmishes and expeditions in which it was engaged > Part 33
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Yours in F. C. and L ..
B. DORNBLASER. Col. 46th Ill.
Secretary Held read the following letter from Comrade R. M. Lackey, M. D., formerly assistant surgeon of the old 46th :
OAK PARK, ILL, Aug. 20th, 1889.
SEC. REUNION COM.,
46th Reg't Ills. Inft'y Vols,
Dear Comrade :- I see from the papers that the 46th is to have a reunion on the 22nd inst.
I served as assistant surgeon of the 46th from about April 1st to Oct. 20th, 1862. Many of the survivors of the original members of the Reg't., I persume, will remember me, and I take the liberty of writing to say how delighted I would be to be with you this week, were it possible.
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Of my more than four years of service in the army during the war and after, there is no period that I look back upon with more; tender memories than the time I spent with the 46th. I saw war many times in all its different phases-its tragedy and its comedy-its pathos and its ro- mance; but of these there are none that are more firmly fixed upon my mind than is the scene in the little room at Bolivar, Tenn., after Hatchie, where lay dying that brave ideal volunteer soldier, Col. John A. Davis, and in another corner of the same room the courageous, quiet, the well be- loved Lieut. Thompson. Sturdy, faithful, good natured Dr. Ben. Brad- shaw and myself divided our attentions as surgeons and nurses between these two heroic men, until the moment carne, in that calm autumn night, to close their eyes in the patriotic soldier's eternal sleep. Even yet, after more than a quarter of a century, the eyes grow dim with tears as this pathetic scene crowds upon our memories.
I had more than ordinary interest in some of the boys of the 46th, not only because they were good boys and good soldiers, but because they had been my pupils years before the war, when I taught school in Steph- enson County, and knew their fathers and mothers, and speaking of the boy's mother reminds me to suggest to some of the speakers at your re- union, should you have speeches, to choose as the subject of their remarks "Our Mothers," and whoever responds to this, I pray that he may have the gift of mighty eloquence that he may do the subject full justice. For my part I would like to be able to raise a monument of imperishable granite on which I would inscribe in glowing characters,-"In memory of our heroic, patriotic mothers of the brave boys who saved the American Republic, and carried the starry banner to victory."
To the old comrades of the 46th one and all I send thro' you a thou- sand, thousand benedictions. I hope to meet some of you at Milwaukee next week at headquarters, Phil Sheridan, Post 615 Dept. Ill.
Yours in F. C. and L.
R. M. LACKEV.
THIS AFTERNOON.
At 1:30 o'clock the veterans met at Germania Hall and formed in line of parade. The procession was headed by asquad of police followed by the Henney Buggy Company Band of 23 pieces. Then came the speak- ers in carriages, followed by 129 veterans of the 46th. The procession was in charge of Capt. Phil. Arno, Capt. Wm. Young and Dr. Bradshaw. The procession moved up Galena Street to Walnut Street, north on Walnut to Stephenson, and then to Taylor's Park, where the following program was carried out :
Music-Henney Buggy Co. Band. Invocation-Chaplain. Welcome- Hon. Charles Nieman, Mayor. Response-Surgeon B. H. Bradshaw .- Music-Henney Buggy Co. Band. History of the 46th Regiment-His-
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torian Thos. B. Jones. Address -- Judge J. D. Crabtree, Dixon. Music- Henney Buggy Co. Band. Song, "Marching Through Georgia," -- by Everybody. Music-Henney Buggy Co. Band. Form and march to head- quarters.
A banquet will be held this evening at the Brewster House, where the following programme will be carried out :
Master of Ceremonies, CAPT. W. W. KRAPE.
TOASTS.
Soldiers of the War, -; We Meet Again, Boys, Capt. F. H. Marsh; Surgeon Since the War, Dr. B. F. Bradshaw; The Ladies, Capt. Harrison W. Bolender; Pensions, Capt. Walter G. Barnes; Com. Dept. of the Soldiers since the War, Con. Sergt. James Musser; The Dead Soldier, Lieut. T. B. Jones; The Duty of the Living Soldier to his Comrade, Capt. Phil Arno; Grabtown, Dauphin Island and on to Fort Blakely, John A. Waddel .- To be followed by toasts by the boys.
N. B. Any soldier not responding when called on will be immediately placed on extra duty by the Corp'l. of the Guard.
Vocal music will be rendered during the exercises by the Occidental Male Quartette.
A SUCCESSFUL REUNION.
The reunion of the gallant 46th held in Freeport Thursday, proves a success in every respect .- Exercises at Taylor's park .- The Banquet at the Brewster House.
The reunion of the 46th Illinois Volunteers, held in this city Thursday was pronounced by all a most decided success in every respect. Consider- ing the fact that the last reunion was held in this city two years ago, there were a large number of the old boys present and that they felt amply repaid for coming all will admit. A good share of the credit for the success of the reunion is due to the following committees :
Committee on Arrangements -- Capt. W. G. Barnes, Capt. Philip Arno, Capt. Wm. Young. Wm. Swanzey, Z. T. F. Runner, M. T. Steffen and Fred C. Held.
Executive Committee-Capt. W. G. Barnes, Capt. Wm. Stewart, Capt. James Musser, Orangeville, Capt. W. W. Krape, M. T. Steffen, Wm. Swan- zey, Z. T. F. Runner, with president and secretary added.
The above gentlemen, assisted by other members of the regiment, did all in their power to make the reunion a success, and we are glad that their efforts accomplished that result.
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AT TAYLOR'S PARK.
The afternoon exercises were conducted at Taylor's Park. A tempo- rary stand had been erected in front of the main amphitheatre for the ac- commodation of the speakers and Henney band. The main amphitheatre was crowded to its utmost capacity, while many had to seek seats in the second amphitheatre. The meeting was called to order by President Arno, and after a selection by the Henney band, Chaplain J. W. Bucks made an earnest prayer in which he asked our Heavenly Father to watch over and protect the old veterans.
Hon. Chas. Nieman, mayor of Freeport, then delivered a brief welcom- ing address. His speech was earnest and appropriate, and he paid a neat tribute to the soldiers who went to the war, and thought they were entitled to the best in the land. It was a pleasure and an honor for him to welcome them to the city of Freeport.
Dr. B. F. Bradshaw, of Orangeville, was called upon to respond to the mayor's address of welcome. He said that the 46th was composed largely of Stephenson county boys. They went away from home with the best wishes and prayers of the loyal citizens of Stephenson county, and after more than four years of hard fighting, those who were left were most heartily welcomed when they returned from the fields of carnage to again take up the peaceful pursuits of life, and now, on this occasion, it had been manifested that the boys of the 46th still occupied a warm spot in the hearts of the people, and on behalf of his comrades he wished to return thanks for the hearty welcome they had received.
LIEUT. THOS. B. JONES,
of Buckeye township. was then introduced to give a historical sketch of the regiment. Lieut. Jones stated that two years ago at the reunion of the regiment held in Freeport, he gave a lengthy history of the regiment, and he did not think it would be very interesting at this time, but he gave a brief synopsis of the 46th, and in closing he uttered the following eloquent and patriotic words :
I will also devote a little time and speak of the patriotism of the young men during the years 1861 to 1865. Patriotism means love for country. When the flag of our country was fired upon by the disloyal ele- ment of the Nation, then it was that the young inen true to the love for country, true to the stars and stripes, true to principles of right and justice left their homes and donned the uniform of the soldier. You remember with me as you raised your right hand. swore by the God of battle that you would be true to your country, obey the laws, obey your officers, sup- port the constitution of the United States, and perform all the duties of an American soldier for the preservation of the Union.
The struggle was long and bitter and many were the brave boys who came not back again. Their graves are to be found from the shores of the Atlantic clear across the continent to the Pacific. From the lakes, and hills and valleys of the North, reaching down into the sunny South, along
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the by-ways, on the mountain top, in the low swamps and everglades they rest, consecrating with their life blood this beautiful land of 3,600,000 square miles to liberty. They could do no more. With their deeds of heroism and self-denial we may well ask what have their sacrifices ac- complished ?
1st. We have a restored Union, a land united, bound and cemented together by the strongest ties of love for country. I wish to impress this thought upon the young men liere today to study well the history of this country and to study well the principles of patriotism.
My comrades go back with me to the scenes of the war. A young boy leaves his home and enlists in the army. He goes forth to battle and is mortally wounded. He is taken by the comrades to the hospital, where he is cared for as best they can, but soon he passes away. He dies away from home; no kind mother there to comfort her darling boy in his last dying moments. No sister or friend to sooth him and brush back the matted hair from his brow. He is buried without a relative to shed a sympathetic tear. At the head of the grave is placed a rough board with inscription cut on with a pocket knife or perhaps only marked with a lead pencil, his name, company and regiment. Ah! Yes sleep patriotic dead. The monu- ments to your heroism is engraved, not on tablets of marble alone, but in the hearts of a grateful people.
2nd. Slavery to the black man is forever wiped out, and as soon as this black race and the poor white people of the south secure the education necessary to break the bonds of ignorance and prejudice, and their minds are elevated by a higher plan of civilization and a spirit of patriotism leads them, then will liberty be universal.
3rd. The prosperity of the Union in the past twenty years or since the war is beyond computation. The population then of some thirty millions has doubled or more and with the increase of population the wealth of our vast mines is being developed unearthing the vast treasure of silver and gold, digging down in the earth and bringing out the great treasures of precious metals of every description, and the many million tons of hard and soft coal to furnish fuel to the farmer, the merchant and to all professions, and to the vast manufacturing industries all over the land.
4th. The development of our railroad system is unparalleled. The vast trunk lines cross the continent from east to west and from north to south with connections to every place of importance and many of no importance. The estimate is that we have in the United States 150,000 miles of road, enough to encircle the globe six times. These lines some of them were built across the great western plains in advance of immigra- tion making it possible for the citizens of small means to secure a home of cheap land and to have a market for his products immediately; thus it was possible for this free west to be settled and enriched and beautified by the sturdy settler and ex-soldier.
5th. Our agricultural resources as being developed are the source of great wealth. The vast area of farming land with its product of millions of bushels of cereals, and the countless number of cattle and swine and sheep, supplying the necessary food for the millions of people in nearly every market in the world. Fine mansions are taking the place of the log cabins. On the western plains the sod house is giving away to some- thing better. And free labor is looked upon as elevating and ennobling.
6th. Education ; The great power and strength of a nation is in the intelligence of her people and well may we dwell upon this topic with no
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false pride, with no fear of alarm in the judgment of the sovereigns of this nation. Colleges and seminaries and select schools all over our land. Our public school system is the best in the world. Also medical schools in all sections. Safely may we trust to the intelligence of the people. The press, another great means of educating the people and spreading intelligence to every section, to every race and nationality. This power directed by those veterans of national fame a Greeley, a Lovejoy, a Med- dill, a Nixon, a Lock and hundreds of others who gave patriotic ex- pressions 'during the dark days of the Rebellion, will be classed in our National history as philanthropists and benefactors of mankind. We may call them patriots for truly the influence which they exerted in moulding public opinion will be as a bright and shining star in the constellation of their country's greatness.
Manufacturing industries in the last quarter century have no parallel in history. To enumerate them would take more time and space than I am able or willing to give in my talk to-day; but the inventive genius of this Yankee nation knows no limit and at the head of the inventors of to-day are men who served their country well and who received the in- spiration for this work while in the service battling for the union, or perhaps suffering in the prison pens of the enemy.
Let us be hopeful and trust in God that His providence may lead us as a nation. That as the years advance and the present century closes we may possess as a people many more blessings. When the great west shall be filled up with a noble people numbering hundreds of millions; when the hamlets of the byways shall have become great cities and these railroad lines busy carrying traffic and people to and fro; when the pro- ductive industries, agriculture and all the finer arts and education shall march onward during the centuries yet to come; when peace shall reign supreme and our people be happy and contented; when liberty that inven- tive genius of the human soul shall come and abide with us, always come with an inspiration welling up from the souls of the patriot stretching out across the continent away to the crowned heads of Europe, to the sovereigns of Asia and India unil it spans the whole world and its vibra- tions be felt for good in all nations and climes. I am not saying too much when I tell you that the result of all this prosperity to our nation is in the fact that patriots were found among the men of 1861 and 1865. noble, self-sacrificing, bearing the hardships of the march through the heat of a southern sun, the imprisonments and sufferings by starvation receiv- ing the enemy and fighting him on a hundred of battle fields, wounded by bayonet, ball and shell, dying for the flag he loved so well.
My comrades, it was made possible for all these blessings because the evil in the land was suppressed and liberty, justice and truth were trium- phant. Patriotism has set aside this land of promise to be used for the glory of God. Patriotism looks up with faith to the spread of Christian intel- ligence, not only here in this beautiful land of our own, which gave so much to plant and water the tree of liberty, but in its unselfish spirit will send the joyful tidings to all nations. The rewards of patriotism are not always in proportion to the sacrifices. A nation with all its wealth cannot restore life to the fallen heroes. A nation cannot soothe the sorrows of the mourners all over the land. The maiden cannot receive back the dead lover nor the wife be reconciled for the lost husband. The father and mother in their declining years cannot be comforted with the presence of their boys. The living survivor with his wounds or health gone cannot receive comfort by mere thanks from the nation.
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When the rebels surrendered, the doors of the prison pens were un- locked and the poor starved skeletons of humanity were at liberty. So let the doors of our great treasury be opened by the senators and repre- sentatives, the president concurring therein, and relieve in a measure and reward patriotism with a liberal allowance to all who participated in put- ting down one of the greatest rebellions in the history of the world. But should the acts of a nation come too late for some of us and we are sum- moned to receive our discharge and to cross the silent river, we will never be disloyal but will love the dear old flag with a true spirit of patriotism as long as life shall last.
The reward will surely come some time. If not in the shape of world- ly emoluments, we know that He who cares for the sparrow will care for 11s.
Let us make sure of the reward which the God of Heaven bestows to his children, and may the spirit which aroused a nation to arms, which lifted up the standard of our country to the highest plain in our country's greatness, be transferred by that noble army of humanity to that other standard higher than the flag of our country, that banner under whose leader there is no defeat, where patriots to that banner receive the full reward in the great immortal.
JUDGE CRABTREE
of Dixon, himself a gallant soldier, was introduced by President Arno. He delivered a very eloquent and patriotic speech from which we quote the following :
"For himself he did not believe in long speeches at soldiers' reunions. He thought the boys would prefer to talk over old times, than sit and listen to lengthy addresses from outsiders. He then told a funny story to illustrate how he felt in his present position. He felt that the members of the 46th in attendance at the reunion were enjoying the occasion, as they had the pleasure of meeting old comrades, many of whom they had not seen since the war had closed. During the war the boys had formed attach- ments for one another and to meet on an occasion like this was indeed a pleasure for them. The army was the place for a man to gain a good im- pression of his comrades. If a soldier was brave and courageous and generous, the fact was soon found out and he at once gained the good will and esteem of his fellow soldiers, and on the other hand if a fellow was a coward and a sneak, the fact was soon known. To the brave and cour- ageous who fought side by side in the dark days of the rebellion a bond of undying friendship had been established. They had shared perils and privations together and their feeling of friendship is like that among brothers. The soldiers who were in the prime and vigor of their manhood in 1861 are now old men and all of them will soon be numbered with the dead, and it is little wonder that they enjoy their reunions and love to grasp their old comrades by the hand. They love to talk of the perils and hardships which they passed through and many incidents of the war are recalled which were almost forgotten. They rummage through the storehouse of memory, go over the old battlefields once more. They, for the time being, live in the past and seem to forget that twenty odd years have passed over their heads since they were comrades together. What swift, rushing memories come over us on a day like this when we grasp the hand of a comrade with whom we parted when mustered out of the service.
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The speaker then referred to the feelings of the soldiers on the night before the first battle, when none could say who would be called upon to offer up their lives as a sacrifice for liberty. But on the morrow, when the order came to fall in, when the roar of the musketry was heard on all sides, the feeling of dread of the night before was forgotten. The brave boys pressed forward. Eager to be in the thickest of the fight, thinking only of their honor and their country. No man who was not himself a soldier. has any conception of the heroism displayed on the battlefield. He spoke of a German officer whom he had known well. He was gallantly leading a charge when he was struck by a shell and frightfully wounded. The poor fellow was taken to a place of safety, but it was plain to be seen that he would not live to lead another charge. Propped up against a tree with blood streaming from many wounds, too feeble to talk, he grasped his hat in his shattered arm and feebly waved his comrades on to victory until the last spark of life had left his body and his patriotic heart had ceased to beat. But this was only one of thousands of brave soldiers who died on the battlefield with a smile upon his lips. What were their lives, compared to the life of their country? Such a spirit of loyalty, self- sacrifice, and devotion was never seen in any other country on the face of the earth.
With the old veterans the war is still a memory, and those of you who did not participate in that grand struggle should pardon these old veterans for loving to linger over the old days and talk of their army life. While the war is a memory to us it will soon be a history as the last survivor of that memorable struggle will soon have gone the way of earth, and then our children and children's children will have a gleam from history and all will ever know of the patriotism and bravery of their fore- fathers.
It will not be many years before the last survivor will have gone to his long rest, as the old veterans are dying off fast. Most of them con- tracted diseases in the army which will shorten their lives. Look at the long list of able generals who have already passed away, to say nothing of the thousands of privates. Where is Grant, Logan, Mead, Mcclellan, Hancock, and other generals who led us on to victory? None of them would be old men if alive today. But the war shortened their lives. No man could pass through that war without having his life shortened. The old soldiers are passing away more rapidly than any other class of people, and yet, sometimes we hear complaint because some of these old veterans re- ceive pensions. The speaker did not think that the veterans got too much. A great injustice is done the old soldier when he is compelled to prove that he was physically sound when he entered the war, before he could receive a pension, because he was broken down from disease contracted in the war. When a man enlisted he was examined by a government physician and that should be sufficient proof that he was an able bodied man when he went into the service. He also referred to the thousands of poor de- serving soldiers who could not get pensions on account of some techni- cality. These defects in our pension laws should be abandoned. The government is rich and can pay all her debts in gold, but money cannot pay her debt to the widows of soldiers who gave up their lives on the battlefield. Money cannot repay the soldier for the loss of his good right arm, or for the loss of a leg or perhaps both legs. Let us reflect for a moment what kind of a country we would now have had it not been for the work of those brave boys. Look at your prosperous country with peace and plenty on all sides, and then think of what it might have been
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had the south succeeded in its purpose. The veterans had a right to ex- pect help from the government when they were poor and in ill health.
The speaker then briefly spoke of thecauses that led to the rebellion and of the patriotism of the northern people when hostilities commenced, and complimented the 46th for the gallant part it took in the struggle. The records show that 334,616 were killed during the struggle, and these figures do not include the countless numbers of old veterans who have died since the war from wounds and diseases traceable to the war. It shows a self- sacrificing devotion to country that has never been seen before, and will never be seen except in a country like ours. Ours is now a great nation, and is recognized as such by all the nations of the world. We are at peace with all foreign powers; our flag is honored and respected on all seas and in every civilized country on the globe, and if any evil should threaten the government, there is enough of patriotism and christianity among our people to crush it out. The only safety for a republic is in the honesty and patriotism of its people. We should teach our children to be loyal as loyalty is the safe-guard of the nation. Reunions like this teach lessons of patriotism to the young. It was always a pleasure for the speaker to be with the veterans at their reunions. He would stay by the boys of the 46th until the last man had left the banquet at the Brewster House.
At the conclusion of Major Crabtree's splendid speech, he was given three hearty cheers.
Then there was more music by the band, after which General Atkins was called upon for a speech, and he responded briefly. Then the boys again formed in line and marched to the city.
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